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Last Chef Standing launch party leaves room for competition

Photo by Roswitha Vogler/photosbyrovo.com
Photo by Roswitha Vogler/photosbyrovo.com
Photo by Roswitha Vogler/photosbyrovo.com
Photo by Roswitha Vogler/photosbyrovo.com
Photo by Roswitha Vogler/photosbyrovo.com
Photo by Roswitha Vogler/photosbyrovo.com
Photo by Roswitha Vogler/photosbyrovo.com
Photo by Roswitha Vogler/photosbyrovo.com
Photo by Roswitha Vogler/photosbyrovo.com

Every good party has three things in common — plenty of wine, tasty bites and a good crowd — and the launch party for CultureMap's Last Chef Standing at The Tasting Room in Uptown Park had each in spades.

Chefs, restaurateurs and other representatives from many of the bracket restaurants were on hand to toast the beginning of the competition, including Ava Kitchen general manager Rawad Semaan and new executive chef Ryan Savoie, Lasco Chief Brand Officer Jonathan Horowitz, Sullivan's general manager Zaidi Syed and Roots Bistro executive chef German Mosquera.

Many at the launch event took advantage of the iPads on hand to vote in the first round of the online bracket competition.

CultureMap CEO Stephen Newman welcomed the crowd and noted that a portion of the proceeds from the competition will go to Houston Public Media and the Houston Food Bank while CultureMap editor-in-chief Clifford Pugh announced a stellar-line up of judges for the April 9 food and wine tasting event at the Hotel ZaZa, where all 16 restaurants in the competition will vie to serve the best bites.

Foodies sipping wine and noshing on beer-battered shrimp and bacon-wrapped chicken breast included Houston Public Media general manager Lisa Shumate, Houston Food Bank chief development officer Amy Ragan, Edward Sanchez, Taylor Byrne Dodge, Erin Hicks Miller, Jodi Eisenhardt, Judy Nichols and Last Chef Standing event judge John Demers.

Many at the launch event took advantage of the iPads on hand to vote in the first round of the online bracket competition that is taking place through Friday. Here's now it works:

Sixteen Houston restaurants are facing off head-to-head with the goal of being named the Whole Foods People's Choice Champion. Fans can vote everyday, so whether you love the burger at The Grove, the gumbo at Liberty Kitchen or the samosas at Straits, click here to make your voice heard.

While fans will select one winner in the online competition, all 16 restaurants will serve up delicious plates with beer and wine pairings at CultureMap's first-ever Last Chef Standing tasting event on April 9 at Hotel ZaZa, with more winners to be named live at the event. Tickets are available for $45 now.

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Party Watch

From flight to legacy: BRASS marks 30 years of research advocacy in Houston

Baylor Research Advocates BRASS 30th anniversary party

Photo by Wilson Parish

James Craig, Dr. Jacquie Baly, Ann Ayre, and Terri Wang.

What: BRASS 30th Anniversary Celebration

Where: Private residence, River Oaks

The Scoop: A swirl of scientific minds, seasoned mentors, and future biomedical stars filled a River Oaks residence as BRASS (Baylor Research Advocates for Student Scientists) toasted its 30th anniversary. The May 6 gathering of more than 100 supporters honored three decades of trailblazing mentorship and more than $9 million raised for student scientists at Baylor College of Medicine.

Underwritten by Edna Meyer Nelson and The Richland Companies, the event kicked off with remarks from Elsie Eckert and 2021 BRASS Scholar Sharon Bright, now a rising research force and recipient of the 2024 Don D. Jordan Outstanding Trailblazer Scientist award.

Honors flowed as smoothly as the champagne. Dr. James Bonar received the Angel of the Year Award, while Dr. Ben Deneen and Dr. Ganesh Rao were named Mentors of the Year. A standout presence was Dr. Huda Zoghbi, acclaimed neurologist and longtime BRASS advocate, whose appearance anchored the evening with gravitas and inspiration.

A poignant tribute was paid to one of BRASS’s earliest champions, the late Dr. Michael DeBakey, who helped launch the organization and remains its Honorary Lifetime Member.

Longtime partners like the David and Eula Wintermann Foundation and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo were applauded for their multi-million dollar contributions. A moving moment came with the tribute to BRASS Founder Myra Branum Wilson, whose fateful in-flight chat with a Baylor researcher sparked what would become a legacy of scientific support.

Who: Ann Ayre, Tamara Klosz Bonar, Daniel Iron and Kirk Kveton, Dionne Bremen, Andy Delery, Ed McMahon, Hershey Grace, Jody Merritt, Francoise Marks, Peter VanDerlofske, Jacquie Baly and James Craig,, Terri Wang, Beth Wolff, Larry Burns, Cindy Burns,and Shelby Kibodeaux and Bruce Padilla.

Photo by Wilson Parish

James Craig, Dr. Jacquie Baly, Ann Ayre, and Terri Wang.