party watch

Fertitta family toasts Houston's fashion guru at swanky soiree

What: Legacy Community Health Services’ cocktail soiree

Where: The Fertitta Family home

The scoop: Once known as a popular luncheon, the Legacy Community Health Services’ annual fall fundraiser has since become a buzzy cocktail fête. When this year’s event was postponed in September due to a massive rain deluge, organizers opted for a rain cheque — and scheduled a soiree at the Fertitta Family home in River Oaks.

The lively party packed in more than 375 guests. Chairs for the evening included Paige Fertitta, Sheridan Williams, Elizabeth Petersen, Melissa Mithoff, Hallie Vanderhider, Shannon Hall and Marcus Sloan, and Richard Flowers and Angel Rios. The event honored Tootsies creative director, Fady Armanious. Guests mixed, mingled, and noshed on bites provided by, naturally, Landry’s.

The event raised more than $390,000 for Legacy’s Little Readers Program, presented by H-E-B. Through this initiative, children receive a brand new, age-appropriate book at each well-child visit, and medical providers give their parents a “prescription to read” — so they understand the importance of reading aloud to their children.

Legacy’s Little Readers Program has grown steadily with support from H-E-B. Legacy distributes books from 13 locations in Houston, Deer Park, Baytown, and Beaumont, as well as 17 School Base Clinics on KIPP and YES Prep campuses. To date, the program has given away more than 105,000 books to pediatric patients.

Who: Katy Caldwell, Chree Boydstun, Fady Armanious and Bill Baldwin, Paige Fertitta, Hallie Vanderhider, Sheridan and John Eddie Williams, Elizabeth and Gary Petersen, Shannon Hall and Marcus Sloan, Melissa and Michael Mithoff, Richard Flowers and Angel Rios, Gina and Devinder Bhatia, Tony Bradfield, Amanda Goodie-Roberts and Ron Roberts, Beth and Kirk Bruce, Vivian Wise, Dr. Yvonne Cormier and Rufus Cormier, Tony Bravo and Richard Werner, Elia Gabbanelli, Cathy Easter, MaryAnn and David McKeithan, Lisa and Greg Harper, Anthony Danzey and Steve Locke, Laurel D’Antoni, Rose Cullen, Demi and Alex Jessett, Myrtle Jones, Donna Lewis, Shawntell McWilliams, and Sippi Khurana.

Patrick Fertitta and Paige Fertitta.

Photo by Jenny Antill

Patrick Fertitta and Paige Fertitta.

fundraisers

Raising Expectations

3 nights of Michelin-starred cuisine fuel Houston nonprofit’s mission

Genuine Cup Hope and Opportunity Dinners 2026

Photo by Jenny Antill

This team came together to execute the Hope and Opportunity dinners.

Fine dining dished with purpose? We’ll have seconds, please.

The Genuine Cup’s second annual Hope and Opportunity Dinner Series brought three evenings of Spanish-inspired hospitality to Soleil June 11-13, raising $665,350 to expand employment pathways and opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Co-founders Ignacio Torras and Lorna Ortiz welcomed approximately 300 guests across three sold-out dinners for a culinary collaboration featuring Spain’s celebrated Roca Brothers of El Celler de Can Roca alongside Houston chefs who lead four of the city’s six Michelin-starred restaurants — Felipe Botero (Le Jardinier), Felipe Riccio (March), Mayank Istwal (Musaafer), and Luis Roger (BCN).

Attendees began with Spanish-inspired bites and wine pairings before settling in for a multi-course tasting menu accompanied by Edward Grigassy’s live Spanish guitar performance, creating an evening that felt more Barcelona than Boulevard.

“This event is about more than raising funds — it’s about raising expectations,” said Torras. “Every individual deserves the opportunity to contribute, succeed, and be recognized for their talents. Through hospitality, sport, and community, we are creating pathways that help make that possible.”

The program spotlighted the Genuine Cup’s mission through remarks from Senator Ted Cruz, Commissioner Lesley Briones, and Robert Rule, whose story as a Genuine Cup athlete and Rocambolesc employee reinforced the importance of meaningful employment opportunities for neurodiverse individuals.

Throughout the dinners, members of the Genuine Cup community played active roles in the guest experience.

Funds will benefit the Genuine Cup, an international soccer tournament that will bring together athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Houston from July 27 - August 1. In total, teams from 50 countries will participate in the event, which is being held at Rice Stadium.

On the scene were Anne and Karl Stern, Ivan Perez, Kathleen Sledge, Tony and Francis Buzbee, Daniel Briones, Albert and Anne Chao, Sammi and Mithu Malick, Michael and Megan Bartz, David and Laura Piccione, William and Constanza Restrepo, Neil and Elizabeth Chapman, Kyle and Erin Cummings, and Heidi and Senator Ted Cruz.

Photo by Jenny Antill

This team came together to execute the Hope and Opportunity dinners.

chefs fundraisers