Festival season is back—but if you aren’t keen on dragging the whole fam to a Coachella-esque ordeal, opt for the Kids Food Fest at Marbles Kids Museum. In partnership with The Creative Kitchen, the fun-for-all-ages foodie fete is throwing down May 3–4 at Moore Square, Marbles Playway and Marbles IMAX Theater.
Originally launched in NYC’s Bryant Park in 2021 with a goal to help fams make balanced food choices, the foodie festival educates through fun and engaging activities, “perfectly aligning us with the children’s museum’s philosophy of learning through play,” says The Creative Kitchen founder Cricket Azima. Since then, the fest has traveled throughout the country to inspire smart food ops and cooking seshes—with Raleigh being one of them.
Not to mention there’s James Beard Foundation Future Foodies Classes for taking on some serious cooking counseling. The ten offered classes are taught by local culinary celebs—think Top Chef alums Savannah Miller of M Restaurants and Katsuji Tanabe of Flour & Barrel and just-bowed La Taqueria, and Chris Prieto of Prime Barbecue— and will allow kiddos (and adults!) to brush up on their culinary skills or learn the basics from scratch.
“I am blessed beyond measure to be a part of Kids Food Fest,” emphasizes Prieto. “All five of my children love going to the Marbles Museum and I am excited for the opportunity to host a cooking class there. I hope the children and families leave my class inspired to build cooking traditions in their kitchens at home.”
Apart from ticketed classes, the festival’s mantra is carried out through packed programming—from cooking demos and live performances to wellness breakout sessions and the festival’s signature Balanced Plate Scavenger Hunt, there’s more than just plates to pass around. And who knows, your little tike just may be teaching one of the culinary classes in the future. Yes, chef!
Raleigh’s barbecue-focused foodie fest returns next month.
It’s almost time to pig out, Raleigh. Award-winning pitmasters and chefs from across the country are once again descending at Maywood Hall & Garden for the third annual Gettin’ Piggy With It on May 18—and you’re not gonna wanna miss it.
Last year there was everything from smoked turkey sausage and Korean sticky ribs to pulled pork mac bowls and crispy pork belly served on cheesy hominy, so rest assured there will be plenty to choose from (leaving hungry is not an option!). Not to mention there will also be dessert vendors—think Andia’s Ice Cream and Little Blue Macaron—plus local beer and spirits from Young Hearts Distilling and Tito’s, games, live music, and much more.
And the cherry—er, barbecue sauce—on top? All proceeds benefit the Frankie Lemmon School and Developmental Center, which provides accessible education and therapies to children with and without disabilities.
“Gettin’ Piggy With It is a shining example of what we can do when we come together,” says Frankie Lemmon School and Foundation Executive Director Marsha Hargette. “[Lawrence Barbecue and Trophy Brewing] are true community leaders who bring people together and do the hard work, and it’s Frankie Lemmon’s students and their families who are the winners.” And naturally, after a day of sipping and snacking, you’ll walk away a winner too. Buy ticket here.
“I’m humbled and overjoyed to be recognized,” emphasizes Prieto. … “I’ve dedicated my life to the craft of barbecue, and through it, have found so many meaningful ways to serve my Knightdale community and tell my story. It’s incredibly rewarding to see our work here at Prime Barbecue—and the craft of barbecue—appreciated by our peers.”
After less than a year on the scene, DTR’s Figulina also earned the honor of Best New Restaurant semifinalist at the hands of former Poole’s chef de cuisine David Ellis and wife/co-owner Sam.
“We never imagined receiving this kind of recognition in our first year,” says Ellis, who learned about the nod in a barrage of texts and calls. “I’m incredibly proud of our amazing team whose passion and dedication make Figulina what it is. This honor truly means the world to us, and we’re so grateful to see our work resonate with others—not to mention the inspiring company we’re listed among.”
While Crawford has been named a JBFA semifinalist five times, the significance of the honor hasn’t waned. “When I was a young cook struggling with addiction, I never imagined in my wildest dreams this could be possible,” he says. “Today’s recognition as Outstanding Restaurateur speaks to the power of sobriety and perseverance.” Congrats to all the winners! See below for all the NC nods, and find the full 2025 list here.
“What an incredible feeling! To have brought the cuisine of our homeland to a place I’ve never been and been so quickly embraced and celebrated—it is beyond words. I’m deeply grateful for the love and support from Raleigh and the James Beard Foundation!”
Prime Barbecue’s Chris Prieto is bringing a combined BBQ/steak concept to Hub RTP.
“If you think Prime Barbecue’s good, just wait,” proclaims owner Chris Prieto, also of Primo Latin Cuisine. The author, TV personality, champion pitmaster, BBQ preacher and teacher is gearing up for his next venture: a meat mecca dubbed Prime STQ.
Opening at Hub RTP spring 2025, the restaurant will transition from a stripped-down version of Prime Barbecue by day to a new-meets-old steakhouse by night—think “regal with a touch of Angus Barn” or “Outback Steakhouse meets Ruth’s Chris,” says Prieto.
The renowned “barbecue nerd” notes STQ (the abbreviation for steak, like BBQ to barbecue) was always the goal, with his passion for the meat blossoming from his childhood spent eating affordable cuts into adulthood cooking competitions (“I learned a lot about how to push flavor into a steak,” he recalls) and frequenting steakhouses with fellow chefs.
Fast-forward to now, and he’s been in talks with Hub RTP for over a year—while Prime served as an incubator concept allowing him to, ahem, prime his own signature style of ’cue by studying how people consume. “I’m going back to the OG way of how I think barbecue should be done,” he maintains.
At STQ, expect a highly focused version of the Knightdale location’s menu: think the same brisket, turkey, housemade sausage, pork ribs and Puerto Rican-style whole hog (aka lechon) the area has grown to love—and travel miles for. Only, at the RTP locale, Prieto is also locally revolutionizing the way barbecue is presented, having guests select their sides first before making their way to a “more impactful meat-cutting experience” of a “multiple-cutter scenario” in which there’s a meat-cutter selling piles of meat from a block while the cashier listens in and rings everything up—similar to how Texas’ Terry Black’s BBQ and Salt Lick BBQ function.
“Barbecue is an old tradition, you need to give that reverence, but also what we’re doing is presenting something completely new,” explains Prieto, adding: “There will be nothing like the original location. They’re completely different concepts.”
While one might be wary of that barbecue-to-steak changeover, Prieto says there’s actually lots of overlap—and he’ll even use some of his same barbecue techniques for the steak and other dinner menu meats.
“I remember the first time I actually had steak. … It had that charcoal flavor, dripped the right amount of juice—and that is what I’m trying to replicate within STQ.” —Chris Prieto, owner, Prime Barbecue and Prime STQ
To wit, STQ won’t be like your average modern-day steak haven—in fact, you may as well throw all your standard expectations of a traditional “steakhouse” out the window. For one, there will be a sole signature steak on offer, a specific cut STQ hopes to become known for. The edgy decision was inspired by Peter Luger Steak House in NYC—in an effort to surpass the intimidation factor that comes with choosing from a plethora of different cuts sourced from various farms and served in different ways at myriad temps.
“I want to be perfect at cooking that [one] steak,” Prieto emphasizes. “Who cares what the steak is—just make it really good. That’s what people want.”
That steak, sourced from Creekstone Farms in Kansas, will be cooked over a live wood-fired grill using Prieto’s own unique blend of oak, mesquite and pecan wood—and served with a house chimichurri, a nod to his Puerto Rican roots.
STQ’s evening menu will also boast a 1.5-pound beef rib over French-style mashed potatoes and green beans verts, an elevated chicken-fried steak, two fish dishes (smoked salmon and grilled tuna), an “enormous ridiculous” wedge salad, and a custom-blend burger with the op to add a big slab of housemade smoked pastrami bacon on the side.
Baby got back! Chris Prieto’s award-winning Prime Barbecue was recently named the No. 2 top Texas-Style BBQ Joint Outside the Lone Star State by Texas Monthly.
When it comes to drinks, STQ will offer a thoughtful, concise selection of wines and proper tableside wine service. “My goal with this restaurant is to be Michelin-level when it comes to hospitality and service,” says Prieto.
Altogether, Prime STQ fulfills yet another passion of Prieto’s—and in an area with strong personal ties to him as well. A former nine-year IQVIA (formerly Quintiles) RTP employee—or “badge-wearer,” as he calls it—Prieto always said that if he were to do a second Prime it would be for them.
“I have such a passion for people in that area, and I know them so well,” he adds. “I want there to be a place [in RTP] you can bring your families back to—but in addition you can bring your corporate clients to, or you can go after work with a group of people and have a deep, rich experience.”
And Prieto stresses it will be “the best experience that side of the city has ever seen.”
Enter Prime STQ, opening spring 2025 in the Horseshoe development at Hub RTP. The author, TV personality, champion pitmaster, BBQ preacher and teacher’s second restaurant blends Prieto’s award-winning barbecue with a high-end steakhouse experience that nods to his Puerto Rican heritage, Texas roots and NC home.
By day, the eatery will serve those beloved chopped-to-order smoked meats and scratch sides, and by night, transition into tableside service with an elevated menu of grilled meatcentric entrees prepared on a custom wood-fired grill from Mesquite, Texas-based J&R Manufacturing.
The shining star of that dinnertime menu will, of course, be an aged-in-house custom cut of steak from Creekstone Farms, smoked with a blend of oak, pecan and fast-burning mesquite wood, then served with chimichurri. It’s a masterful meat Prieto honed via hours spent at steakhouses with other chefs and participating in professional steak cooks.
“I learned a lot about how to push flavor into a steak,” recalls Prieto, who also led a winning professional barbecue team at the Kansas City Barbecue Society competitions and appeared on Food Network’s BBQ Brawl andBBQ Pitmasters. “I started seeing this other side of the world of how people consume steaks, which I found fascinating.”
In addition to steak, the burger also promises to be a hit—and the beer, bourbon and wine list will offer a curated selection of ops to pair. The atmosphere will likewise blend old and new, replicating that longtime tradition of barbecue while introducing fresh and bright elements to ensure a welcoming vibe for all, with ample outdoor seating and a separate room dedicated to to-go orders to boot.
The takeout portion will cater to the professionals frequenting the RTP area, which Prieto has a fondness for and familiarity of, thanks to a nine-year tenure at Quintiles (now IQVIA). During his time there, he was writing cookbooks, doing TV shows and hosting his popular BBQ Club before opening his first restaurant.
And the rest, as they say, is history. … “If you think Prime’s good, just wait—[STQ will] literally knock people’s socks off,” Prieto maintains. “We’re going to drive the best experience that side of the city has ever seen.”
