Supper Club

Etienne Charles headlines DaCamera’s gala for a soulful Houston evening

In a city that knows how to do dinner and a show, DaCamera brought both to the stage at its 2025 Gala: Music Salons and Supper Club. Held at the Four Seasons Hotel Houston, the evening was equal parts elegance and energy, spotlighting the organization’s commitment to chamber music and jazz while raising more than $250,000 to support its programming.

A devoted crowd of arts patrons turned out for the soirée, which began with a vibrant cocktail hour and an artful wine pull. Adding a touch of old-school charm, DaCamera Young Artists turned the venue into an impromptu music salon with intimate performances echoing through the room, conjuring the refined spirit of 18th-century Parisian gatherings.

With Len Cannon, longtime KHOU 11 news anchor and DaCamera supporter, steering the evening as emcee, the program flowed with warmth and ease. The night crescendoed with a dynamic set from jazz trumpeter Etienne Charles and his band Creole Soul. Charles, whose musical DNA blends calypso, folk, and Afro-Caribbean influences, delivered a performance that was anything but background music. From smoky solos to syncopated rhythms, his set captured the genre-defying ethos that DaCamera champions.

DaCamera, long known for blending intellectual rigor with artistic innovation, continues to push boundaries. Its programming bridges classical and contemporary, east and west, familiar and surprising, offering musical experiences that are as rich in meaning as they are in melody. By evening’s end, DaCamera reaffirmed its role as a cultural vanguard.

Among the music cognoscenti were Robert Azencott and Sarah Rothenberg, Brandon Bell and Yvonne Chen, Bernadette Verzosa, Collin and Jacquelyn Cox, Elaine Finger, Robert and Mary Fusillo, David and Heidi Gerger, Ron Franklin and Janet Gurwitch, Bill and Lynn Hargrove, David and Claudia Hatcher, Garfield and Jakeen Johnson, Alton and Ann McDowell, Matt Ringel and Rebecca Rabinow, Hal and Marjana Roach, Steve and Anne-Laure Stephens, and Randall and Crystal Wright.

Photo by Katy Anderson

Elaine Finger and Anna Holiday.

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Michelin Stars

Superstar Spanish chefs return to Houston for dinners with a purpose

Hope and Opportunity Dinner Texas Children's Hospital

Courtesy of Texas Children’s Hospital

Jordi Roca, Ignacio Torras, and Joan Roca.

Leave it to Houston to blend avant-garde gastronomy with generosity, stirring up a one-two punch of flavor and philanthropy.

Over two intimate evenings, Isabel and Ignacio “Nacho” Torras opened their private home for the Hope and Opportunity Dinners,an affair that embraced the neurodiverse community with epicurean delight.

The dinners, limited to 100 guests per night, were a collaborative recipe honoring the missions of Texas Children’s Duncan Neurological Research Institute and The Genuine Cup, the nonprofit arm of The Genuine Foundation. With a thematic throughline of “Hope” and “Opportunity,” guests were treated to a nine-course menu..

The culinary talent? Flying in from their famed El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain, Michelin-starred brothers Joan Roca (head chef) and Jordi Roca (pastry chef), along with sommelier Marta Cortizas, teamed up with chef Luis Roger of Houston’s Michelin-starred BCN Taste & Tradition. The menu, a poetic composition of bold Spanish flavors and delicate textures, was elevated further by thoughtful wine pairings.

Far from a solo act, the Roca brothers worked in sync with some of Houston’s culinary luminaries: Felipe Riccio (March), Mayank Istwal (Mussafer), David Skinner (Eculent), Felipe Botero (Le Jardinier), Mary Cuclis (Kriti Kitchen), and Emmanuel Chavez (Tatemó). Service each evening was led by 27 young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, supported by 10 coaches.

One dinner honored Whitney and Jim Crane, whose Astros Foundation has become a pillar of Houston philanthropy, and Dr. Huda Y. Zoghbi, whose groundbreaking neuroscience work continues to shape the future of medicine. The second dinner spotlight fell on Laura Arnold, co-founder of Arnold Ventures LLC, and Dr. Debra F. Sukin, president and CEO of Texas Children’s Hospital, both champions for equity and innovation in their fields.

The evenings ended with cookbook signings by the Roca brothers, a fitting souvenir from two nights where food was both an experience and a vehicle for change. The events raised more than $400,000.

Showing up for science and inclusion were Monica and Yordon Alvarez, Cathy and Joe Cleary, Carlos Correa, Molly and Crownover, Paula and Reginald DesRoches, Pam and Keith Fullenweider, Adrienne and Jared Crane, Cynthia and Tony Petrello, Phoebe Tudor and Tudor, Hugo Ortega and Tracy Vaught, and Penny and Paul Layne.

Courtesy of Texas Children’s Hospital

Jordi Roca, Ignacio Torras, and Joan Roca.

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