Iris Midler left behind a career as an event planner in Scottsdale to move to Texas when her former husband got a job as an executive chef in Dallas. The couple spent Sundays driving through Texas visiting farms in search of products he could source for one of Dallas’ top restaurants. In that process, Iris saw two audiences who wanted to connect but had no idea how to. And the wheels in her head began to turn.
Their journey led them to countless conversations and discoveries, but one particular encounter stood out—a farmer, eager and passionate, whose fields yielded some of the freshest produce they’d ever tasted. Despite his enthusiasm, there was a clear challenge: the distance between his farm and the city made regular deliveries a costly endeavor, and with only one restaurant buying his harvest, the model couldn’t hold.
As they learned, this farmer, like many others, operated on thin margins and didn’t have the resources for flashy marketing campaigns or professional representation. Yet, the quality of his produce was undeniable. Chefs like Iris’s husband delighted in the flavors and possibilities, but there was a gap—farmers lacked access to a broader chef community, while chefs searched for reliable sources of local ingredients.
Recognizing a Disconnect, Iris Began to Envision a Bridge
She realized there needed to be a meeting point—a way for chefs hungry for authentic, local products to find the farmers who could supply them, and for those farmers to reach the culinary professionals who would value their craft.
So, Iris planned an intimate, long-table farm-to-table dinner that connected five chefs and five farmers. The event was held at Eden’s Garden CSA Farm just east of Dallas in Balch Springs, owned by farmer Marie Tede. Little did she know then in 2010, that this event would become the inaugural Chefs for Farmers (CFF) event. Nor did she know that it would grow into a multi-location annual food and wine festival.
CFF’s mission today remains the same. It champions local farmers, producers and chefs, promotes sustainable practices, and fosters meaningful connections within each community. The end goal is to strengthen the local food economy in the hopes that the partnership evolves and the chefs continue to locally source ingredients for their menus.
As Dallas celebrates 15 years, 2025 marks the fourth Houston CFF event. And in 2025, the festival expands into a 2-day event in both locations. There are also curated events throughout the year. And Iris hints of expanding it to another city soon.
Iris Counts Herself Lucky To Be Part of So Many People’s Start-Up Stories
For example, Deep Ellum Brewing Company, was founded in 2011 by John Reardon in a former paper company on the edge of Dallas’s Deep Ellum neighborhood. It was the city’s first craft brewery in over two decades and brand new when Reardon participated in the 2012 CFF event. DEBC is credited with being a pioneering force in the Dallas craft beer scene, helping to usher in a new era of local breweries.
Now with the influx of newcomers to Texas and the growth of the population in Dallas and Houston, the events continue to provide an awareness platform for many chefs new to the local culinary scene. When California transplant Dave Culwell participated in the 2024 event, he had started his popular Burger Schmurger business from backyard pop-ups during the pandemic. Just this year, he opened his first brick-and-mortar location in East Dallas.
Indeed her assistance and support for all the chefs she meets extends throughout the year and beyond the CFF events. And she’s always on the hunt for new farms to promote. “I love food and I love networking,” says Iris. “It’s all about showcasing top culinary talent while supporting the farmers and producers who grow, harvest, and supply the ingredients that bring culinary culture to life.”
Over 100 Chefs Display their Talents at Chefs for Farmers 2025
The 2025 events tool place in Houston September 25-28. The Dallas event occurs October 29-November 2. The chefs help local farms by buying their products and showcasing their bounty to the greater foodie community.
Participating farms for the Houston event include TrueHarvest Farms, Three Sister Farms, Southern Harvest Microgreens, Blackwood Educational Land Institute, Zero-Point Organics, Hope Farms Urban Agricultural Showcase & Training Center, and Bee2Bee Honey Collective.
Farms participating in the Dallas event include Holland Legacy Farms, Rae Lili Farm, TrueHarvest Farms, Liberty Street Garden, Timberview Farmstead, Southern Sunny Acres, J & L Farms/Hooser Custom Meats, Comeback Creek Farm, Misty Moon Farms, Millbrook Mushrooms, Mushroom Street Farms, and Vertigrow Produce.
Advancing Education, Agriculture, and Community Sustainability
Every year, a portion of ticket proceeds from CFF support nonprofit partners. The 2025 event beneficiaries include:
Houston Food Bank—the nation’s largest food bank by distribution. It provides access to 207 million nutritious meals in 18 counties in southeast Texas.
Urban Harvest—transforming food accessibility in Greater Houston by fostering partnerships with local farmers and gardeners. Urban Harvest operates vibrant Farmers Markets and provides comprehensive gardening and nutrition education.
The Seed Project Foundation hosts dinner events, Farm Tours and Farm-to-Table Symposiums to bring people closer to the educational, agricultural, and community causes that it supports. This includes McKinney Roots a food donation farm in McKinney, TX that has been part of the foundation’s initiative since 2020.
New Friends New Life restores and empowers trafficked and sexually exploited teen girls, women and their children, and drives awareness of the issue and its prevalence. Specifically, Chefs for Farmers’ funding supports a unique vocational program at NFNL where survivors grow and sell organic produce to farmers markets and local restaurants in Dallas.
Get Involved
Volunteer positions at CFF include Culinary Support, Event Support, Heavy Lifters, Greeter & Registration Support and it’s not too early to sign up for 2026. This year, Iris also hopes to hire a volunteer coordinator. And she is working on bringing together an advisory board for CFF. And there’s a continual search for corporate partners to share in CFF’s continued effort to prove that farms and independent chefs’ matter.
By coming together in support of Chefs for Farmers and its nonprofit partners, every participant plays a role in cultivating a stronger, more resilient community. Whether you lend a helping hand as a volunteer, contribute as a partner, or simply enjoy the vibrant events, your involvement fuels meaningful change—nourishing not only bodies, but also dreams and opportunities for all. Join in celebrating the power of food, connection, and collective action as we build a brighter future together.
Visit chefsforfarmers.com for ticket information.
