Brooklyn: Bowl Of Zole Food Tasting Event By Food Karma

 

 

 

 

 

chef and restaurant lineup announcement I promised for Bowl of ‘Zole Brooklyn, returning to Industry City on Thursday, October 22.

This year’s roster brings together more than 30 participants, from chefs and restaurants recognized by the James Beard Foundation, Michelin Guide, and StarChefs to independent neighborhood kitchens from across New York City. Casa Enrique, Oxomoco, Ursula, Hellbender, Sobre Masa, For All Things Good, La Newyorkina, Toloache, and more will serve pozole and other Mexican dishes alongside more than 300 pours of mezcal, tequila, raicilla, lechuguilla, sotol, and other regional Mexican spirits. As part of Bowl of ‘Zole’s partnership with City Harvest, every participating chef and restaurant will also prepare extra pozole for donation.

 

 

 

 

 

BOWL OF ‘ZOLE BROOKLYN ANNOUNCES 2026 LINEUP FEATURING OXOMOCO, CASA ENRIQUE, URSULA, HELLBENDER, SOBRE MASA, AND MORE

More Than 30 Chefs and Restaurants Serve Pozole and Classic Mexican Cuisine Alongside More Than 300 Agave and Regional Mexican Spirits at Industry City on October 22

BROOKLYN, NY – Bowl of ‘Zole™ Brooklyn has announced its 2026 chef and restaurant lineup for Thursday, October 22, at Industry City.

Presented by Mexican spirits expert Arik Torren of Lot001 Brands, La Lonchería chef and Made in Mexico author Danny Mena, and Food Karma Projects founder Jimmy Carbone, the touring Bowl of ‘Zole festival celebrates classic Mexican cuisine and cultura líquida with more than 30 chefs and restaurants serving signature pozoles and other Mexican dishes alongside more than 300 pours of mezcal, tequila, raicilla, lechuguilla, sotol, and more.

THE BOWL OF ‘ZOLE BROOKLYN LINEUP OF CHEFS AND RESTAURANTS

This year’s lineup features Michelin-recognized and starred restaurants Casa Enrique, Oxomoco, Covacha, Sobre Masa, For All Things Good, and Mesa Coyoacan; James Beard Award nominees Eric See and Fany Gerson; and StarChefs Rising Stars Award winners Justin Bazdarich, Eric See, Matt Diaz, Carlos Macías, and Yara Herrera. They are among more than 30 participating chefs and restaurants in the 2026 Bowl of ‘Zole Brooklyn lineup:

• Alma

• Dana Morales of Barbaco Tío

• Cosme Aguilar of Casa Enrique

• Lili Reséndiz and María Flores of Covacha and El Mitote

• Ramiro Mendez of de Mole

• Emir Dupeyron of Dolores

• Jesus Perea of Don Perea

• Luis Jimenez of El Vez

• Matt Diaz and Carlos Macías of For All Things Good

• Fabiola Juarez of Frijoleros

• Yara Herrera of Hellbender

• Jaime Bravo of Jajaja Mexicana

• Javier Gomez of Javier Barbacoa

• Luis Arce Mota of La Contenta Oeste

• Fany Gerson of Mijo and La Newyorkina

• Felipe Mendez of La Superior

• Tomas De La O of Marcela Cocina Mexicana

• Julian Bovasso of Maya

• Iván Vazquez of Mayahuel

• Iván Garcia of Mesa Coyoacan

• Ivy Stark of MÉXology

• Maria Barriga and Justin Bazdarich of Oxomoco

• Nicole Onisik of Panzón

• Puerto Vallarta

• Denis Ibarra of Rinconcito Familiar

• Carmen Escamilla of Sabor A Mexico II

• Santa Fe BK

• Zack Wangeman of Sobre Masa

• Julian Medina of Toloache

• Eric See of Ursula

• Alex Valencia of Vallarta Tropical

• and more

THE SPIRITS PROGRAM

Curated by Torren, the Bowl of ‘Zole Brooklyn spirits program offers more than 300 vibrant expressions by artisan producers and specialty distributors. Guests can sample mezcal, tequila, raicilla, lechuguilla, sotol, and other regional Mexican spirits to compare distilling traditions and production styles as they build their own pairings with dishes from the chef lineup.

Featured brands and portfolios include Mezcal Vago, Los Siete Misterios, Mezcal de Leyendas, Heavy Métl Premium Imports, Lot001 Brands, Cardenxe Sotol, Tequila Fortaleza, Tequila Ocho, Don Fulano, G4 Tequila, and many more.

CITY HARVEST PARTNERSHIP

As part of a partnership with City Harvest, all participating Bowl of ‘Zole chefs and restaurants will prepare additional pozole for donation. City Harvest exists to end hunger in communities throughout New York City through food rescue and distribution, education, and other practical, innovative solutions. This year, City Harvest will rescue 100 million pounds of high-quality food that would otherwise go to waste and deliver it free of charge to hundreds of food pantries and soup kitchens across the five boroughs, helping to provide food for New Yorkers experiencing food insecurity.

 

EVENT DETAILS & TICKET OPTIONS

Bowl of ‘Zole – Brooklyn Tickets

Thursday, October 22, 2026, 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Industry City 5 2 A Venue, 33 35th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11232

• 5:00 PM Entry – VIP Ticket: $75 + processing fee

  • Early admission at 5:00 PM for an extra hour of pozole and spirits tastings, Bowl of ‘Zole Swag Bag, meet and mingle with chefs and beverage producers, all-access food and spirits tastings for the whole evening

• 6:00 PM Entry – General Admission Ticket: $65 + processing fee

  • 6:00 PM admission with all-access food and spirits tastings all evening

• 6:00 PM Entry – General Admission Kickoff Pricing: $55 + processing fee

  • General Admission ticket at a special price available for a limited time, 6:00 PM admission, all-access food and spirits tastings all evening

Media credentials and interviews with the festival founders are available upon request. High-resolution images and additional press materials are also available in the media gallery.

ABOUT FOOD KARMA PROJECTS: Food Karma Projects events are grassroots-style celebrations that bring together award-winning and rising-star chefs, restaurants, artisan producers, and distributors. Founded by Jimmy Carbone, Jimmy made his mark with Jimmy’s No. 43, an iconic bar in New York City’s East Village known for its approach to craft beer and local food. He expanded his dedication to regional food communities with the founding of Food Karma Projects, and under his direction, Food Karma Projects gatherings are recognized for their collaborative success stories.

Food Karma Projects’ diverse portfolio ranges from long-standing events to fresh new soirees, including Brisket King® NYC, Rib King NYC™, Pig Island NYC™, Bowl of ‘Zole™, and CiderFeast™. Each festival offers immersive experiences that attract food enthusiasts and industry professionals alike. For more information, visit foodkarmaprojects.com and follow along on Instagram and Facebook.

ABOUT DANNY MENA: Danny Mena is one of New York City’s top Mexican chefs, acclaimed for the traditional Mexican food he served at his restaurant Hecho en Dumbo for over 10 years and now at La Lonchería and Conejo in Richmond, VA. After forgoing an engineering career for culinary school and stints at restaurants Blue Hill and The Modern, Mena started Hecho en Dumbo in 2007. He and his team quickly outgrew that space and opened their Manhattan location in 2010.

In 2018, he opened La Lonchería, a rustic Mexican-style luncheonette offering a modern take on traditional dishes. Another Mexican tradition close to Mena’s heart is mezcal. In 2022, he partnered with local restaurateurs in Richmond, VA, to open a new concept called Conejo. Named after a varietal heirloom corn, they opened the pre-eminent Mexican restaurant in the region, focusing on the base of Mexico’s cuisine; the corn, the bean, and the chile. He partnered in two mezcal distilleries, Mezcal de Leyendas and Pelotón de la Muerte, whose mezcals are considered among the very best available in both the U.S. and Mexico and beyond, showcasing mezcal from all over the country. As a trained chef, now working his way to become a sommelier, his knowledge from production to final distillation is unparalleled.

In September 2019, he launched his debut cookbook, Made in Mexico. Inspired by the best restaurants, fondas, loncherías, and taco stands in Mexico City and adapted for the home cook, Made in Mexico is a delicious blend of classic regional and contemporary Mexican cuisine.

ABOUT ARIK TORREN: Arik Torren has 35 years of industry experience, with the last 14 years as an importer and brand developer. He was one of the pioneers of mezcal in the U.S. and a visionary of Mexican spirits beyond mezcal, including Raicilla, Tutsi, Cucharilla, Palmilla, and Lechuguilla. In 2020, he co-founded Bowl of ‘Zole™, creating an environment where traditional and authentic spirits from Mexico connect with industry and consumers alongside pozole made by some of the most exciting chefs. In 2023, Arik launched Lot001 Brands, importing amazing spirits from Mexico.