The MAX Announces Two-Time Michelin-Recognized Chef to Headline Food + Drink Festival on April 11, 2026
Tickets on sale Friday, November 28, 2025
MERIDIAN, Miss. (November 25, 2025) – Sipp & Savor returns to the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience (The MAX) on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Over 50 chefs, master mixologists, and distillers will fill the Citizens National Bank Courtyard and line the streets of downtown Meridian to present samples and tastings for festival attendees from across the Southeast.
Chef Alon Shaya, whose New Orleans restaurant, Saba, recently received a Michelin Bib Gourmand award, will headline this year’s festival. Shaya’s restaurant, Safta, in Denver, Colorado, also received Michelin recognition for the third year in a row. Named one of the “50 People Who Are Changing the South” by Southern Living, the multi-James Beard Foundation award-winner is the author of the part-cookbook, part-memoir Shaya: An Odyssey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel.
“We’re so excited to participate in this year’s Sipp & Savor alongside such an incredible lineup of chefs, brewers, and mixologists from all across the South,” said Shaya. “It’s truly a privilege to headline an event that supports and uplifts the South’s artistic and culinary legacy.”
The perfect holiday gift, Sipp & Savor tickets go on sale at www.sippandsavor.com on Black Friday.
Chef Enrika Williams, a returning favorite of Sipp & Savor, said of the festival, “It’s always lovely and a breath of fresh air. The city and downtown are just beautiful. Any time I have an excuse to come to Meridian, I take full of advantage of it.”
Festival producer Elizabeth Williams added, “This event only gets better every year. There are so many chefs from across the South to celebrate. When we get them together, people come – not just from Mississippi, but from Louisiana, Tennessee, and all over. We’re excited to do it again.”
Recognized in 2025 by the Mississippi Tourism Association and the Mississippi Main Street Association, Sipp & Savor is the annual fundraiser for The MAX. The event is made possible through the support of Mitchell Distributing (Signature Sponsor) and Meridian Coca-Cola Bottling Company (Ruby Sponsor). To become an event sponsor and support The MAX’s educational efforts in and around the state, visit www.sippandsavor.com/sponsorship.
For full event details, or to purchase tickets, visit www.sippandsavor.com. Visit www.msarts.org for the latest information about all upcoming events at The MAX, including the current exhibition, Cecelia Moseley: Remnants of Language.
About The MAX:
The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience (The MAX) is an arts and cultural center in the heart of downtown Meridian that celebrates Mississippi’s creative legacy through interactive exhibits, workshops, and live performances. The multipurpose facility contains a two-story Hall of Fame celebrating the state’s groundbreaking artists like Walter Anderson, William Faulkner, Morgan Freeman, Jim Henson, B.B. King, Elvis Presley, and Leontyne Price to name a few, along with over 20,000 square feet of interactive exhibits, art studios, a recording studio, and performance spaces. Every visit to The MAX is a unique experience that leaves visitors feeling inspired and in awe of Mississippi’s global impact on music, literature, art, and entertainment. Visit www.msarts.org to learn more.
Contact: Penny Kemp at 601.480.7557 or penny@msarts.org
Elizabeth Williams at elizabeth@msarts.org
Jeremy Sollie at jeremy@msarts.org
