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    Food for Thought

    What fuels Houston Ballet dancers during The Nutcracker? You might be surprised

    Marene Gustin
    Nov 29, 2012 | 1:10 pm
    • Melissa Hough admits, "I am also a bit of a cookie monster. I love Christmascookies!"
    • Allison Miller, here in Ballo della Regina, says, "I make sure to give in to mysweet tooth regularly, whether it is with a Crave Cupcake or homemade cookies. Idon't make it through the day without a stop (or two) at Catalina Coffee."
      Photo by Amitava Sarkar
    • "With two shows per day, Nutcracker time is all about keeping the energy up,"adds soloist Oliver Halkowich. "I find that a heavy protein diet keeps me goinglonger, so I’ll start with eggs and some delicious Revival Market bacon forbreakfast."
      Photo by Zuzana Leckova/Art Institute of Houston North
    • "Whenever The Nutcracker rolls around, I find myself looking for a food sourcethat can give me sustained energy," says principal Joseph Walsh.
      Photo by Amitava Sarkar
    • "Lots of protein!" says principal Sara Webb. "I have found that eating extraprotein helps my muscles recover faster. A trip to Becks Prime the night beforea Sugar Plum performance is sometimes a must."
      Photo by Amitava Sarkar

    Houstonians love the holiday tradition of Houston Ballet's The Nutcracker. More than one million folks have seen the holiday classic, choreographed by former artistic director Ben Stevenson, that celebrates its 25th anniversary this season.

    And while you might go once a year, the dancers have to perform the ballet over and over and over again throughout the program, which runs through Dec. 30, with two shows on some days. It is a grueling performance run for the dancers.

    So what do all those thin dancers at Houston Ballet consume to get them through The Nutcracker?

    A lot. A lot of protein, a lot of carbs and . . . a surprisingly sweet treat.

    ​While most of us trying to stay slim and trim, particularly during the holiday season, existing on perhaps 1,500 to 1,700 calories per day, these dancers need more.

    While most of us trying to stay slim and trim, particularly during the holiday season, existing on perhaps 1,500 to 1,700 calories per day, these dancers need more.

    "Calorie needs are variable but a petite adult female dancer may require 2,000 to 2,200, whereas the men can require 3,000 to 3,500," says Houston Ballet nutritionist Roberta Anding. "Fueling your body with high-quality fuel not only helps performance but can safeguard the immune system."

    So what, exactly, are they eating to keep dancing as fast as they can for all of those performances?

    "Lots of protein!" says principal Sara Webb. "I have found that eating extra protein helps my muscles recover faster. A trip to Becks Prime the night before a Sugar Plum performance is sometimes a must.

    "And, it is that time of year, so extra sweets too. Many dancers and friends will kindly bake, create and share irresistible treats with all of us in our dressing rooms to help us survive the run of Nutcracker performances. It is not uncommon to see dancers grabbing a cookie on their way to the stage for an extra boost of sweet energy, myself included."

    Cookies!

    "With two shows per day, Nutcracker time is all about keeping the energy up," adds soloist Oliver Halkowich. "I find that a heavy protein diet keeps me going longer, so I’ll start with eggs and some delicious Revival Market bacon for breakfast. Then almonds and a banana before the matinee."

    "I used to religiously walk over to the Hard Rock Cafe between shows and throw down a burger and fries, but my metabolism isn't what it once was and now I conservatively go for a kale salad with roast beef, avocado and cranberries" Halkowich continues. "And if I give a good evening performance, I treat myself to a few scoops of Häagen-Dazs."

    Yeah baby! Ice cream is the way to roll.

    But back to real nutrition.

    Balance . . . with the occasional treat

    "A well-balanced diet is crucial for dancers, especially at this time of year," says demi soloist Allison Miller. "I always keep a bottle of Odwalla Superfood in my fridge, and packets of Emergen-C are on hand for when I begin to feel worn down."

    ​"A well-balanced diet is crucial for dancers, especially at this time of year," says demi soloist Allison Miller.

    Oh, but wait, she also says: "I make sure to give in to my sweet tooth regularly, whether it is with a Crave Cupcake or homemade cookies. I don't make it through the day without a stop (or two) at Catalina Coffee."

    Coffee and cupcakes — man, I wish I could burn off those kinds of calories.

    "Whenever The Nutcracker rolls around, I find myself looking for a food source that can give me sustained energy," says principal Joseph Walsh. "Besides the usual balance of carbohydrates and protein, I am a big fan of kale, kombucha and chia seeds. Kale gives me power, kombucha (a fermented sort of tea) gives me energy, and chia seeds (from a South American mint plant) sustain that energy."

    "Kombucha is an ancient elixir that has made a comeback recently," Walsh explains. "I find it is better that chugging down a bunch of Emergen-C packets in order to keep away the flu. Whole Foods Market has a monopoly on Houston Ballet, almost every time I visit I see someone I know from the ballet."

    Walsh is an amazing dancer, but what kind of healthy diet is that? No ice cream, no cookies, no cupcakes? Come on, you can burn it off.

    Oh, and then there's first soloist Melissa Hough, who also subscribes to a healthy diet.

    "I try to keep my diet full of lean proteins, fish, chicken and eggs, wheat pastas and lots of veggies," she says. "During Nutcracker, this is no exception, although I end up eating a lot of eggs due to convenience and comfort."

    But, Hough admits, "I am also a bit of a cookie monster. I love Christmas cookies!"

    There's my girl!

    And if you're going to see The Nutcracker this season, you can dine at the Encore Café at the Wortham Center pre-curtain. They offer a great pasta and salad bar and made-to-order gourmet wraps. And while they have some sweets, you may have to make friends with the dancers to get at those homemade Christmas cookies.

    unspecified
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    and the winner is...

    Innovative Houston chef is the city's newest James Beard Award winner

    Eric Sandler
    Jun 17, 2025 | 6:00 am
    James Beard Awards 2025 Thomas Bille Belly of the Beast
    Photo by Getty Images for James Beard Foundation
    Thomas Bille is Houston's newest James Beard Award winner.

    Add another Houston chef to the city’s growing list of James Beard Award winners. Thomas Bille, chef-owner of Belly of the Beast in Spring, earned Best Chef: Texas at the James Beard Foundation’s Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony.

    Held at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on Monday, June 16, Bille was one of five finalists for the award, along with fellow Houstonian Emmanuel Chavez (Tatemo), Emil Oliva (Leche de Tigre in San Antonio), Regino Rojas (Purépecha in Dallas), and Michael Anthony Serva, (Bordo in Marfa). Neither of Houston’s other finalists — Mexico City-inspired cafe Casaema (formerly known as Ema) for Best New Restaurant and fine dining tasting menu restaurant March for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program — earned awards in their categories.

    A Los Angeles native who moved to the Houston area to be closer to his wife’s family, Bille took a winding path to his James Beard Award. He opened the first iteration of Belly of the Beast in 2020 as a chef-driven taqueria that was known for its ceviches and birria tacos. He then spent about a year at Chivos, an ambitious but short-lived Mexican-American restaurant in the Heights.

    In late 2023, he and his wife Elizabeth opened a new version of Belly of the Beast in a Spring shopping center. It showcased a broader array of Bille’s skills, with a wide-ranging menu that pulled from global flavors — lamb shank rendang, anyone? — that included meat, seafood, and pastas. The new restaurant quickly earned wide acclaim, including a Bib Gourmand in the 2024 Michelin Guide and CultureMap Tastemaker Award nominations for both Restaurant of the Year and Chef of the Year.

    “I feel a depth of gratitude,” Bille tells CultureMap in a text message. “Knowing that my wife and I were able to reopen on our own terms. Gratitude for my family, staff, and guests to give us love and support. It is much appreciated.”

    In an interview from the ceremony shared by the James Beard Foundation, Bille paid tribute to his wife, Elizabeth, for her role in the restaurant’s success.

    “The risk that my wife and I took to open this restaurant is more than worth it. My wife left her industry, she was a national director for nonprofit organization,” he said. “I said, ‘We’re going to reopen Belly of the Beast. I need you with me side-by-side the whole time.’ The first iteration she held down her job and supported us. With her at my wide, I’m able to focus on the kitchen, on the food, and mentoring my cooks. Able to see the bigger picture instead of just being in the weeds all the time.”

    Bille is the second Houstonian to win Best Chef: Texas, joining Street to Kitchen chef-owner Benchawan Jabthong Painter, who won in 2023. Since the category of Best Chef: Texas has only been awarded since 2022, Bille is the first man to earn the title. Prior to being its own region, the James Beard Foundation included Texas in the Southwest, where chefs Robert Del Grande (Cafe Annie), Chris Shepherd (Underbelly), Justin Yu (Oxheart), and Hugo Ortega (Hugo’s) all won awards.

    The only other Texas finalist to win his category was Arjav Ezekiel of Birdie's in Austin, who became the first winner of Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, one of three beverage-oriented categories the foundation added for 2025.

    In addition to Bille and Ezekiel, Texam Chad Houser, founder of Cafe Momentum in Dallas, received the Humanitarian of the Year Award. Toni Tipton-Martin, a Houston-based author, scholar, and journalist, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Houstonian Alba Huerta, who won Outstanding Beverage Program for her bar Julep in 2022, presented one of the night’s awards.

    “It’s with deep celebration that we congratulate the 2025 Restaurant and Chef Award winners — distinguished culinary, beverage, and hospitality leaders whose talent and vision are shaping our dining landscape,” said Clare Reichenbach, CEO, James Beard Foundation, in a statement. “These outstanding professionals are the epitome of ‘Good Food for Good,’ elevating our industry’s standards and redefining what’s possible in American cuisine.”

    James Beard Awards 2025 Thomas Bille Belly of the Beast
      

    Photo by Getty Images for James Beard Foundation

    Thomas Bille is Houston's newest James Beard Award winner.

    awardsjames beard awardchefsthomas billebelly of the beast
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