survey says

Chef David Chang and friends win big for Houston on Celebrity Family Feud

Chris Ying, Pablo Torre, Mina Kimes, Michelle Wie, and David Chang.

Courtesy of Family Feud/ABC

Hospitality workers nationwide owe a small thank you to Pablo Torre. The sports commentator provided the necessary answers on Monday night’s episode of Celebrity Family Feud to secure $25,000 for the Southern Smoke Foundation.

Placed in a deep hole by his teammate, celebrity chef David Chang — who answered a cringeworthy “burrito” in response to “name the greatest breakfast food ever created” — Torre needed to earn 146 points to reach the 200 necessary to secure the grand prize. He knew, for example, that “bacon” is the greatest breakfast food (23 points) and earned an impressive 65 points for answering “penny” in response to “name a coin you throw into a fountain to make a wish.” Host Steve Harvey called it the greatest second performance in Celebrity Family Feud history.

Here’s the winning moment:

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Regardless of the exact process by which they secured the prize, Chang’s team did win $25,000 for the Southern Smoke Foundation. Founded by James Beard Award-winning chef Chris Shepherd and his wife Lindsey Brown, the foundation provides emergency assistance and mental health services to hospitality workers nationwide. To date, it has distributed more than $12.5 million.

It’s the second time Chang has raised money for Southern Smoke via a game show. In 2020, he became the first person to win the celebrity edition of Who Wants to be a Millionaire by knowing that Benjamin Harrison was the first president to have electricity in the White House. Family Feud also featured two people who helped Chang win on Millionaire, his podcast co-host and frequent collaborator Chris Ying and ESPN commentator Mina Kimes.

In a June appearance with Shepherd at Houston’s Stages Theater, Chang spoke about his decision to risk $500,000 by answering the $1 million question.

“I have to go for it. I’m a degenerate gambler,” Chang said. “The other part was, if I miss this, and I think there’s a 75 percent chance, the embarrassment would be so intense on me that it would be positive and raise awareness for Southern Smoke.”

A Southern Smoke representative tells CultureMap that Chang didn’t reveal the results of his Family Feud appearance when he was in Houston this summer. Of course, the organization is thrilled that he chose to spotlight it on national TV.

“The constant support from Dave — and his friends! — for Southern Smoke Foundation means the world to us,” Shepherd said in a statement. “To put us on a national stage multiple times where folks can learn more about our organization and provide the funding that is important to our mission to take care of the F+B industry is invaluable. I’m so glad he is so talented at game shows! Dave is smart in so many ways! We’re so grateful for his support.”

While the $25,000 will certainly be useful, Southern Smoke expects to raise a whole lot more than that at its annual festival on Saturday, October 5. The loaded roster includes star pitmaster Aaron Franklin, Milk Bar founder Christina Tosi, Top Chef winner Brooke Williamson, and many more. Tickets are on sale now.

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In Memoriam

Legendary Texas singer-songwriter Joe Ely dies at 78

Joe Ely/Facebook

Joe Ely was a major figure in Texas' progressive country scene.

Joe Ely, the legendary songwriter, singer and storyteller whose career spanned more than five decades, has died from complications related to Lewy Body Dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and pneumonia. He was 78.

In a statement posted to his Facebook page, Ely died at his home in Taos, New Mexico, with his wife, Sharon, and daughter, Marie, at his side.

Born February 9, 1947, in Amarillo, Texas, Ely was raised in Lubbock and became a central figure among a generation of influential West Texas musicians. He later settled in Austin, helping shape the city’s reputation as a hub for live music.

As with many local legends, it's hard to tease out what specifically made Ely's time in Austin so great; Austin treasures its live music staples, so being around and staying authentic from the early days is often the most important thing an artist can do.

Ely got his local start at One Knight Tavern, which later became Stubb's BBQ — the artist and the famous venue share a hometown of Lubbock. He alternated nights with emerging guitar great Stevie Ray Vaughn. He built his own recording studio in Dripping Springs, and kept close relationships with other Texas musicians. Later in his career, Ely brought fans into the live music experience, publishing excerpts from his journal and musings on the road in Bonfire of Roadmaps (2010), and was inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame in 2022. Austin blues icon Marcia Ball was among Ely's friends who played the induction show.

"Joe Ely performed American roots music with the fervor of a true believer who knew music could transport souls," said Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

In the 1970s, Ely signed with MCA Records, launching a career that included decades of recording and touring around the world. His work and performances left a lasting impact on the music scene and influenced a wide range of artists, including the Clash and Bruce Springsteen, according to Rolling Stone.

"His distinctive musical style could only have emerged from Texas, with its southwestern blend of honky-tonk, rock & roll, roadhouse blues, western swing, and conjunto. He began his career in the Flatlanders, with fellow Lubbock natives Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, and he would mix their songs with his through 50 years of critically acclaimed recordings. [...]"

Read the full story at KVUE.com. CultureMap has added two paragraphs of context about the Austin portion of Ely's career.

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