About Us
Colonial Culinary Classic
Born Among Friends
Colonial Culinary Classic was born from a vision among friends. Tournament Director of the PGA Tour’s Charles Schwab Challenge Michael Tothe, Colonial General Managers Frank Cordiero and John Hurt, Executive Chef Martin Meadows and a James Beard event producer Dick Stephens from Varsity Communications in Seattle all had a gut feeling. They saw an opportunity to lift, showcase and point the spotlight on Fort Worth’s ever-growing culinary community with a brand-new event hosted at the club. The team gathered and shared ideas, crafted a vision, presented it to club leadership, met with the James Beard Foundation in New York and Birdies for Charity in Fort Worth. Thumbs went up all around and the event launched in May 2022.
This first-ever production will benefit the James Beard Foundation’s many missions in chef education, diversity, sustainability, fairness in the workplace, full use of food and programing in the promotion of female-led entities. Additionally, proceeds will benefit Colonial’s Birdies for Charity, which brings focus and funding to many Fort Worth non-profits and programs. An honorary scholarship will be given to a deserving female chef/culinary leader from DFW at the dinner.
