Lavish River Oaks Dinner Spotlights the Vaunted American Hospital of Paris With Star Chef Power

An undeniable Francophile, fluent in French and with an apartment in Paris, Houstonian Donna Josey Chapman has long been a supporter of the vaunted American Hospital of Paris. So it was with no lack of enthusiasm that she and Elizabeth Matthews invited a sophisticated clutch of potential patrons for a special Vive la France dinner evening in the River Oaks home that Josey Chapman shares with her husband Max Chapman.

Chapman is chair of The American Hospital of Paris Foundation while Matthews is a member of the foundation’s executive committee.

As a gastronomic treat for the 50 guests, the duo tapped wildly popular chef Aaron Bludorn and his team to prepare the dinner. So on this Wednesday night, Bludorn skipped out on his namesake restaurant (at least for a while) to hands-on oversee the splendid feast with French undercurrents.

And French wine. Annaliese Schmid and David Eads of the Eads Family Vineyards in the Saint-Émilion region of France, provided wines paired with the menu.

Just before Bludorn’s Potage Lyonnais with Gruyere Cheese and Jambon de Paris was served, Dr. Samuel Selesnick, senior U.S. medical counsellor to the American Hospital of Paris and practicing surgeon at New York Presbyterian Hospital, shared highlights of the hospital’s history. Founded in 1906, the hospital has served both the French and the American community as well as international patients for more than 100 years.

“This Hospital has saved many lives over the last century and continues to evolve with partnerships including MD Anderson here in Houston,” Chapman told the gathering. “The support from the donors in the United States is critical to continue to bring together the best in French and American medical practices.”

In between courses of blue crab salad, a beef duo with sauce bordelaise and a chocolate tart dessert, Houston Symphony violinist Sergei Galperin entertained with a selection that included Elgar’s dreamy “Salut d’Amor,” the requisite “La Vie en Rose” and the “National Anthem,” which had guests standing and singing with verve as Galperin encouraged robust voices.

Chapman and  Matthews, deputy managing director, executive vice president and general counsel at TotalEnergies (which sees her traveling frequently to Paris), welcomed Laura and Mark Yockey, American Hospital of Paris Foundation board president, who jetted in from New York for the dinner.

PC Seen: Anne and Albert Chao, Rini and Edward Ziegler, Sima and Omar Sawaf, Betty and Jess Tutor, Molly and Jim Crownover, Sylvie and Gary Crum, Cheryl Byington, Beth Wolff, Cynthia Wolff, Ilene and Donald Kramer, Christine and Sudan Maccio, Robert Sakowitz and Emily and Tyler VanHoutan.