Shelby's Social Diary
Hot Young Professionals, master chefs & Ballet dancers in aprons: What a dinnerto remember!
It was applause of a different sort for Houston Ballet principals Sunday night when they took a spin around the kitchen at Haven where they joined a trio of master chefs — Randy Evans (Haven), Monica Pope (t'afia) and Chris Shepherd (Underbelly) — in preparing a four-course meal for paying customers. No ballet slippers required.
Houston Ballet Barre, the ballet's young professionals group, orchestrated the fundraiser dubbed "A Dinner in Four Acts." Welcoming the 180 dinner guests was event chair chair Beth Zdeblick and Ballet Barre chairs Kristy Bradshaw and Lindsey Brown.
Donning aprons in place of tutus and tights were Mireille (Mimi) Hassenboehler, Linnar Looris, Danielle Rowe and Connor Walsh. How'd they do? With lots of laughs and loads of kitchen fun, the results were, by all accounts commendable.
The pairings: Pope and Hassenboehler whipping up lentil soup; Evans and Looris preparing tete de couchon; Shepherd and Walsh cooking braised lamb crepinette; and Evans and Rowe creating a classic pavlova. Bravo!