Eat 'em up

S'mores and mac 'n' cheese competition pits top chefs in Camp for All night of tasty fun

Camp food favorites — S'mores and mac 'n' cheese — were on the menu at the historic Parador on Binz when the Young Professionals of Camp for All hosted the annual Camp Culinary Challenge. Twelve chefs joined the friendly competition that had the more than 250 guests placing their votes and licking their chops.

Natalie Hewitt and Annie Sorrells chaired the event that featured five teams competing in the S'mores challenge and seven teams whipping up their best mac 'n' cheese dishes.

Three Brothers Bakery had the winning S'more— a chocolate chip cookie bowl with a marshmallow cream center.

Guests such as Houston Dynamo players Mark Sherrod and Tony Cascio sampled the entries, shopped the silent auction and perused the Camper Photography Showcase.

Three Brothers Bakery, with chef Bobby Jucker at the lead, had the winning S'more — S'mores pie with secret graham cracker crust, topped with chocolate carmel ganache and marshmallow butter cream. Joining in the sweet competition were Ooh La La Dessert Boutique, Sorrel Urban Bistro, River Oaks Donuts and Black Hole Coffee House.

Sandy McGee's Restaurant and Catering, out of Richmond, with chef Payton McGee at the helm, won most votes for the mac 'n' cheese — an elevated classic macaroni and cheese topped with pork belly. Throwing their toques into the savory ring were Artisans, Beavers Ice House, Dish Society, Kris Bristro, Ouisie's Table and Sorrell Urban Bistro.

Lining up to tickle their taste buds on behalf of Camp for All were Liz Rigney, Mindy and Jeff Hildebrand, Drs. Didi Garza and Peter McLaughlin, Allison Ignacio and Mack Schaffer, Jessica Nimon, Matt and Melinda Mogas, Taylor McDaniel, Nathan Rigney and Ellen James.

S'mores winner Three Brothers Bakery chef Bobby Jucker, center, with Camp for All CEO Pat Sorells and the bakery team.

Bobby Jucker and Three Brothers Bakery team with Pat Sorrells at the Camp for All event September 2014

Photo by © Anthony Rathbun

S'mores winner Three Brothers Bakery chef Bobby Jucker, center, with Camp for All CEO Pat Sorells and the bakery team.

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RIP, Wally

Texan Wally Funk, oldest woman to travel into space, dies at 87

Wally Funk aboard Blue Origin New Shepard

Photo courtesy of Blue Origin

The 82-year-old Wally Funk became the oldest person to go to space on July 20, 2021.

GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) — Wally Funk, an aviation pioneer who was the oldest woman to launch into space, has died. She was 87.

Funk died Wednesday, July 8 at her apartment in an assisted living facility in Grapevine, Grapevine City Councilwoman Duff O'Dell said Thursday. O'Dell, who described herself as Funk's caregiver, said she was by Funk's side. Funk had fallen a couple of times recently and had an infection in her leg.

“It took its toll,” O'Dell said in a phone interview.

Wally Funk became a hometown hero in Grapevine. Facebook/Wally Funk's Space for Race

Funk was one of 13 female pilots who went through the same tests as NASA’s all-male astronaut corps in the early 1960s but never made it into space. In 2021, she got her chance aboard Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket. At the time, the 82-year-old was the oldest person to go into space, though the record was later broken by “Star Trek” actor William Shatner and Ed Dwight, America’s first Black astronaut candidate. They were both 90.

Bezos chose Funk as an “honored guest” to ride alongside him and two others on an up-and-down hop from West Texas aboard his Blue Origin rocket.

In interviews after the 11-minute flight, Funk enthusiastically told reporters, "I loved every minute of it. I just wish it had been longer.”

Wally Funk in her '20s as a flight instructor. Facebook/Wally Funk's Space for Race

She became a hometown hero when she returned home to Dallas-Fort Worth; the city of Grapevine threw a parade for her history-making experience.

“Wally Funk never stopped believing that one day she would reach space. Her passion for flight, perseverance, and love of exploration will continue to inspire generations of Americans. Godspeed, Wally,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman posted Thursday on X.

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This story contains material from CultureMap story archives.

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