Party Watch

Hot young professionals, TV news stars and top chefs mingle at a foodie carnival: When fair food gets inventive

Where: Eleven XI Restaurant & Bar

The 411: The spring season of tasting events and chef competitions drew to a close Saturday with the first ever Culinary Carnival. Seventeen chefs from some of Houston's highest profile restaurants competed to serve the tastiest possible food on a stick, while some of Houston's best bartenders served up refreshing libations to beat the heat. Proceeds from the event benefited PULSE, the St. Luke's Foundation that CultureMap recently named one of Houston's Top 10 Young Professional organizations.

Two of the participating restaurants, Big Eyed Fish and Oporto's Midtown expansion, provided attendees with the chance to review restaurants that won't open until August. Other than eating and drinking, the 400-plus attendees who packed the Eleven XI parking lot indulged in carnival games, face painting and a culinary trivia contest.

A panel of media judges selected Soma chef Gabe Medina's Sapporo/miso-braised Kurobuta corn dog as the winner, while attendees chose ceviche on a stick from Trenza chef Susie Jimenez as their favorite. Other popular dishes included a watermelon/mint popsicle from D&T Drive Inn chef Steven Ripley, and frozen gazpacho pops from both Boheme's Rishi Singh and Triniti chefs Ryan Hildebrand and Greg Lowry — anything cool and refreshing to combat the 90-degree temps was a hit. Eleven XI's own Anna Large took the cocktail prize with a twist on the buttery nipple.

Who: Retired soccer star Brian Ching, Hot 95.7's Sarah Pepper, KHOU anchor Lily Jang, Elizabeth Weiss, Roz and Allen Pactor, KHOU's Courtney Zubowski and Eric Haas, Mark Sullivan, Michael Briggs, Marcy de Luna, Lindsay Pearce, Greg Decker, Robert Tijerina, Andrew Sarofim, Lauren Barrash, and chef Philippe Schmit.

Chase Williams, left, Jordan Sturdevant, Erica Cochran and Justin Richards.

Culinary Carnival Chase Williams, Jordan Sturdevant, Erica Cochran, Justin Richards

Photo by Anthony Rathbun

Chase Williams, left, Jordan Sturdevant, Erica Cochran and Justin Richards.

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Party Watch

Champagne and shells mark bold push to save Texas oyster reefs

Coastal Preservation and Restoration launch party

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Caroline Craddock, Tommy Garcia Prats, and Andrew Abendshein.

What: Texas Farm-Raised Gulf Oyster Tasting Celebrating the Launch of Coastal Preservation and Restoration

Photo by Daniel Ortiz

Caroline Craddock, Tommy Garcia Prats, and Andrew Abendshein.

Where: La Griglia

The Scoop: Shell-ebrating sustainability never tasted so chic. More than 85 guests gathered on La Griglia’s breezy patio to toast the official launch of Coastal Preservation and Restoration (CPR), a new initiative aiming to restore 5,000 acres of Texas’s public oyster reefs by 2050, making it the largest reef restoration effort in the nation.

The soirée paired bubbly with brininess, as guests slurped freshly shucked Texas farm-raised Gulf oysters from Key Allegro Oyster Co. and Oyster Bros., complemented by elegant accoutrements and a touch of night sparkle.

John Eads, CPR’s founder and chairman, shared heartfelt remarks about the power of oyster mariculture to safeguard reef systems, bolster local economies, and buffer coastal communities. He was joined by Shellye Arnold, introduced as the organization’s incoming CEO, who brings serious conservation chops from her decade-plus leading Memorial Park Conservancy.

With organizations like Harte Research Institute, Galveston Bay Foundation, and Coastal Conservation Association Texas in the mix, the evening closed with a toast to the future, one where Texas bays thrive with purpose, oysters, and just the right hint of salinity.

Who: Mary Eads, Pam and Will Harte, Nancy and Butch Abendshein, Sis Johnson, Daniel and Lucie Arnoldy, Emily Clay, Susan Cooley, Dancie and Jim Ware, David Mincberg and Lainie Gordon, Rob Fondren, Carla Knobloch, Bob Stokes, and Bill King.

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