this picnic totally rocks
Rockin' new girl-powered food and music fest stars Houston's top chefs
A Houston-based nonprofit will hold a fundraiser featuring some of the state's top culinary and musical talent. I'll Have What She's Having's Rock & Roll Picnic takes place at the Continental Club in Midtown this Sunday, June 5.
Intended to be an annual event, the Rock & Roll Picnic features food prepared by some of Houston's top chefs that's meant to be enjoyed while listening to music by female-led bands. Performers include Nobody’s Daughter of Girls Rock Houston, Katie Rushing, Dusty Santamaria, Calliope Musicals, and Austin psychedelic desert rockers Sheverb, according to a release.
The participating chefs consist of Top Chef alumni Evelyn Garcia and Sasha Grumman, multiple James Beard Award nominee Anita Jaisinghani (Pondicheri), Beaumont chef Monica Cobb, Chris Roy (Winnie's), and pastry chefs Julia Doran (Tiny Champions) and Alyssa Dole (Luloo's). Each chef is producing one dish that will be included in a tiffin that can be enjoyed at the event or taken to-go. Priced at $197.30 (more on that shortly), each meal is designed to feed two to four people.
Dishes include:
- Monica Cobb - Texas Black Eyed Pea Caviar and Sweet Pepper Chow Chow
- Sasha Grumman - Tomato, Watermelon, and Mozzarella salad
- Chris Roy - Tasso and Pimento Cheese Rangoon
- Anita Jaisinghani - Vegetable Biriyani
- Evelyn Garcia - Vietnamese Chicken Salad with Sesame Crisps
- Julia Doran - Sesame Cake with Roasted Strawberries
- Alyssa Dole - Oatmeal Creme Pie
In addition to the concert and the tiffins, a silent auction will offer up private chef dinners, culinary creations, and other food-based delights.
Proceeds will benefit I'll Have What She's Having's 1973 Project, which provides funds to organizations that provide abortion services to Texans. The group initiated the project after the state passed its six-week abortion ban. Members of the organization joined Top Chef stars Padma Lakshmi and Gail Simmons at last year's Houston Women's March that protested the law.
The Continental Club's neighbors in the Mid-Main district are also contributing to the effort. Fashion designer Bonnie Kennimer is contributing a piece of the silent auction, and Double Trouble owner Robin Berwick has created a cocktail for the day whose proceeds will be donated to the organization. Winnie's, the nearby sandwich shop and cocktail bar, will donate a portion of proceeds from Sunday night's sales.
Tickets start at $25 to attend the concert. Tiffins, as noted above, cost $197.30 and do not include admission to the event. A VIP experience includes six tickets to the event, a reserved picnic table, two tiffins, drinks, and other perks. It is priced at $1,973.