If there are two things Houston is known for, it’s food and philanthropy. And combining the two is always a good idea! Taste of the Nation, benefiting the national No Kid Hungry campaign, was held at Silver Street Studios and featured gourmet bites and sips from some of the city’s top chefs. Alba Huerta, Rebecca Masson, Ryan Pera and Daniel Vaughn chaired the event. Meanwhile, the eighth annual Raising the Barre dinner also had its fair share of high-profile chefs. Here, Houston Ballet dancers teamed up with chefs like Jacques Fox, whose Artisans restaurant hosted the event, to create memorable courses inspired by the dancers’ unique backgrounds. More than $80K was raised to benefit the Ballet’s community engagement programs.

A spicy cocktail at ‘Taste’