Saving Houston’s Abandoned Pets — Rescued Pets Movement’s Special Dinner Lets the City’s Top Chefs Show Their Heart
Chefs For Paws Is No Ordinary Meal
BY Laurann Claridge // 01.16.25One of the long-standing dedicated volunteers of Rescued Pets Movement Jodie Eisenhardt helps a dog. (Photo by Pam Ashley Photography)
It’s a charity event that’s close to my own heart and that of so many other adoring cat and dog fans in Houston. It’s Rescued Pets Movement (RPM) and its annual Chefs for Paws gala. This special one-night extravaganza brings together talented toques from some of the very best restaurants in the city, who graciously donate their time, resources and energy to raise much-needed funds to help RPM rescue, rehabilitate and re-home pets left abandoned in the Bayou City.
Tickets are now on sale at ChefsforPaws.com for the dinner scheduled to take place on Sunday, February 23 in the beautiful ballroom at the Le Meridien Houston Downtown hotel. One hundred and fifty fortunate diners will be able to sample a delectable multi-course meal. Starting at 5 pm, enjoy a happy hour that features craft cocktails by A la Carte Events and Catering before dinner commences at 6 pm. Did we mention every diner will leave with goodie bags filled with swag from Hive Bee Farm?
This year, the impressive coterie of chefs participating includes:
Tim Reading | Leo’s River Oaks
Alyssa Dole | Hope Farms
Benchawan “Chef G” Painter | Street to Kitchen
Marie Riddle | Bludorn
Suu Kihn | Burmalicious by Suu
Eric Aldis | King Steak (opening soon)
Lukkaew Srasrisuwan | Kin Dee Thai
Elliot Roddy | Elliot’s Table
Rescued Pets Movemnt is in the business of saving lives and giving Houston’s homeless dogs and cats a second chance by literally saving them from death row at kill shelters across the metro area. (Sometimes, these lovable pets are just minutes away from euthanasia when they’re rescued.) To make it all work, the nonprofit works with dedicated local volunteers who take the animals from the shelter to the start of their freedom ride and then place them in loving short-term foster homes.

“The damages to our facility from the 2024 storms were especially challenging for us”, Rescued Pets Movement co-founder and CEO Cindy Perini says. “This event is more critical than ever for us to continue our life-saving mission to save as many at-risk pets as we possibly can.”
Throughout the process, these pets receive important medical care and rehabilitation before being transported to areas across the country, where adoptable pets are in demand. RPM has saved more than 93,000 pets and counting since its inception in 2013. To make all this happen, the nonprofit relies on donations from fundraisers like Chefs for Paws and their devoted foster volunteers, who are supplied with all the food, meds and even crates needed to host a puppy or kitten temporarily.
For more information about Rescued Pets Movement and how you can be a short-term foster, go here