Food Allergies Upset Diners at This Top Chefs’ Meal

Even though a dozen chefs put their best plates forward on this special night at The Astorian, the 300 guests were not able to sample the full array of tempting bites. When checking in, they were each assigned a specific food allergy — eggs, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, fish shellfish, wheat, soy, etc. — all  in the name of understanding the challenges faced by individuals allergic to certain foods.

It was Texas Children’s Hospital’s third annual “Cooking Up a Cure” fundraiser with proceeds directed to the TCH Food Allergy Program. And, oh, what a challenge it was.

Imagine your sweet tooth screaming for La Table’s cheese puffs and cream puffs, but your tag prohibited dairy. Or perhaps your seafood “allergy” nixed any chance of sampling Uchi’s fresh hamachi. And forget the tempting appetizers from Emmaline as the requisite chalk board informed that the ingredients included peanuts, tree nuts, fish, milk and wheat. Whoa, Whatburger on the way home!

Even event chairs Kate and Eddie Bialas, Jodie and Randy Corson, Shelley and Billy Iglesias and Melanie and Daniel Ringold were denied the bites that might cause an allergic reaction. This challenge was nothing new to these couples as each has children who are affected by food allergies. Leading the Texas Children’s team was Dr. Carla Davis, director of the Food Allergy Program, who thanked all for helping raise $185,000.

Among the participating chefs were Tommy Elbashary of B&B Butchers, Lance Gillum of Uchi Houston, Richard Kaplan of Weights + Measures, Elliot Kelly of Café Annie, Bobby Matos of State of Grace, Jim Mills of State Fare,  Martin Stayer of Nobie’s, Dimitri Voutsinas of Emmaline, Hassan Obaye and Nicole Routhier of Le Colonial and JB Royer of Royer’s.

Who’s to say that with their tempting offerings that a few guests didn’t ditch their “allergies” to further enjoy foodie evening?

Who: Kelly and Matt Cubbage, Catherine Devine and Brad Bath, Amy and Kevin Holmes, Karen and Trevor Turbiy, Ashlee and Benton Love, Kristin and Paul Steen, Sunshine Rogers, Kara Gross, Trent Stout, Jacee Wolf, Justin Burrow, Paige Green, Susan Light and Jeff Miller.