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    Top Chefs Fight

    Houston's best restaurants pull off a wild night of foie gras & vodka GoodPops: Inside Last Chef Standing

    Shelby Hodge
    Jun 5, 2013 | 3:33 pm

    Let me just say that there was more tempting food on the table at CultureMap's second annual Last Chef Standing competition than a girl who's watching her waistline oughta try. But that didn't stop this scribe or any of the 400 epicureans packing the Royal Sonesta ballroom from going full throttle across the field of gourmet offerings Tuesday night.

    Twenty of the city's top chefs put their best recipes forward in a friendly contest that pitted such contenders as Brennan's chef Danny Trace's Shrimp Remoulade against Max's Wine Dive chef Michael Pellegrino's "bread and butter," a scrumptious foie gras on toast creation. In the end there were only two winners in this second leg of the contest. CultureMap readers had earlier voted Latin Bites and chef Roberto Castre as their fave in the online challenge.

    Local Foods' Gilbert Angel reaped the most affection from the 400 attendees, winning the people's choice award.

    Eleven XI chef Kevin Bryant wowed the professional judges with his creative yellow tail sashimi with smoked seaweed salad and blue corn stone-ground, miso-infused grits with lime soy honey sauce topped with crushed Lays potato chips. A first-place winning mouthful for sure. Although the judges did not announce a second place, Monica Pope's cured smoked and braised pork jowl from Black Hill Ranch served over corn and fennel pudding with crackling and mostarda (a picked fruit mixture) was their next best choice. We'd like to see that one added to the Sparrow Bar + Cookshop menu.

    Local Foods' Gilbert Angel reaped the most affection from the 400 attendees, winning the people's choice award for his truffle-infused egg salad sandwich.

    One of the several beauties of this evening was the cocktail station accompanying each food site, which meant that no one went thirsty or waited in a line of any sort for libations. VIPs, who bought premium early entry tickets, started the evening with Italian bubbly (Ca' del Bosco Cuvee Prestige) while revelers closed the night out with the popular Tiramisu Pop'tail, a wicked combo of Dripping Springs vodka with hazelnut liqueur accompanied by a GoodPop coffee popsicle for dipping.

    The alcohol infusion led to plenty of playful antics at the Smilebooth where 450 photos were taken at the event sponsored by Cadillac and Ben E. Keith.

    As the DJ Gabe Bizonee spun tunes, guests traversed the ballroom where The Grove, The Tasting Room, Vic & Anthony's, Triniti and more beckoned with taste sensations that clearly had this crowd satisfied. Included was Haven's Randy Evans' yummy grillades and grits, a sampling of his new "breakfast for dinner" menu for June.

    Among those sampling the top toque fare were CultureMap CEO Alyce Alston, City Council members Jack Christie, Mike Laster and Dave Martin and Metro's Tom Jasien and Russ Frank, all guests of The Clifford Group's Cindy Clifford. Restaurateur Gigi Huang, Mayor Annise Parker's director of external affairs Jenn Char, cookbook author Erin Hicks, restaurateur Lonnie Schiller, Jenny Perez and Christian Capitaine, Alex Griffin and Deborah Kopel Rose and Myles Rose.

    Dying for a behind the scenes look? Check out the complete CultureMap video:

    Jody Eisenhardt and Peter Laufe at Last Chef Standing.

      
    Photo by © Michelle Watson CultureMapSNAP.com
    Jody Eisenhardt and Peter Laufe at Last Chef Standing.
    unspecified
    news/society

    Horns Up High

    Burnt orange spirit lights up Houston at Texas Exes scholarship gala

    Joel Luks
    May 16, 2025 | 5:45 pm
    Texas Exes Scholarship Gala 2025
    Photo by Jacob Power
    Kisha and Jason Itkin, Sallie Alcorn, and Kurt and Tara Arnold.

    It was an elevated burnt orange night at River Oaks Country Club as more than 300 Longhorn faithful gathered for the Texas Exes Houston Chapter’s Longhorn Legacy Scholarship Gala on April 10. The evening’s honorees, Kisha Itkin, Jason Itkin, Tara Arnold, and Kurt Arnold, were celebrated for their generosity and spirited support of The University of Texas at Austin.

    Texas Exes Scholarship Gala 2025
      

    Photo by Jacob Power

    Kisha and Jason Itkin, Sallie Alcorn, and Kurt and Tara Arnold.

    Greeting guests at valet was none other than Bevo, the famed Longhorn steer and unofficial mascot. Inside, a sculpted ice bar featuring the honorees' names and the Longhorn logo in vibrant burnt orange wowed the crowd. Underwritten by Mike Lowenberg of Lowenberg Law Firm, the frosty centerpiece offered a fitting nod to the honorees’ indelible mark on UT’s legacy. Meanwhile, a UT Tower ice sculpture, framed by a festive balloon wall by Topped Off Co., provided yet another irresistible photo op.

    Leading the evening’s program was Cyndy Garza Roberts, who kicked off festivities with a stirring video. Athletics director Chris Del Conte praised Jason Itkin and Kurt Arnoldfor their invaluable ideas and steadfast support, reinforcing the honorees’ impact beyond just philanthropy. Texas Exes Houston Chapter president Kyle Griffin and event chair Tawnya Bell also shared personal stories, with Bell's emotional scholarship journey underscoring the night’s purpose.

    Personal testimonies from UT grads and scholarship recipients Janelle Chavez and Will Florer inspired more generosity, culminating in a $330,000 fundraising triumph. Houston City Council Member Sallie Alcorn capped off the tributes with a mayoral proclamation from Mayor John Whitmire, officially declaring April 10 as Kisha and Jason Itkin and Tara and Kurt Arnold Day in Houston.

    In true Longhorn tradition, the evening closed with all guests standing, horns up, singing "The Eyes of Texas, a fitting finale to a night brimming with spirit.

    Spotted were Chuck Harris, Brien Smith, Rick Harsch, June Deadrick, Brock Niezgoda and Meg Hayward, Jackie and Scott Freeman, Luisa and Dr. Lucky Chopra, Ginger Cearley, Erin and Nathan Phelps, Kristen Griffin, Adam Pulaski, Stephanie Wilcox, Catherine Campbell, Al Riddle, Lauren Riddle, Michele Leal and George Farah, Winell and Doug Herron, Kristen Cannon, Niki and James Lassiter, and Amy and Segev Zadok.

    news/society
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