1 month ago
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By Chanda Temple | birminghamal.gov
The chefs scheduled to cook during the Southbound Food Festival, which will take place at different venues in Birmingham from Sept. 18 to 27, have spent years building recipes and resilience.
Take Breanne Kostyk of Flour Moon Bagels in New Orleans, who will be one of the featured chefs at the festival’s Funk Brunch: Juke Jam on Sunday, Sept. 27. She lived in Birmingham from 2010 to 2014, working two years as a pastry chef at the now-closed Veranda on Highland.
Breanne Kostyk of Flour Moon Bagels in New Orleans is one of the chefs for Funk Brunch. (Provided)She moved to New Orleans in 2016 and grew her skills as a pastry chef at a hotel there. While creating for the hotel’s coffee shop, she discovered her love of making bagels, remembering the time when she grew up in Connecticut and attended college in Brooklyn.
But bagels had to take a brief backseat for Kostyk in 2020. On March 10, 2020, she had a double mastectomy. In May 2020, she launched her bagel business from home.
She first started making bagels in her kitchen. But when demand from followers grew, the hotel where she worked allowed her to use their kitchen. She started doing Sunday pop-ups at a farmers’ market, while also undergoing radiation treatments.
Quitting was not an option.
“I was still so determined to really keep going and make it happen,” Kostyk said. “I wanted to prove that when you go through something like that, your outlook helps you get through it. And you want a goal to look forward to.”
Encouraged by the long lines at her farmers’ market appearances and customers’ compliments, she opened a brick-and-mortar in May 2022. In June 2023, Bon Appétit magazine named Flour Moon Bagels as one of the “Very Best Bagels in the US (Outside of New York).”
Today Kostyk is cancer-free, and she’s excited to return to the Magic City and bring her hand-rolled bagels to Alabama cuisine. This will be her first time at Southbound.
“I wanted to participate because I had such an early connection to Birmingham. It was really a pivotal point in my career, just Alabama, in general,” said Kostyk. “It’s kind of fun to come back to that as a root and be able to cook my food back where I started.”
Chefs prepare courses for attendees at the Heritage Dinner at Pepper Place. (Provided)Kostyk will be one of more than 100 food and beverage talent featured during the Southbound Food Festival, which will include seated dinners, cocktail tastings, live outdoor cooking, a food photo exhibit, an art exhibit and more over the 10 days. USA Today has named Southbound a top food festival.
“Southbound is an opportunity for people from Birmingham, from Alabama and from all over the country to discover the incredible quality of food that we offer … and why Birmingham is the coolest place to visit in the United States,” said Leigh Sloss-Corra, vice president of the Southbound Food Festival. “What we have is unlike what any other city has, and I’m excited to showcase that and share that at Southbound.”
The 2026 festival will feature the following:
Food Photo Exhibit: The Main Ingredient by Birmingham Photographer Mary Fehr, Friday, Sept. 18 – Sunday, Sept. 27 | The Studios Building at Pepper Place, 2829 – Second Ave. North
Featuring familiar faces from some of Birmingham’s noteworthy restaurants, including Bottega, Ovenbird, The Essential, Salud, Bayonet and more. Open to the public. For more info: https://www.southboundfoodfest.com/hosted-events/maryfehrphoto
Roscoe Hall Art Exhibit at Bayonet, Friday, Sept. 18 to Sunday, Sept. 27 | 2015 Second Ave. North
Thirteen images created by Birmingham-based chef and artist Roscoe Hall will be on display at Bayonet during the run of the festival. On Wednesday, Sept. 23, music will play as Hall paints a piece during a five-course tuna tasting dinner. A ticket is required for the Sept. 23 dinner. Each course will feature a different cut of tuna, paired with wines. A cash bar will also be available. His pieces at Bayonet will be available for sale.
For more info on the art show: https://www.southboundfoodfest.com/hosted-events/roscoe-hall-pop-up-art-show
For more info on the Sept. 23 tuna tasting at Bayonet: https://www.southboundfoodfest.com/hosted-events/bayonet
Last year, guests were treated to a delicious spread at the Heritage Dinner at Pepper Place. (Provided)Heritage Dinner: Chicken & The Egg, Friday, Sept. 18 | 200 29th St. South at Pepper Place | 6 to 10 p.m.
Attendees will experience a multi-course dinner curated by 11 chefs, including James Beard Award winner Frank Stitt. The food will honor the origins and evolution of one of the South’s most essential ingredients. The evening will also honor the 2026 Frank Stitt Award for Industry Excellence recipient. Advance tickets required. For more info: https://www.southboundfoodfest.com/heritage-dinner
Rooted: Women in Food Saturday, September 19 | The Market at Pepper Place | 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.
A morning of conversation, cooking demonstrations and storytelling highlighting the women shaping the South’s culinary landscape will be the focus of this event. These events will be free and held outside. However, the Rooted Meet and Greet Brunch will require a ticket and will be held inside Hot and Hot Fish Club. The Meet and Greet Brunch will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. For more info: https://www.southboundfoodfest.com/rooted
HOSTED: A Collaborative Series Happening Sun., Sept. 20 to Sun., Sept. 27 | Various venues. Various Times.
One-night-only meal collaborations between local restaurants and visiting chefs, pop-ups, tastings, speakers and even a film will be offered during this initiative happening across the city. For more info: https://www.southboundfoodfest.com/hosted-series-1
Southern Living’s Food & Fire Saturday, Sept. 26 | Sloss Furnaces | 12 to 4 p.m.
Top chefs, pitmasters, cooking demos, a craft beer and wine garden, and live music will be featured during this all-inclusive walk-around tasting event that celebrates the barbecue community and tailgate culture. Advance tickets are required. For more info: https://www.southboundfoodfest.com/food-fire
The Funk Brunch is inspired by Alabama’s juke joint traditions. (Provided)Funk Brunch: Juke Jam Sunday, Sept. 27 | Sloss Furnaces Water Tower | 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Close out the festival with this high-energy brunch inspired by Alabama’s juke joint traditions, where bold flavors, craft cocktails and live blues and soul will be highlighted. Early James and Blind Mississippi Morris will perform. Advance tickets required. For more info: https://www.southboundfoodfest.com/funk-brunch
“Southbound is a celebration of Southern cuisine, the people, the stories, and the traditions that define the region,” said Keri Lane, festival production and marketing director. “Each year, we continue to grow the experience while staying rooted in what makes our Southern traditions so special.”
For more info on the participating culinary talent: https://www.southboundfoodfest.com/talent-2026. For additional info on Southbound: http://www.southboundfoodfest.com.
