Iron Fork Is Returning, and It’s Got a New Home!

Even before I started writing about food here at the Scene, I was a big fan of how far the publication went to exalt local chefs in the pages, online and through special events. I attended the very first Iron Fork competition back in 2008 when I was still a civilian, and I vividly remember how the first champion Deb Paquette jumped into cooking the secret ingredient while the assembled crowd in the Stadium Club at the stadium formerly known as LP Field wondered what the hell a fiddlehead fern was.

Through the years, Iron Fork has had several homes, with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and the Musicians’ Hall of Fame serving as the most frequent hosts. There were back-to-back editions held at Rocketown and the Commodore Ballroom at Vanderbilt. We took the party outdoors to First Horizon Park twice, and again last year when the event was held in Centennial Park as part of the Music City Food & Wine Festival. 

While Iron Fork was a fun component of the festival, we decided it needed its own dedicated spotlight, so the Scene has decided to make it a stand-alone event this year — on Thursday, Nov. 12. And for the first time, we’re bringing the event closer to the Scene’s headquarters and the cultural heart of much of our readership and stories: We’re going to the East Side!

Iron Fork 2026 will take place at Harken Hall, the lovely concert hall and events venue at 514 Madison Station Blvd. We’ll transform the main hall into a culinary mosh pit as four chefs and their teams vie for the coveted title of Iron Fork champion. We’ve assembled a remarkable slate of competitors for this year. 

Here's the lineup:

If you’ve been trying to score a coveted reservation to experience chef Dung "Junior" Vo’s knife skills and warm hospitality at Kase x Noko, don’t plan to go to his restaurant on Nov. 12 — because he’ll be cooking at Iron Fork! Representing his omakase restaurant as well as Noko and the upcoming Noko Yaki, Junior will be a formidable foe.

But he’ll have plenty of tough competition, including a fast-rising (literal) couple of chefs who first met in the kitchen at Husk — and have been making waves with their fun farm-to-table approach toward Latin cuisine at their restaurant, Tantísimo. I can’t remember if we’ve ever had a married couple competing as co-chefs at Iron Fork before, but I’m betting that Ana Aguilar and Josh Cook will represent themselves and their restaurant quite well.

Joining the fray to represent Limo Peruvian Eatery will be chef-owner Marcio Florez. Fans of his East Nashville restaurant can’t get enough of the chef’s passionate takes on the cuisine of his homeland, and his experience with ceviches and crudos might come in handy considering the limited time and equipment that confronts Iron Fork contestants. His experience starting out in a food truck should also be helpful while preparing food in a small space with lots of spectators watching his every move.

The final contestant is already a winner, having earned his spot by triumphing in the “Battle of the Best Bite” during this year’s Music City Food & Wine Festival in the spring. Attendees at the Grand Tasting selected chef Alfredo Bueno’s hand roll offering as the top small plate of the evening, earning him the right to represent 888 at Iron Fork. I’ve watched chef Bueno break down an entire 200-plus-pound tuna in less than an hour, so I wouldn’t bet against him!

Four chef teams, one secret ingredient, one hour, one champion! In addition to the coveted trophy, the winner will earn an entry into the 2027 World Food Championships.

Your ticket includes unlimited samples from 20 favorite local restaurants, including 888, A-Roi, Dos Santos, etch | etc., Gus’s Fried Chicken, Halls Catch, Indaco, Limo Peruvian Eatery, Mere Bulles, Oku, Prime + Proper, Puesto, Soho House, Sunda and Zaytinya.

Beverage options include curated wine pairings from Corkdorks, beer and craft cocktail samples, and an open bar for more substantial drinks. We’ll also be holding a live auction to raise money for nonprofit partners Celebrate Nashville and Second Harvest Food Bank. Auction winners will get the chance to enjoy the exact same dish as the judges — and speaking from experience, that’s some amazing eating! Our MCs this year will be Emmy-nominated TV host and author Jerome Moore, and the Scene's own editor-in-chief D. Patrick Rodgers.

Tickets are limited, so grab yours today!