Cork & Fork Culinary Weekend
Available Friday, October 16, 2026 - Sunday, October 18, 2026
Description
We invite you to experience the 2026 Cork & Fork Culinary Weekend. This year will bring an extraordinary culinary journey celebrating The Flavors That Built America in honor of our nation’s 250th anniversary.
This celebrated weekend shines a spotlight on the creativity and talent of exceptional female chefs from across the country. Guided by this year’s theme, The Flavors That Built America, our chefs will craft a menu that spans the nation’s diverse culinary landscape from coastal to heartland, from humble beginnings to haute cuisine. Each course will honor the ingredients, stories, and pioneering spirit that have shaped 250 years of American independence, innovation, and community.
Complementing these inspired creations, guests will explore exceptional global wines thoughtfully paired with each course, along with curated cheese tastings that highlight the art of pairing and balance. Together, these experiences tell a story of connection and how food and wine have brought people together in America across generations, cultures, and continents to share in the enduring joy of the table.
Package Includes:
- Grand Hotel accommodations
- Breakfast and dinner daily
- All resort amenities
- Friday welcome reception
- Custom welcome amenity
- Saturday cooking event
- Saturday afternoon wine tasting
- Special Saturday reception and dinner with wine pairings
- Sunday morning brunch and panel discussion
- Admission to the Richard & Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum
The Cork & Fork Culinary Weekend package can also be booked by calling Grand Hotel Reservations at 1-800-334-7263.
View Grand Hotel Policies and Information >> to learn more about our evening dress code, luggage process, and more.
2026 Cork & Fork Participating Chefs
Emcee Kim Severson
Kim Severson is a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist for The New York Times who covers food as cultural currency, keeping an eye on how we grow our food, who cooks it and how we eat it, and telling larger stories about where we are as a culture and where we are heading. She has been writing about food full time since 1999, beginning at The San Francisco Chronicle before joining The New York Times in 2004. During her tenure, she also served as Southern bureau chief on the National desk before returning to the Food section with the start of NYT Cooking.
Her reporting has taken her from the kitchens of celebrated Southern cooks to the front lines of disaster relief, exploring the deeper stories behind how food is grown, prepared, and shared. Severson is the author of four books and is based in Atlanta, Ga., where she lives with her family.
Chef Kelly Franz, Charleston, South Carolina
Kelly Franz is the culinary director at Magnolias, a 30-year staple of Southern cuisine in South Carolina.
Franz’s early life shaped her love of food and cooking. “Growing up in a traveling military family often meant experiencing different cultures through food,” says Franz. “My time in the kitchen began at a young age when I would help my father cook Sunday brunch. Eventually, food became a passion, where even grocery shopping was part of the fun.”
Franz moved to Charleston in 2002 to attend the Culinary Institute of Charleston (at Trident Technical College). While a student, she joined Magnolias in November 2003, becoming the restaurant’s Sous Chef in 2005. Franz’s leadership skills and strong work ethic propelled her through the ranks; she became Chef de Cuisine in 2008 and Executive Chef in 2015. She was hired by Kiawah Island Club’s Food & Beverage team in 2019 and worked at several of their private restaurants, rising to the position of Executive Chef at the prestigious River Course Clubhouse. Franz has received recognition and accolades from notable publications including USA Today, National Culinary Review, and Wine Spectator. Additionally, Franz was runner-up in season six of the Food Network’s “Cutthroat Kitchen” and appeared on “Bite Club” with (Magnolias alum) Chef Tyler Florence. She is an active member of the Charleston community, serving the local Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier among other causes.
Chef Ali Clem, Austin, Texas
Ali Clem is the chef and owner behind the Texas-style smoked brisket you’ll find at Michelin-starred restaurant, la Barbecue, located in Austin, Texas. Ranked among the top barbecue chefs in the world, Ali has devoted her culinary career to perfecting her craft and most importantly, carrying on the barbecue legacy she and her late wife, LeAnn Mueller built together.
A Texas native, Clem grew up in Fort Worth and while attending college in East Texas, jumped right into the restaurant industry at the early age of eighteen. Ali spent several years honing her skills in hospitality and customer service by waiting tables, bartending, catering events, and managing restaurants. However, she didn’t venture into the barbecue business until she moved to Austin. Ali knew then that she was destined for the flamed-kissed pit life when she was hired by barbecue royalty, John Mueller, to help open a food trailer down on South First Street.
Ali, alongside her wife LeAnn, transformed that humble trailer into what is now la Barbecue, the beloved local institution known for its mouth-watering smoked meats and vibrant atmosphere. Ali’s passion for barbecue has made la Barbecue a staple in Austin’s culinary scene, earning it a loyal following and critical acclaim. Under her leadership, la Barbecue gained a reputation for its exceptional quality, earning a spot on Texas Monthly’s “Top 50 Barbecue Joints in Texas” and most recently, being awarded a Michelin Star.
Ali Clem’s journey from bartender to barbecue entrepreneur is a testament to her commitment to excellence, hard work, and overall passion for barbecue. Her story is one of resilience and dedication, making la Barbecue a must-visit destination for anyone in Austin.
Chef Cristina Martinez, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Cristina Martínez Guerrero’s story is one of resilience and determination shaped by her roots in Capulhuac, Mexico, where she learned traditional barbecue cooking as part of her family heritage. From an early age, she learned how to prepare barbecue, an ancestral technique that deeply connected her with her roots and ignited a lasting passion for cooking.
Guerrero is the founder of South Philly Barbacoa, a restaurant dedicated to authentic Mexican barbecue that has earned international recognition, including the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic in 2022. Eater named her restaurant in its “All-Time Eater 38” list, honoring the 38 most essential and influential restaurants in America in the past 20 years, for preserving traditional Mexican barbacoa and cultural advocacy through cuisine.
Chef Christy Engeran, New Orleans, Louisiana
Christy Engeran is executive chef at one of New Orleans’ most iconic restaurants since 1990. Engeran is the protege of acclaimed chef Susan Spicer, who originally opened Bayona, a James Beard Award-winning restaurant located in a 1769 Creole cottage in NewOrleans’ French Quarter. Leading the restaurant’s team, she works with local and regional farms to provide a hyper-season menu that changes daily.
2025 Cork & Fork Highlights
Relive the magic of the 2025 Grand Hotel Cork & Fork culinary weekend, themed A Heartfelt Love Letter to the Midwest, that celebrated the region’s diverse flavors and culinary traditions with dishes created by acclaimed female chefs from the Midwest.
The 2025 Cork & Fork event was a standout celebration, bringing together food enthusiasts and an exceptional roster of Midwestern female chefs for a weekend defined by creativity, connection, and bold regional flavor. The event honored the depth, diversity, and innovation of Midwestern cuisine through inventive dishes, wine pairings, and immersive culinary experiences.
Chef Sara Moulton, protégé of Julia Child and celebrated television personality, served as emcee, guiding guests through the weekend’s tastings and conversations. The chef lineup showcased a powerful range of Midwestern talent: Ji Hye Kim of Little Kim in Ann Arbor, Mich.; Maryam Khan of Khana in Detroit, Mich.; Katie Liu-Sung of Chewology in Kansas City, Mo.; Diane Moua of Diane’s Place in Minneapolis, Minn.; Linda Duerr of The Restaurant at 1900 in Mission Woods, Kansas; Karyn Tomlinson of Myriel in St. Paul, Minn.; and Lisa Becklund of Living Kitchen Farm & Dairy in Depew, Okla.
2025 Cork & Fork Highlights
*Subject to 6% Michigan sales tax, 4% Mackinac Island assessment, 19.5% resort fee, and a $16.00 per person, per stay, baggage-handling charge. Regular children’s rates apply. Extra charges apply for additional adults over double occupancy rates. Dates are subject to availability, 30-day cancellation policy applies.
