Empty Bowls
Thursday, February 26, 2026
North Texas Food Bank | 3677 Mapleshade Lane | Plano, TX 75075
5 p.m. - V.I.P. Check-in
6 p.m. - General Admission Check-in.
9 p.m. - Event Concludes.
This event is for guests 21 and older.
Now in its 26th year, Empty Bowls brings together the community with a unique food tasting experience, featuring dishes crafted by some of the area’s most talented chefs and beloved restaurants.
Since its inception, generous Empty Bowls guests and sponsors have helped raise $3 million, which is the equivalent of more than 9 million meals for children, families and older adults facing hunger. Thank you for partnering with us as we strive toward a hunger-free, healthy North Texas.
Celebrity Guest Chef: Nikky Phinyawatana
This year’s celebrity chef is Nikky Phinyawatana, founder and chef of the popular Asian Mint restaurant group in the Dallas–Fort Worth area. Known for her thoughtful approach to Thai cuisine, she has earned honors such as Dallas Eater’s #1 Best Thai Food and a spot on CultureMap’s Top 100 Restaurants list. In 2024, she debuted her cookbook, Thai Food and Travel with Chef Nikky. She launched her own signature sauces, now available at Asian Mint locations, online, and at Central Market stores throughout Dallas. Her passion for sharing bold flavors and authentic experiences brings a special energy to this year’s Empty Bowls event.
Featured Restaurants
Asian Mint
Celebration Restaurant & Catering
Empire Baking Co.
If Jesus Made Quesadillas
Lockhart Smokehouse Plano
Maru Ramen
McRae’s American Bistro
Mozzarella Company
Porch Swing Iced Tea
Red Stix and Chef Uno Catering
Seager & Sons
Shake Shack
Sophia’s Haitian Cuisine
Suburban Yacht Club
Taverna Rossa
The Texas Barn at Circle T Ranch
Top Brass
True Food Kitchen
Union Bear Brewing Co.
Urban Family Restaurants
Entertainment
This year’s live music is being generously provided by the Texas Jazz Cats. The group began supporting NTFB through their concerts during the pandemic and continue to play live music each month in support of the 1 in 6 North Texans facing hunger. Find out more about them here.
Mission Moment Tours
5:45 p.m. (VIP)
6:45 p.m.
7:45 p.m.
Join us at one of the above times to learn more about the difficult decisions our neighbors facing hunger encounter each day. You’ll walk through an aisle in our warehouse and learn more about a few of the neighbors we’ve served while completing a simulation meant to illustrate some of the choices our neighbors make. Follow the signage to "Mission Moment" if you’d like to participate.
In Jan’s Garden
Outside this year, guests are invited to view art demonstrations by the Dallas Area Woodturners and Trinity Ceramic.
Oak Cliff Bee Co., which manages the hive in Jan’s Garden, will be on-site sharing information about the importance of bees in the pollination of our food supply. Learn more about NTFB’s bees here.
Bowls
Guests are invited to select a handcrafted bowl as a reminder of the event and its mission to help ensure every North Texan has food with which to fill their bowls. Interested in a youth bowl? Each general admission ticket can be used for four youth bowls. Those are also available for a $5 donation.
If you are interested in sponsoring Empty Bowls, please email corporate@ntfb.org.
