Houston Ballet Stars Join Four Top Chefs to Cook Up an Unforgettable Dinner at Hot Restaurant
A Kitchen Dance Like No Other
BY Shelby Hodge // 04.28.23
Cheers! Guests at Houston Ballet's Raising the Barre dinner fundraiser toast the tasty evening. (Photo by Wilson Parish)
Always a special dinner evening, the Raising the Barre benefit for Houston Ballet enjoyed an extra dollop of pizzaz thanks to four headliner chefs teaming with ballet stars, who served as the muses and sous chefs, to create an unforgettable repast in a foodie hotspot.
Chef Aaron Bludorn opened the doors of his wildly popular namesake restaurant to some 150 diners who feasted on the main course he created in tandem with principal dancer Beckanne Sisk — veal tenderloin accompanied by English peas, morel mushrooms and a savory veal jus. As with all of the chef/dancer partners, Bludorn and Sisk shared the inspiration behind their dishes with the lucky diners.
James Beard Award winning chef Hugo Ortega partnered with Corps de Ballet dancer Rafaela Henrique in creating an asparagus and artichoke salad that preceded the veal entree.
Following the veal course, Chef Chris Shepherd and Demi Soloist Syvert Lorenz Garcia served diners an Alaskan ling salmon Sinigang (Filipino fish dish) accented by sour tamarind pork broth and chiles.
Who better to create the dessert course than Fluff Bake Bar owner and pastry Chef Rebecca Masson. She teamed with first soloist Chandler Dalton to prepare s’mores tarts with graham cracker ice cream. Bonus for guests — they were gifted with Fluff Bake Bar chocolate chip cookies for a late-night treat at home.
Presented by Truist, the vibrant evening was co-chaired by Dr. Liliana Soltero and Dr. Michael Hawkins, along with Mitchell B. George and Stanley Curtis, Jr.
Elizabeth Anthony
Dressing up the dinner party scene were bountiful florals from Central Market. Think hydrangeas, roses, delphinium, lilies, ruscus greenery and dusty miller.
PC Seen: Leigh and Reggie Smith, Akemi Saitoh, Heidi Smith, Ileana and Michael Treviño, Roslyn Bazzelle Mitchell, Mignon and Stephen Gill, Susan Binney, Tammy and Wayne Nguyen, Jay Jones and Terry Wayne Jones, Mignon and Stephen Gill, Jeni and Joe Matula, Duyen and Marc Nguyen, and Beth Muecke.
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