Boston's Week-Long Big Queer Food Fest Celebrates the Community

Nothing succeeds like an idea whose time has come. Such is the case of the Boston's Big Queer Food Fest which has grown from a modest one-day event a year ago to a week-long celebration of queerness and cuisine, two things that go together in so many ways.

The idea of such a festival began in 2023 with pop-up dinners and culinary events in Los Angeles, New York City, San Diego, and Nashville. Last April BQFF sponsors put together a one-day event at Boston's High Street Place hosted by celebrity chef Tiffani Faison that drew an overflow crowd of 400. Attendees enjoyed food prepared by a team of notable queer chefs, a soundscape from J L'Duke, and beverages from a number of LGBTQIA+-owned liquor brands. Buoyed by its success, the sponsors, led by Chad Hahne and David Lewis, put together the upcoming week-long event. Starting on Monday, April 28, BQFF will host culinary and community happenings throughout the city that highlight the diverse talents and contributions of the LGBTQIA+ community.

That Boston is hosting the first major Big Queer Food Fest coincides with city's growing reputation as a national foodie destination as it turns up on one top ten list after another. One major reason for its rise is the city's growing diverse populations have led to an explosion of outlets specializing in international cuisines. To this add the number of first-class restaurants helmed by celebrity chefs, the availability of high quality, locally produced ingredients, and the influx of distinctive craft breweries and distilleries. All this makes it clear why the city is no longer just the go-to place for fish and chowder. Of course, integral to the city's thriving food industry is the queer community, which is why giving it visibility through the BQFF is such a smart idea, especially in a moment when queer culture is under fire.

The events include an Opening Night Party at Sweet Cheeks Q (Monday); a Big Queer Beer Meet-Up at the Dorchester Brewing Company (Tuesday); Big Queer Celeb Chef Dinner at Bar Volpe (Wednesday); Cocktail Wars at Shore Leave (Thursday); a discussion on Why Queer Food Matters at 100 High Street (Thursday); and The Big Queer Tea Party at the Boston Tea Party Museum featuring "Drag Race" superstar Jujubee (Thursday). The final weekend kicks off with BQFF's Big Weekend Kickoff at Dani's Queer Bar (Friday), and the BQFF culminates in the two-day The Grand Tasting (Saturday, May 3rd and Sunday , May 4th), an indoor-outdoor event at 100 High Street. For more information on these events (and additional ones), click here.

EDGE reached out to Hahne and Lewis to talk about the festival. Both are accomplished professionals in other fields: Hahne is an award-winning filmmaker and executive producer with 20 years of experience creating and directing LGBTQ+ and culinary programming. In addition to his work LGBTQ+ docs and television series, he has extensive background in culinary television, producing numerous shows for the Food Network. Lewis also has a background in queer television. Like Hahne, he has been a producer of the Emmy-winning "RuPaul's Drag Race." He also has produced shows for the twice Emmy-nominated series "Ready, Jet, Cook." Long an advocate for LGBTQ+ chefs, he has worked with Traci Des Jardins, Elizabeth Falkner, and Tiffani Faison. Both offer their insights about this exciting event.

EDGE: Where did idea of the Big Queer Food Fest come from?

Chad Hahne and David Lewis The idea for the Big Queer Food Festival came from a desire to create the kind of space that didn't really exist–one where LGBTQIA+ chefs, food makers, and creatives could be front and center. David and I have worked in both media and the culinary world for years, and I saw so many queer people doing incredible work, but rarely getting the spotlight or the sense of true community that they deserved.

BQFF was born out of a need to celebrate the queer community in food–not just with a token seat at the table, but by flipping the table altogether and saying, this is ours.

EDGE: How do you define Queer Food?

Chad Hahne and David Lewis: Queer food isn't necessarily a cuisine or style – it's more of lens. It's a way of understanding how LGBTQIA+ folks have always shaped the food world, even when our names were left off the menu. Queer food is the hustle of drag brunch, the comfort of chosen family dinners, the innovation of queer chefs reimagining tradition, and the resistance of feeding community in a world that hasn't always welcomed us. It's deeply personal, political, joyful, and rooted in care.

EDGE: This is your second Big Queer Food Fest in Boston, but one on a much larger scale. What led you to believe that this was an idea whose time has come?

Chad Hahne and David Lewis: This is our second event in Boston, but after last year's sold-out debut, we knew we were onto something special. The response was overwhelming, and it was clear there was a deep hunger – not just for incredible food, but for a space that celebrates queer voices in the culinary world. We created BQFF because we believed the time had come for a festival that puts LGBTQIA+ chefs, stories, and flavors at the center. And after what we saw last year, we knew we had to go bigger. This year, we're building on that momentum with a weeklong celebration across the city, highlighting the brilliance, diversity, and impact of queer food culture – from panel conversations to chef collabs to cocktail hours to our two-day Grand Tasting.

EDGE: What has surprised you the most in growing the event?

Chad Hahne and David Lewis: Honestly? Just how much work it takes to throw a weeklong queer food festival! If we had a dollar for every spreadsheet, group text, or last-minute fire to put out... we could probably cater the whole thing ourselves.

But the real surprise – and the most rewarding part – has been how many incredible people have stepped up to be part of it. From chefs like Tiffani Faison, Karen Akunowicz, Tatiana Rosana, and Rob Gonzalez, to champions behind the scenes like Bryan Barbieri, Brandon Taylor, and our powerhouse production team at Rosemark Productions. This festival is fueled by generosity, collaboration, and a shared belief in what we're building together.

EDGE: And what has been the biggest challenge?


Chad Hahne and David Lewis: We're doing this at a time when queer and trans communities are under attack – when our history is being erased, HIV programs are being defunded, and hundreds of anti-LGBTQ+ laws are being passed across the country. Our trans family is being villainized. Our rights and stories are being stripped away at a federal and local level. And yes, that makes it harder – harder to raise money, harder to get support, harder to be seen.

But all of that has only lit a fire under us – and under our community. It's pushed us to work together even more fiercely, to show up for each other, and to build something joyful and defiant in the face of it all.

EDGE: What impact do you hope the event will have in the future?

Chad Hahne and David Lewis: We want people to know that BQFF is more than just a food event – it's a space to celebrate each other, to connect, and to feel part of something bigger. We're trying to build community through food, one bite at a time.

We want chefs to meet, collaborate, and feel supported. We want guests to discover new chefs, new restaurants, and new community. We want queer folks in the food world to feel like there's finally a space that's made for them. If you leave BQFF full, inspired, and a little glittery, we've done something right.

For more on the Big Queer Food Fest, click here.