From leading volunteers for the Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival to joining its board and sharing restaurant
openings on Instagram as @FWFoodie, Crystal Willars Vastine has been unwavering in her passion for connecting people to good food. 

While growing up in Saginaw, she was a self-proclaimed picky eater who loved watching “Yan Can Cook” with her dad. At SMU, Vastine and her roommate hosted the de facto after-party meal — her mom’s fideo, a Mexican noodle soup  — whipped up because she kept ingredients on hand. 

 After receiving an MBA at TCU, Vastine landed in Chicago on a rotation for AT&T along with other recent graduates. Inviting colleagues for Sunday dinners was an easy way to build friendships. 

“Before that, I cooked but not in a way that I was exploring new flavors,” Vastine says.  

When Vastine returned home, she signed up for the Culinary School of Fort Worth to expand her skills and find a place in the industry. Vastine realized the intensity of a restaurant kitchen wasn’t what she wanted around the same time that a magazine she loved, Fort Worth Foodie, was listed for sale. 

Her then-husband, Matt, encouraged her to buy it. Vastine’s niche publication celebrated the city’s food and its makers for five years while connecting her to like-minded foodies who offered to help. 

In 2013, she found herself stressed about meeting her magazine deadlines when FWFWF co-founders Russell Kirkpatrick and Mike Micallef unveiled their idea. “When that came up, I just saw a new place to put my food energy,” Vastine says. “That was a good bet.” 

This spring, the Festival celebrated its 10th year and has raised thousands of dollars for culinary scholarships and grants for restaurant employees facing hardships. Vastine led the volunteer program for years before becoming the main voice behind the nonprofit’s social media and joining the board. 

“Crystal has been an invaluable part of Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival since its inception,” FWFWF executive director Julie Eastman says. “Her knowledge of the local food scene has helped identify many up-and-coming restaurants.” 

The magazine became @FWFoodie, where Vastine shares restaurant news, including chef collaborations, supper clubs and pop-ups. “You’re not going to find those by doing a search on Yelp,” Vastine says.

Vastine loves cooking and appreciates the long kitchen with a second sink in her Arlington Heights home — both helpful for making tamales. The home was renovated by the previous owner but before that had been in her family for 50 years. 

Its location near Tokyo Cafe was also a selling point, since it has long been Vastine’s go-to restaurant in Fort Worth. When the owners and chef, Kevin Martinez, collaborated with Archie’s Gardenland to introduce Heirloom, the farm-to-table truck became a favorite weekend spot as well.

Vastine knew the first time she saw the home that it was hers. Her mom had been passing down the family tradition of tamale-making in bits and pieces over the years, but Vastine didn’t receive the full recipe until she moved in. “Now my family comes over to my house at Christmas,” she says.