Houston’s Rock Star Chefs Make the Foodies Come Early for This $540,000 Night: This is One Gala Where You Don’t Dare be Late

With a dozen rock star chefs in the room, there is no fear of a rubber chicken dinner. On this night, guests noshed on delights from the talented hands of Peter Petro of Bosscat Kitchen, Daniel Berg of Carmelo’s, Ryan Bouillet of A Fare Extraordinaire and more.

The questions among the 500-plus guests pouring into The Revaire for the 13th annual Home Safe Home gala, benefiting AVDA (Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse), ranged from “Should I fill up on Café Annie chef Elliott Kelly‘s Shrimp Louie and Chilled Asparagus Soup or save room for more?” to “How can I get a doggie bag full of Potín chef Dominick Lee‘s Seared Pork Belly with Dinuguan?”

So eager were participants to begin sampling the delectable fare that 20 minutes after start time, more than 350 had already arrived, had their napkins in hand and were making the rounds of all 12 food stations.

All in all it was a culinary delight that had chairs Bonnie and Dr. Larry Likover and Carla Diaz-Lewis and Kenneth Lewis toasting the $540,000 success.

Guests happily wandered around the perimeter of the 4,000 square foot Gallery of The Revaire where chef and sommelier stations beckoned. Toques presenting their special taste treats included Joe Cervantez of Brennan’s, David Denis of Le Mistral, Giancarlo Ferrara of Amalfi Ristorante Italiano & Bar, Rafael Morales of Grace’s, Kevin Naderi of Roost, Russel Roegels of Roegels Barbeque Co., and Dustin Teague of Relish.

While wines were matched with the various dishes, the four sommeliers joining the party — Sean Beck, David Keck, Antonio Gianola, and Cat Nguyen — had their own stations where they offered samplings of wines they selected especially for the evening.

Beyond wining and dining, the evening had its serious component for which Khambrel Marshall served as master of ceremonies. It was a brief awards presentation honoring family law attorney Lynn Kamin with the Joseph D. Jamail Award for Justice and honoring Cyndy Garza-Roberts, director Community Impact/External Affairs for NBCU, with the Heart of Houston Award.

Who: Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, Constable Alan Rosen and wife Jennifer, Bobbie Nau, Nancy and Don Woo, Paula and Steve Winter, Frann Lichtenstein, Leisa Holland-Nelson, Mary Theresa and David Derr, Roseanne Rogers, Judge Alicia Franklin York and Doug York, Regina Rogers, Judge Angelina Gooden, and Carole and Ronald Krist.