a bigger, better southern smoke

Top Chef alums and BBQ stars light up Chris Shepherd's bigger, better food festival

Southern Smoke 2019 Chris Cosentino Rosalie Italian Soul

Chris Cosentino is coming back to Southern Smoke.

Photo by Emily Jaschke

Calling all Houston food lovers. The time has come to open those wallets, because the Southern Smoke Festival has revealed the lineups, venues, and pricing for all three of this year's events, which will place October 21-23.

For its first in-person event since 2019, Southern Smoke Foundation co-founder Chris Shepherd has recruited more than 60 chefs that include many of his fellow James Beard Award winners, Top Chef fan favorites, and plenty of local talent. The event raises money for the Southern Smoke Foundation, the non-profit Shepherd started to provide cash assistance to hospitality workers in crisis situations like medical emergencies, natural disasters, lost wages, and other unexpected events. To date, the foundation's Emergency Relief Fund has distributed almost $10 million to recipients nationwide.

Here's the overview for each event, including locations and prices. All tickets go on sale at noon on Tuesday, August 30.

The weekend kicks off Friday with the H-Town Welcome Wagon. Held at Hermann Park's Lott Hall, the event features food prepared by more than a dozen Houston chefs, a few carefully-chosen out-of-towners, and Top Chef's Gail Simmons — paired with live music and Texas wines. Tickets are priced at $125 for general admission or $250 to enter one hour early. Here's the full lineup:

John Avila, Henderson & Kane (Houston)
Bun B, Trill Burgers (Houston)
Terrence Gallivan, Elro (Houston)
Mason Hereford, Turkey and the Wolf (New Orleans)
Chad Houser, Café Momentum (Dallas)
Brian Jupiter, Frontier and Ina Mae Tavern (Chicago)
Rebecca Masson, Fluff Bake Bar (Houston)
Gabriel Medina, Click Virtual Food Hall (Houston)
Trong Nguyen, Crawfish and Noodles (Houston)
Benchawan Painter, Street to Kitchen (Houston)
Jacklyn Pham, Saigon Pagolac (Houston)
Jeff Potts, 93 Til (Houston)
Jordan Rubin, Mr. Tuna (Portland, Maine)
Easton Sadler, R-C Ranch Butcher Shop (Houston)
Chris Shepherd (Houston)
Gail Simmons (New York)
Paola Velez (Washington, D.C.)
Joshua Weissman, YouTube (Houston)
Jack Yoss, Hai Hospitality (Houston)

Southern Smoke on Ice takes place Saturday at the Houstonian Hotel. This premium event features a raw bar prepared by some of the South's top chefs paired with high-end wines. Kata Robata chef Manabu Horiuchi will break down a whole tuna and serve hand rolls. Tickets, described by organizers as "very limited," cost $1,000. The participants are:

Ashley Christensen, AC Restaurants (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Manabu "Hori" Horiuchi, Kata Robata (Houston)
Cheetie Kumar, Garland (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Mike Lata, FIG (Charleston, South Carolina)
Nicole Mills, Peche Seafood Grill (New Orleans)
Jason Stanhope, FIG (Charleston, South Carolina)

Sunday's East Downtown Throwdown most closely replicates the original Southern Smoke Festival with a wide array of chefs serving dishes cooked with live fire. As always, barbecue legend Aaron Franklin headlines. This year, he's joined by Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio as well as several former cheftestants, food TV star Andrew Zimmern, barbecue stars from across the country, and lots of local favorites. Expect a range of beverage options along with live music and a silent auction.

Tickets cost $225 for general admission or $450 for VIP. Spending the extra money brings early admission and access to indoor and outdoor VIP lounges. Lexus drivers who purchase VIP tickets will also receive premium parking.

Top Chef alumni:

Karen Akunowicz, Fox & the Knife (Boston)
Dawn Burrell, Late August (Houston)
Tom Colicchio, Crafted Hospitality (New York)
Sarah Grueneberg, Monteverde (Chicago)
Stephanie Izard, Girl & The Goat (Chicago)
Erick Williams, Virtue Restaurant (Chicago)
Brooke Williamson, Playa Provisions (Los Angeles)
Claudette Zepeda, VAGA (San Diego)

Beard Award winners and other national notables:

Chris Bianco, Pizzeria Bianco (Phoenix)
Jamie Bissonnette, Little Donkey (Boston)
Katie Button, Katie Button Restaurants (Asheville, North Carolina)
Chris Cosentino, Rosalie Italian Soul (Houston)
Jeremy Fox, Rustic Canyon (Santa Monica, California)
Marcus Jacobs, Marjie's Grill (New Orleans)
Steven Redzikowski, Oak at Fourteenth (Boulder, Colorado)
Stephen Stryjewski, Link Restaurant Group (New Orleans)
Andrew Zimmern (Minneapolis)

Barbecue stars:

Leonard Botello IV, Truth BBQ (Houston)
Billy Durney, Hometown BBQ (Brooklyn, New York)
Patrick Feges and Erin Smith, Feges BBQ (Houston)
Aaron Franklin, Franklin Barbecue (Austin, Texas)
Greg Gatlin, Gatlin's BBQ (Houston)
Sam Jones, Sam Jones BBQ. (Ayden, North Carolina)
Pat Martin, Martin's BBQ Joint (Nashville)
Robin Wong, Blood Bros. BBQ (Houston)

Texans:

Aaron Bludorn, Bludorn (Houston)
Tavel Bristol-Joseph, Canje (Austin)
Stephen Conklin, Hai Hospitality (Houston)
Chris Davies, Underbelly Hospitality (Houston)
Abbas Dhanani, Burger Bodega (Houston)
Kevin Fink, Hestia (Austin)
Diego Galicia, Mixtli (San Antonio)
Shaun King, Hai Hospitality (Houston)
Graham Laborde, Winnie's (Houston)
Fermín Núñez, Suerte (Austin)
Ryan Pera, Agricole Hospitality (Houston)
Greg Peters, Underbelly Hospitality (Houston)
Tim Reading, Underbelly Hospitality (Houston)
Felipe Riccio, Goodnight Hospitality (Houston)
Martin Stayer, Nobie's (Houston)
Rico Torres, Mixtli (San Antonio)
Chris Williams, Lucille's (Houston)

The Southern Smoke Festival returns in October.

Southern Smoke 2019 Chris Shepherd check presentation

Photo by Emily Jaschke

The Southern Smoke Festival returns in October.

news-you-can-eat fundraisers festivals

Bowling over Houston

Gluten-free Austin restaurant picks River Oaks for first Houston store

Rendering of Honest Mary's in River Oaks

Rendering by Mark Odom Studio

Honest Mary's, an Austin-based eatery, is expanding with a new location in Houston's River Oaks in fall 2025.

It will be a Houston homecoming for restauranteur Nelson Monteith with the fall 2025 debut of Honest Mary’s in River Oaks.

“It’s a joy and honor to bring a brand we’ve worked hard to create in Austin and finally be able to share that concept with friends and family in Houston,” Monteith said in a statement. “There’s a bit of built-in comfort in knowing there are folks here who are already fans of Honest Mary’s. They’ve been asking us for years to open a location in Houston, and now it’s happening.”

Located at 2047-A West Gray St., Honest Mary's will occupy the current La Madeleine space. It is not known at this time when La Madeleine will close, but construction on Honest Mary's is expected to begin in May 2025.

Monteith and his wife, Mary, launched Honest Mary’s in 2017 after embracing mindful eating to improve their health. Since then, the Austin-based eatery that describes itself as serving "life-giving fast food" has expanded to four locations, with the upcoming River Oaks spot marking its arrival in Houston.

“There’s healthy food, fresh food, and fast food,” he said. “We wanted to create something that fits into that sweet spot without sacrificing quality or convenience. The trend towards healthy eating and the reality of busy lifestyles aren’t slowing down. We offer a place that caters to both.”

At the center of Honest Mary’s menu are five signature bowls ranging from poke to vegetarian, including the smoky poblano ($10.25) that features a basmati rice base with fresh vegetables of wild arugula, sweet corn, and pickled onions in a creamy poblano sauce. Co-partner and chef Andrew Wiseheart, known for Austin’s Contigo and Ladybird Taco, leads the kitchen.

Honest Mary's menu features healthy, gluten-free bowls. Guests can choose from five signature bowls at Honest Mary's, or create their own.Courtesy of Honest Mary's

Diners can build their own bowls by selecting a base like quinoa, proteins including grilled chicken and tuna, and vegetables such as sweet potatoes. Pickled onions, cucumber salad, and avocado are among the topping selections, with sauces like lemon garlic and cashew-lime crema.

Scratch-made sipping broths round out the menu, with the chicken bone broth packed with celery, carrots, onions and parsley, or an umami-rich seaweed and mushroom broth.

A selection of house-made aguas frescas and teas, local craft beer, wine, kombucha, and organic cold-pressed juices will be available, as will Honest Mary’s popular almond butter cookies sweetened with maple syrup and topped with a sprinkle of Maldon salt.

Rendering by Mark Odom Studio

Honest Mary's, an Austin-based eatery, is expanding with a new location in Houston's River Oaks in fall 2025.

With its fully gluten-free menu, Honest Mary’s caters to a range of dietary preferences, including vegetarian, vegan, and dairy-free. To align with Monteith’s dedication to nutrition, Honest Mary’s uses seed oils sparingly and prioritizes local and organic ingredients when possible.

“River Oaks Shopping Center has a unique blend of history and vibrant new concepts, making it the ideal home for us,” Monteith said. “We aim to be a neighborhood spot where people can enjoy delicious, healthy food.”

Lunden McGill and John Frazier of Baker Katz brokered the deal for the 2,200-square-foot space and additional patio with seating for 38 inside and 44 outside. Mark Odom Studio is responsible for architecture and design.

Honest Mary’s signature elements of terra cotta and blue tilework will be incorporated to provide consistency between all five locations, while Art Deco-inspired decor of lush greenery, warm wood tones and natural light will align the space with the River Oaks Shopping Center’s structure.

Takeaway, delivery, and dine-in will be provided daily from 11 am to 9 pm.

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