savor the flavor

Top Houston chefs and bartenders team up at picnic fundraiser

I'll Have What She's Having has been supporting Houston's culinary community since 2017.

Photo by Jack Opatrny

Some of Houston’s top chefs and bartenders are teaming up to raise money for their peers with health issues. I’ll Have What She’s Having will host its annual Rock & Roll Picnic on Sunday, September 15.

Held this year at Last Concert Cafe, the event unites some of the city’s most talented chefs, headlined by Top Chef finalists Dawn Burrell and Evelyn Garcia (Jun). They’ll be joined by chefs Beatriz Martines (Xalisko) and Mary Cuclis (Kriti Kitchen) as well as Masterchef finalist Suu Khin (Burmalicious by Suu) and CultureMap Tastemaker Awards winners Josh Deleon (Underground Creamery) and the team behind Blood Bros. BBQ.

Attendees will also get a first taste of two of this fall's most eagerly anticipated new restaurants courtesy of Nick Wong, who will preview his Asian American diner Agnes & Sherman, and Dominick Lee, who will be serving bites from Augustine’s, the restaurant that’s currently under construction at Third Ward’s Hotel King David. Bartenders Liz Becerra (Anvil), Natrese Rudison (Toasted Coconut), Jennifer Pilling (Rosewater), Adriana Medina (Cantina Barba), Alexandra Bourgoin (‘93 Til), Miles Conde (Josephine’s), and Olivia Vargas (Lei Low) will create drinks for the event. Non-alcoholic cocktails will also be available.

True to its name, the picnic also includes live music by India Tigers in Texas, JumpRope, and Shame On Me. Poet T. Lavois Thiebaud will lead an artistic poetry event, and DJ GRRRL Parts will perform a set.

The event is done in support of I’ll Have What She’s Having work to bring both physical and mental healthcare to members of the hospitality industry, many of whom do not have health insurance. Originally founded by a group of doctors and hospitality industry veterans to support women’s healthcare, IHWSH now helps facilitate access to breast and cervical cancer screenings, IUDs, vasectomies, mental health care, doula services, and health counseling.

“Hospitality industry professionals have a long history of only being able to treat medical problems via the ER. We ignore our bad backs and don't always have the luxury of getting a mammogram, much less have the doctor to give us the referral,” IHWSH lead health care ambassador and outreach director Lindsay Rae Burleson (Two Headed Dog) said in a statement. “Our program has created a path for better preventative healthcare opportunities for our industry, all at no cost and with little red tape. The funds from this event could save someone's life. It's the beauty of breaking bread."

Tickets are on sale now. General admission ($45) provides access to the concert, chef demos, and other happenings. A picnic upgrade ($95) adds bites from the participating chefs and two drink tickets.

In addition to selling tickets, IHWSH will raise money with a silent auction. Items up for bid include vacation packages, VIP access to Eight Row Flint’s annual Pappy Day party, and a live fire dinner cooked by Top Chef contestant Michelle Wallace (Gatlin’s BBQ, B’tween Sandwich Co) at Blue Heron Farms.

“Company-wide health care is essentially non-existent in independent restaurants. As much as owners desperately want to offer it, it’s too expensive for the small business. Industry members going without health care in a workplace can be incredibly hard on their bodies,” Cuclis added “IHWSH has been a great outlet for my staff, connecting them to free care and resources at an affordable cost.”

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Relish responds

Houston restaurant breaks silence about wage theft allegations

Photo by Julie Soefer

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A Houston restaurant has broken its silence about a lawsuit that accuses it of wage theft. Relish Restaurant & Bar issued a statement about allegations made by an employee that it improperly allocated money from the restaurant’s tip pool:

For more than a decade, we've worked hard to build a restaurant where our employees feel valued and respected. Our team is central to everything we do, and we take our responsibilities to them seriously. We remain committed to fair and lawful employment practices, and firmly deny the allegations that have been made. Given that this is an ongoing legal matter, we will not comment further at this time. Thank you for understanding.

According to an article in the Houston Chronicle, employee Michael Baron alleges that Relish and its owners, Addie and Dustin Teague:

Used his and other employees’ tips to pay the maitre’d, who also had managerial roles, such as disciplining employees. The maitre’d was allegedly paid at least $21,000 in 2026 from pooled tips, according to the lawsuit. The maitre'd position is not included in the restaurant's notice about which workers get paid from the pool, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit further alleges that the practices at Relish’s Town & Country location violated the Fair Labor Standards Act, the federal law that governs how tipped employees are paid. Under the law, restaurants are allowed to pay tipped employees as little as $2.13 per hour, because the vast majority of their income is generated by customers’ tips. The law also governs which other employees — such as bartenders and other customer-facing positions — are eligible to receive a share of an employee’s tips. Salaried managers or employees in supervisory roles are not eligible to receive tips.

Baron is represented by attorney Josef F. Buenker, whose firm specializes in employment law, as noted by its domain name houstonovertimelawyer.com.

In March, a federal court ruled that Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille must pay $21 million for misallocating tips to more than 700 servers.

Relish is known for its classic American fare such as burgers, fried chicken, steaks, salad, and seafood. Its River Oaks location, which has been open since 2016, will soon close before moving to the RO mixed-used development next year. Relish’s Town & Country location will remain open.

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