Cooking up a storm

Not old enough to vote or drink, but kids sure can cook: Young chefs display talent in culinary competition

It was no mere pizza pie for the very young chefs that gathered at the University of Houston Hilton Hotel to showcase their cooking skills. Think polenta ravioli with braised veal cheeks, smoked saltimbocca with spaetzle and gnocco fritto with prosciutto. And then there was the lavish cannoli dessert.

The Italian Cultural & Community Center hosted the "Tutti ai Fornelli de La Piccola Cucina," a cooking competition comprised for four teams of junior chefs, aged 3 to 13, each paired with an executive chef of Italian heritage. Each team prepared a dinner course for the evening that served as a fundraiser for center programs.

Leading the cooking teams were Maurizio Ferrarese of the Four Seasons Hotel, Alberto Baffoni of Mascalzone, JohnMicheal Lynch of Hotel Granduca's Ristorante Cavour and Fabio Potenzano, a resident of Palermo, Italy, and a member of the Italian National Culinary Team.

It was Potenzano's team that received top honors for their dessert course — cannolo layers with mixed berries, almond cookie with passito sauce and pistachio semifreddo with Modica chocolate sauce.

“It was an evening of education and fun for a great cause,” said Tiziana Triolo, director of programs and marketing for the center. “I’m very proud of my students, not only for their culinary abilities, but especially for their support to the center. When I designed the program, I had only one thing in mind: Teaching Italian language and culture to young generations of all nationalities."

The team of judges, chaired by chef and food expert Renato De Pirro, was as impressive as the young culinary stars. They included the cultural attaché from the Italian Consulate in San Francisco Paola Ebranati, food and wine writer and journalist Mike Ricetti, Dr. Cristiana Rastellini, and Salvatore Albelice, owner of Sunbelt Inc. and Fellini Caffé.

Donning chefs toques for the evening were Pier Francesco Papi, Veronica Pascucci, Giulia Sdringola, Ludovica Duchini, Emilio Fronza, Domenica Sepe, Diego Sarmiento, Antonio Vetrini and Robert Wood, Chiara Cattano, Camilla Manning and Sadie Weller.

Bruschetta Team members Robert Wood, from left, Antonio Vetrini, Diego Sarmiento and chef JohnMicheal Lynch.

53 The Bruschetta Team, from left, Robert Wood, Antonio Vetrini and JohnMicheal Lynch and Diego Sarmiento at Tutti ai Fornelli de La Piccola Cucina March 2015

Photo by © Roswitha Vogler Photosbyrovo.com

Bruschetta Team members Robert Wood, from left, Antonio Vetrini, Diego Sarmiento and chef JohnMicheal Lynch.

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branching out

Houston's Root Ball plants seeds of change and raises $600,000

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Brittney Christy, Marti Grizzle, Helen Winchell, Jane Luciano, and Lindsey Renfro.

Houstonians may talk about traffic, humidity, and Tex-Mex with equal passion. We can add trees to that mix.

Houston’s canopy took center stage as chairs Sheila Condon and Juli Japhet welcomed more than 440 guests to Trees For Houston’s 2025 Root Ball: Branching Out, held beneath a dreamy tent on the picturesque grounds of The Forest Club.

Now in its 31st year, the leafy affair blossomed into a record-breaking evening, raising $600,000 in support of Trees For Houston’s mission to plant, protect, and promote the city’s greenery. From the moment guests strolled the azalea-lined path, it was clear this was a full-on nature fête.

A soft breeze and rain-free forecast greeted stylish tree-huggers who mingled over lamb lollipops, tuna tostadas, and the cheekily-named signature cocktail, Branch Water. The coveted wine and spirits pull, with 125 bottles up for grabs, included Garrison Brothers Bourbon and WhistlePig — pure gold for discerning sippers.

Dinner brought guests to transformed clay courts adorned with lush H-E-B florals and native trees. Plates featured vibrant chicken piccata, delicately seared sea bass, and kabocha squash risotto, all with a farmer’s market flourish. As espresso and mini desserts made their rounds, a video tribute drew cheers, and the paddle raise soared past its $50,000 goal with ease.

Thomas Cokinos took to the piano, inspiring a sing-along moment that turned The Forest Club into a charming living room. And as guests made their exit, they received a symbolic parting gift: A Bur Oak acorn, pocket-sized potential for the next generation of shade and serenity.

Spotted were Mark Wilson, Larry Meacham, Cathy and Joe Cleary, Margaret and Jason Cooper, Meredith and David Symonds, Ginnie and Tim McConn, Melissa and Barton Kelly, Bobbi and Jonathan Worbington, Cheryl and Bill King, Lisa Helfman, Lacey Dalcour Salas, Becky and Seth Flechsig, Guy Hagstette, Molly and Don Glentzer, Susanna and Palmer Moldower, Mary and John Elkins, Jenny and Larry Nettles, Martha and John Britton, Kendall and Doug Knaus, Claudia and Brad Freels, and Barry Ward.

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Brittney Christy, Marti Grizzle, Helen Winchell, Jane Luciano, and Lindsey Renfro.

fundraisers trees for houston