Shelby's social diary

Houston's top chefs put on the foodie night of the year — and some pay $15,000 to $25,000 per table for it

March of Dimes Signature Chefs gala chairs Gina and Dr. Devinder Bhatia and Susan and Mike Plank kicked it up a notch in the ballroom of the Hilton-Americas Houston for the annual blockbuster fundraiser. For the first time, the entire throng, numbering 700 this year, was seated for dinner after grazing through a line of taste sensations presented by 15 of the city's top toques.

In previous years, some two dozen chefs had put their best food forward while most of the crowd sampled and the big guns (those paying $15,000 and $25,000 a table) had a full meal served by a stellar chef's team. Friday night, culinary honoree Robert Del Grande and his RDG + Bar Annie cohorts served the high donors while the hotel served dinner to the remainder of the crowd. Also new this year were wines provided by Becker Vineyards from the Texas Hill Country and vodka and scotch tasting stations.

Among those cooking samples for 700 were Culinaire's Barbara McKnight offering roasted yellow tomato bisque with smoked crawfish sauce, Damian's Napoleon Palacios serving caesar salad and Michael Pellegrino of Max's Wine Dive presenting braised beef sliders. Guests swooned also over the offerings from Mr. Peeple's Pedro Silva, Up's David Coffman, Kiran's Kiran Verma and more. Chef Mark Cox of Mark’s American Cuisine won Best Culinary Creation for his Muscovy duck with autumn root vegetables and cider.

Joining Del Grande in taking bows were community honorees Rosemary Schatzman and Vanessa Sendukas and corporate honoree Franco Valobra, who once again donated one of his fab pieces of jewelry for the live auction. Guest speaker was March of Dimes national board chair Laverne Council.

Themed Une Bonne Nuit dans le Jardin, the event raised more than $725,000.

Savoring the tasteful evening were guests including honorary chairs Marci and Steve Alvis, auction chair Katherine Le, Matt Schatzman, Perry Sendukas, Candice and Lonnie Schiller, Julie Brown, Lori and Dan Wolterman, Holly A.N. Smith and Austin Alvis, Rachel and Tom Regan, Tara and David Wuthrich, Audrey and Brandon Cochran and Dominique Sachse and Nick Florescu.

Following the dinner and program, Yvonne Washington & the Mix revved up the party engines with music for the New Orleans-themed after-party.

Mike and Susan Plank, from left, and Gina and Dr. Devinder Bhatia at the March of Dimes Signature Chefs event.

Photo by © Michelle Watson CatchLightGroup.com

Mike and Susan Plank, from left, and Gina and Dr. Devinder Bhatia at the March of Dimes Signature Chefs event.

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Standing Ovation

Inside the elegant dinner celebrating Jones Hall’s transformation

Photo by Dave Rossman

Judy and Don Fernbach; Robert and Kate Eubanks; Amanda Clayton and Kaitlyn Hunt.

For nearly six decades, Jones Hall has hosted standing ovations, curtain calls, and goosebump-inducing performances. On May 4, the spotlight shifted from the stage to the people and institutions who helped usher Houston’s cultural living room to its next act.

More than 40 guests gathered inside the renovated Jones Hall lobby for an intimate dinner celebrating the donors, stakeholders, and arts leaders behind the Foundation for Jones Hall’s sweeping $67.5 million facelift. Attendees in cocktail attire mingled over a red-carpet reception while pianist Jayoung Hong provided a charming soundtrack appropriate for an evening about Houston’s performing arts future.

As guests settled in for a dinner by City Kitchen, Foundation for Jones Hall board chair Barbara McCelvey reflected on the project’s decade-long journey, one that weathered Hurricane Harvey, a pandemic, and the delicate balancing act of renovating an active venue without dimming the marquee. She acknowledged the support and partnership of the Houston Symphony, Performing Arts Houston, Houston First, Houston Endowment, and management consultant Kim Sterling.

Lead donor and building committee chair Chuck Davidson spoke candidly about the project’s evolving ambitions, noting that the original $25 million vision eventually expanded into a far more comprehensive undertaking focused on acoustics, accessibility, technology, infrastructure, and audience experience. The result is a reimagined Jones Hall with enhanced patron spaces, improved sound quality, updated backstage operations, additional lounges and restrooms, and expanded accommodations for guests with disabilities.

Foundation for Jones Hall executive director and renovation project manager Robert Eubanks offered heartfelt thanks to the many partners who shepherded the project forward.

“More than 400,000 people come to Jones Hall annually,” Eubanks said. “Thank you for making this possible.”

He also recognized incoming foundation chair Brad Corson, arts patrons and sponsors Nancy and Chuck Davidson, Phoebe and Bobby Tudor, Jane Cizik, Janet Clark, Barbara Burger, Mary Lynn Marks, ConocoPhilips, and Elisa Villanueva Beard and Bao-Long Chu of the Houston Endowment.

CultureMap seen were Gary Ginstling, Meg Booth, Deborah Lugo, Judy and Don Fernbach, Kate Eubanks, Amanda Clayton, Kaitlyn Hunt, Ginger Clark, Melanie Cizik, Jennifer Renner, Khao Dao, and Pat McCelvey.

Photo by Dave Rossman

Judy and Don Fernbach; Robert and Kate Eubanks; Amanda Clayton and Kaitlyn Hunt.

fundraisers jones hall performing-arts

Shelby's social diary

Houston's top chefs put on the foodie night of the year — and some pay $15,000 to $25,000 per table for it

Mike and Susan Plank, from left, and Gina and Dr. Devinder Bhatia at the March of Dimes Signature Chefs event.

Standing Ovation

Inside the elegant dinner celebrating Jones Hall’s transformation

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