Rodeo Uncorked! Roundup & Best Bites Competition
The annual Rodeo season’s food-and-wine-focused kickoff event, Rodeo Uncorked! Roundup & Best Bites Competition, drew a sold-out crowd of over 6,000 people to NRG Center. The event, held on the Sunday before the cook-off begins, featured more than 100 restaurants serving food, and attendees had the opportunity to taste almost 500 of the award-winning wines from the 2024 Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition.
Winners
A panel of judges, comprising chefs, media, and influencers, awarded prizes in various categories. The winners included:
- People’s Choice: Cotton Culinary’s "Forager’s Feast" and Davis Street at Hermann Park’s crispy Thai shrimp
- Outstanding Showmanship: SheShe Treats and Brothers Produce
- Tasty Tradition Award: Cultivated F+B’s pistachio tart and Raising Cane’s chicken fingers, toast, and Cane’s sauce
- Trailblazer Appetizer: Robinette & Company Caterers’ sundried tomato spread on cayenne pepper toast topped with candied bacon and State Fare Kitchen & Bar’s Bayou Melt Slider
- Lone Star Entrée: North Italia’s braised short rib marsala, Merlion Restaurant’s shrimp in Thai basil red curry sauce, and Grace Italian Kitchen’s boneless short rib with pancetta risotto and molasses bourbon glaze
- Two-Steppin’ Dessert: Guzel Cakes’ banana pudding cake, strawberry cheesecake, and vanilla pudding with cookie butter, Hudson House’s key lime pie, and Mostly Chocolate’s house-made Turkish pistachio and sesame seed paste folded with crispy phyllo shreds cooked in brown butter
- Rookie Award: The Cheesecake Queen’s key lime mini cheesecakes
Other Favorites
Some of the other popular dishes included:
- Red Dot Cuisine’s chicken tikka slider
- Henderson & Kane’s classic tamale
- Padre’s hot dog
- Pizaro’s beef carpaccio pizza
- Brennan’s savory crawfish cheesecake
What to Expect
Best Bites serves as the unofficial kick-off to Rodeo season, ahead of the trail rides and barbecue cook-off. Those who missed the festivities can sample some of the winning wines in the Rodeo’s wine garden, and many of the bottles will be auctioned off at the Rodeo Uncorked! Champion Wine Auction & Dinner on Sunday, March 2.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Rodeo Uncorked! Roundup & Best Bites Competition?
A: It is the annual food-and-wine-focused kickoff event for the Rodeo season.
Q: When is the event held?
A: The event is held on the Sunday before the cook-off begins.
Q: How many restaurants participate in the event?
A: More than 100 restaurants participate in the event.
Q: What type of food and wine is available?
A: Attendees can taste almost 500 of the award-winning wines from the 2024 Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition, and sample food from more than 100 restaurants.
Q: What is the Rodeo Uncorked! Champion Wine Auction & Dinner?
A: The Rodeo Uncorked! Champion Wine Auction & Dinner is an event where many of the winning wines will be auctioned off.
