One of Houston’s most luxurious hotels has launched a new charity dining series that’s hosted by James Beard Award winner Chris Shepherd. Titled as the Celebrity Chef Pop-Up Series, the quarterly dinners at the Four Seasons Hotel Houston will feature Shepherd, who moonlights as CultureMap’s Wine Guy, and some of America’s top culinary talent.

Not surprisingly, the dinners will also serve as a fundraiser for the Southern Smoke Foundation, the nonprofit Shepherd founded with his wife Lindsey Brown that provides emergency assistance and mental health services to hospitality workers. Shepherd’s recent Respect the Rosé dinner provides a template for what diners can expect — a personal menu, big time chefs, and a rollicking good time.

“I’m thrilled to partner with Four Seasons in creating this ongoing pop-up series, featuring some of my friends and favorite chefs from around the country,” Shepherd said in a statement. “Bringing these exciting culinary experiences to H-Town is a great way to have some fun, and share great connections over amazing food and wine.”

Shepherd is launching the series on Sunday, August 4 with his take on Italian American comfort food. Working with chefs from the Four Seasons Houston, the six course, pre-fixe menu takes inspiration from Mr. C's Steakhouse, Shepherd's favorite restaurant from his childhood. It features all of the chef’s favorite dishes along with an environment that wouldn’t feel out of place in The Godfather — holiday lights, checkered tablecloths, and Rat Pack tunes. Houstonians may recall that the final iteration of One Fifth, Shepherd’s restaurant that changed concepts annually, also served this style of food.

Here’s the menu:

• Aperitivo: Negroni Sbagliato cocktail, as imagined by Bandista, the hotel’s speakeasy-style bar
• Formaggio: Parmigiano Reggiano broken from a 1/4 wheel paired with aged balsamic vinegar
• Insalata e Pane: Traditional Cardini Caesar — served tableside; Old school garlic cheese bread with “roni” and Tuscan ranch.
• Pasta: Lumache alla Vodka, Mezze Maniche All’amatriciana, and Baked Cacio e Pepe
• Carne: Strip steak and chicken parmesan; crispy potatoes with Calabrian chili aioli; and grilled broccolini with grated horseradish, lemon, and olive oil
• Dolce: Tiramisu
• Digestivo: Amaro Cart

Seatings will be at 5 pm and 8 pm. Reservations are available here. The dinner is priced at $195 per person with optional wine pairings available for $130 and prestige wine pairings available for $310.

Lineups for the fall and winter dinners will be announced in the future.

“Chris is a great friend to us and the Houston community as a whole, particularly through his Southern Smoke Foundation, which we’re proud to support” Four Seasons general manager Tom Segesta added. “In partnering with him to bring these exciting culinary experiences to Four Seasons, we’ll continue to showcase our downtown destination as a place where great things happen, including award-winning chef pop-ups from all over the country.”