The Texas Restaurant Foundation and Garrison Brothers Distillery announced the fifth annual Hye Steaks Cookout, an October fundraiser pairing Texas bourbon and beef to support the people who staff the state’s restaurants, according to an Aug. 4 news release from the foundation.
The evening doubles as a funding engine for training pipelines in one of the state’s largest employment sectors. All proceeds benefit the foundation’s statewide work to strengthen the hospitality workforce through education, career and technical training, scholarships, career pathways, second-chance employment programs and disaster relief, the release said. Those programs help develop talent, connect employers with job-ready workers and build more resilient restaurant communities across Texas, according to the foundation.
The fundraiser is set for Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Garrison Brothers Distillery in Hye. Tickets are $150 and include food and beverages from eight chef-led tasting stations, along with handcrafted bourbon cocktails, Texas wines, live music, auction items and an exclusive From the Barrel tasting experience hosted by Garrison Brothers Master Distiller Donnis Todd, the release said.
“The Hye Steaks Cookout is Texas hospitality at its best: great food, generous partners and a shared commitment to creating opportunity,” said Heather Pickett, executive director of the Texas Restaurant Foundation. “Every ticket helps the Texas Restaurant Foundation prepare the next generation of restaurant leaders, strengthen our workforce and support industry employees and businesses when they need us most.”
Garrison Brothers’ hospitality team and participating Texas chefs will serve beef creations across the eight stations in partnership with Nolan Ryan Beef, Bucker Creek Ranch, Wagyu X, Cut Beef, Performance Fine Foods and Key Allegro Oysters, according to the release. Texas Hill Country wineries will pour a selection of Texas wines throughout the evening. Additional experiences include the Cigar Corral, a new on-property cigar lounge featuring Bariay 1492 cigars available for purchase, and the release of a Hye Steaks Cookout 2026 Cask Strength Single Barrel available exclusively to event guests. The Jeff Jacobs Band will perform live.
“As current board members of the Texas Restaurant Association and longtime donors to the Texas Restaurant Foundation, Dan and I are thrilled to once again host this meaningful fundraiser at our distillery,” said Nancy Garrison, co-founder of Garrison Brothers Distillery. “We look forward to welcoming guests from across the state for an unforgettable evening of Texas beef, bourbon and community in support of a special cause.”