The Nobel Prize of food competitions has returned! On March 6, the renowned celebration known as Truffle Masters brings Houston’s top chefs together for its ninth installment to compete (and celebrate) the culinary possibilities of the highly prized black truffle.

Founded and hosted by Diane Roederer, owner of DR Delicacy, a Houston-based luxury food importer and distributor, Truffle Masters features 30 Houston chefs vying for the distinction of becoming the year’s master of truffle arts. Participating chefs get a pound of fresh black truffles to prepare however they wish. They then serve their culinary creations to the 500 guests in attendance and a 12-member panel of judges chooses a winner. All proceeds go toward raising funds for the Houston Symphony.

In addition to delicious bites of rare truffles, there’s wine and entertainment from the Houston Symphony. If you get your hands on a ticket, you’ll have the opportunity to witness—and indulge—in all of the specially-curated dishes, both sweet and savory, that will be judged for imagination, deliciousness, and of course, creative use of fresh truffles. Guests will also get tokens to cast a vote on People’s Choice.

Expect the talent in the competition to be high! Returning restaurants and new highly touted entrants include Chef Maurizio Ferrarese, Alba Ristorante; Chef Michelle Wallace, b'Tween Sandwich Co.; Chef Joseph Geiskopf, Ciel; Chef Billy Kin, 5Kinokawa; Chef Felipe Botero, Le Jardinier; Chef Luis Roger, MAD/BCN; Chef Alex Au-Yeung, Phat Eatery; Chef Ryan Bouillet, The Revaire; and more.

“We are thrilled to continue our tradition of gathering Houston’s finest chefs for a uniquely exquisite evening at the 2023 Truffle Masters,” Roederer said. “Our guests are in store for another incredible year of bites that incorporate world class truffles paired with amazing cocktails, entertainment, and community.”

Judges from Texas’ diverse hospitality community will select the evening’s best dishes. This year’s judges include Pat Sharpe, Texas Monthly; Phaedra Cook, Houston Food Finder; Melissa Stewart, Texas Restaurant Association; Mai Pham, Femme Foodie; Emma Balter, Chron; Chef Manabu “Hori” Horiuchi, Kata Robata; Daniel Renfrow, Houstonia Magazine; Lorretta Ruggerio, Houston Press; Greg Morago, Houston Chronicle; Juan Gonzalez, Central Market; and more.

General Admission tickets are $295 each, which gives you free range to taste all of the  truffle samplings at each chef’s table, and access to an espresso martini bar by Meticulous Spirits and Chef David Skinner of Eculent. VIP tickets are $395 and allow pass holders to enjoy a pre-party from 6-7 p.m. where they can meet the judges, chefs, sponsors, and media. VIPs also get admission into the main event, the Reserved VIP Lounge from 7-10 p.m. with a private full bar, a custom-made VIP pin, a VIP Gift Bag, and valet parking. Madame Zéro will provide a champagne display for VIP ticket holders as well. 

For tickets to the Truffle Masters, Monday, March 6, visit their website.