New webinar series marinates on San Antonio’s culinary future

JUNE 22, 2020 — A new webinar series offered by UTSA aims to elevate the conversation about a favorite topic: food.

Food for Thought, a pop-up summer series produced by UTSA Development & Alumni Relations and University Relations, will highlight San Antonio’s culinary identity and the recovery of the local food industry, postpandemic.

Each session will delve into topics related to how San Antonio eats—where our food comes from, how it translates across cultures, what the impact will be on local restaurants and how it gets to our plates. The series menu features panels of experts discussing topics such as Tex-Mex cuisine, food insecurity, supply chain challenges and our region’s culinary history.

The series launches with The Future of Local Cuisine and San Antonio’s Culinary Identity, on Tuesday, June 23 at noon. The panelists are celebrated San Antonio chefs and restaurant industry leaders: 

• Johnny Hernandez, owner of La Gloria
• Elizabeth Johnson, owner of Pharm Table
• Dawn Ann Larios, executive eirector of the San Antonio Restaurant Association
• David Thanairongroj, owner of Thai Topaz

With some predicting that cascading effects of the coronavirus pandemic will wipe out 25% to 30% of independent restaurants in Texas, the panelists will share perspectives on potential impacts to San Antonio’s local restaurant scene as well as what the future landscape of local cuisine and tourism may look like. The talk will be moderated by Tracie Shelton from UTSA’s Small Business Development Center. Attendees are encouraged to interact with panelists through moderated Q&A. 

All sessions in the Food for Thought series are free and open to the public, but registration is required. Webinars will take place about every two weeks through mid-August. 

To learn more about the series and future session topics, visit the Food for Thought website.

— Heather Green

---

---