Butcher's Ball Debuts

First-ever Butcher's Ball brings chefs and ranchers together for a Rockin' good time

The smell of smoke filled the air Sunday afternoon at Brenham's Rockin' Star Ranch as 13 chefs joined forces for the first-ever Butcher's Ball. Conceived by Rockin' Star owner Elaine Dillard and popular Houston chef Jason Kerr, The Butcher's Ball allowed the chefs to celebrate meat and the ranchers that raise the animals they serve. Proceeds from the event benefited Urban Harvest and Foodways Texas.

All of the participating chefs offered their version of barbecue or barbecue-inspired dishes, and many used high quality beef from event sponsor 44 Farms. Attendees selected Willow Villarreal of Willow's Texas Barbecue and Typhoon Texas for the Golden Cleaver thanks to his smoked beef rib with pickled onions. Brek Webber from Tin Roof BBQ in Humble took second place with a classic Texas barbecue plate of brisket, sausage, and pork ribs (the smoked bone marrow he served to early arrivals couldn't have hurt, either). Acclaimed Dallas John Tesar took third place for his beef ribs with chimichuri sauce.

Some of the more unusual items included duck pate from Harlem Road Texas BBQ, which will open in Richmond next month, and pulled pork tacos from Albert Vasquez (formerly of The Del and Ritual). Chef Nathan Lemley of Parkside in Austin impressed attendees (including me) with his beef cheek pastrami served over house-baked rye bread.

Great fall weather and the bucolic setting helped provide a memorable experience for the almost 500 attendees, who, in addition to the food, enjoyed cocktails prepared by Grand Prize bar director Lindsey Burleson and a talented team of Houston bartenders that included Double Trouble owner Berwick and Bad News Bar's Elyse Blechman.

Once attendees filled up on meat, they could lounge on the lawn and take in music by bands including Fiddle Witch & The Demons of Doom and White Ghost Shivers, watch Black Hill Ranch owner Felix Florez butcher a whole elk, or head inside to examine the work of photographer Galina Kurlat, whose series The Eye and The Implement depicts Houston chefs and their favorite ingredients and/or utensils. Those who missed the event can see Kurlat's work at MKT Bar downtown through December.

Spotted in the crowd: Michael Fulmer, Robert Lerma, Jenny Wang and Jerry Hou, Lea and Haig Tcholakian, Ashley and Tyler Horne, Lauren Barrash, Jakeisha Wilmore, Lindsey George, Ryan Hildebrand, Eoghan Dilman, Alice Levitt, Adam Brackman, and Camella Clements and Brad Moore.

Kerr confirms that he and Dillard are already making plans for next year. Given the success of the first, we can't wait to see what an even bigger, better Butcher's Ball looks like in 2017.

Felix Florez butchers an elk.

Photo by Emily Jaschke

Felix Florez butchers an elk.

fundraisers barbecue chefs

keep rolling

Hot Houston hand roll spot is first restaurant at new EaDo development

Handies Douzo Facebook

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Houstonians with a seemingly unlimited appetite for sushi hand rolls will soon have another destination to satisfy their cravings. Handies Douzo will open its next location in East Blocks, an adaptive reuse project in EaDo.

On track to open in late 2026 or early 2027 at 1107 Hutchins Street, the EaDo location will be Handies Douzo’s fifth, joining the original in the Heights as well as restaurants in Montrose, Spring Branch, and an upcoming outpost in Uptown’s new Central Park Post Oak development. Like those siblings, it will serve Handies’ familiar menu of hand rolls (temaki), crudos, and sashimi that’s overseen by founding chefs and co-owners Daniel Lee and Patrick Pham. The 2,000-square-foot space will feature Handies’ familiar U-shaped counter seating.

Handies is known for wrapping its rolls in crispy seaweed that gives each bite a distinct crunch. The well-executed dishes and affordable prices helped Handies earn a nomination for Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year in the 2026 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards.

"We've been very intentional about where we grow, and East Blocks immediately stood out," Pham and Lee said in a statement. "There's an authenticity to EaDo and a strong sense of community that aligns with our brand. We're excited to be part of a project focused on creating an energetic, walkable destination."

1107 Hutchins rendering Handies will occupy 2,000 square feet at 1107 Hutchins.Courtesy of Pagewood

1107 Hutchins and the nearby 2202 Dallas — each of which are 15,000 square feet — represent phase one of local real estate firm Pagewood’s plans to East Blocks. First announced in 2023, plans call for renovating warehouses into a walkable district of shops, restaurants, offices, and green space. Gensler is leading architecture and design for the project, with landscape architecture by SWA.

"East Blocks reflects a long-term belief in EaDo and the kind of place it’s becoming," said Mat Volz, Managing Principal of PAGEWOOD. "As the project has evolved, our commitment to that vision has only strengthened. Breaking ground on Phase 1 is an exciting step forward, particularly as this neighborhood prepares to welcome the world. With the FIFA Fan Festival taking place just steps from East Blocks and bringing thousands of visitors daily to EaDo, we see this project playing a meaningful role in that energy and in the long-term evolution of the district."

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