Chris Williams (photos by Gittings for Houston CityBook)
In the show, adapted from food historian Jessica B. Harris' book of the same name and directed by Oscar-winner Roger Ross Williams, food writer Stephen Satterfield sets out to discover the meaning behind and the modernization of centuries-old traditions. African American cuisine, as viewers learn alongside him, is "much more than stews and soul food." Satterfield meets with chefs, food activists and historians on a journey that begins in Benin, Africa, winds its way through Charleston, New York and Philly, before ending right here in the heart of H-Town.
Chris Williams on the cover of the Mid-Spring 2021 issue of Houston CityBook
Chicken & waffles at Lucille's
The show's final episode, called "Freedom," focuses on the ongoing influence of slavery on American cuisine and culture. Satterfield learns about Juneteenth-inspired fare, as in desserts by Dallas-based James Beard finalist Jerrelle Guy, author of Black Girl Baking. He heads south and hops on horses with the Northeastern Trailriders, a group of Black cowboys, before venturing into the delicious and multifaceted world of East Texas barbecue — a culinary scene pioneered by the enslaved.
The episode — and the series — concludes in Houston, where Williams prepares dishes from Toni Tipton-Martin's book Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking for Satterfield and Tipton-Martin herself, at his Museum District-area restaurant Lucille's.
As Williams told CityBook last month, the flagship restaurant of his newly formed Lucille's Hospitality Group "is a tribute to my great-grandmother and culinary pioneer," Lucille B. Smith. "We've been feeding the future while serving the past for almost nine years," he said. "I've realized that as a chef, I'm uniquely equipped to tackle these larger issues that surround food. It's no longer about me creating a dish or restaurant concept. Instead, I want to be folding the community into the intended purpose of everything I create. It's about getting everyone involved in every part of the process to get there collectively. I also want to be actively changing the conversation of who can do what and what that looks like."
All four episodes of High on the Hog drop May 26.
Russell and Jody Radoff, Bunny Radoff, Brad Radoff
The evening kicked off with entertainment by singers Teresa Zimmerman and John Ryan del Bosque, who serenaded guests as they entered the beautiful building, decked out by Bergner & Johnson in greenery and elements like paper lanterns from floor to ceiling.
Originally scheduled to take place in January of this year, the gala was successfully rescheduled, thanks to the hard work of event chairs Cabrina and Steven Owsley, underwriting chairs Vicki West and Ralph Burch, and auction chairs Jo Dee and Cliff Wright. Speaking of the auction: Packages included trips to Marfa and Costa Rica, and even a walk-on role in Stages' upcoming holiday season's Panto production.
Before dinner, patrons mingled with Stages actors and board members, catching up on the wild year and chatting about the season ahead. The meal of chinois salad and chicken and shrimp with duck-fat-fried rice, courtesy of Wolfgang Puck, was stellar, as was the encore of key lime pie and espresso tiramisu. Guests then made their way outside to The Gordy's Brown Foundation Lawn — the site of a handful of socially distant performances this spring — for cocktails.
The evening raised an impressive $670,000 for Stages, and certainly marked an exciting moment for Houston's fine-arts scene.
Alicia and Garrett Gordy
Brandon McClendon, Ashley Jackson, Chase Brooks
Charles and Kerry Walker
Denise Fennell, Teresa Zimmerman
Dominic Cellitti, Steve Breyfogel
Erica Noll, Mike Cardigan
Glenda and Russell Gordy
Kalinda Campbell, Sledge Leonidas
Isla and T.R. Reckling, Carroll Goodman and John Wessels
Mrytle Jones, Candice Penelton
Ralph Burch and Vicki West
Susan and Neal Hirsch
Tara Simon, George Lancaster, Mauri Oliver
William Finnorn, Cabe Miller
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