Summer Soirees and Posh Pop-Ups Not to Be Missed

Summer Soirees and Posh Pop-Ups Not to Be Missed

Cool cocktails at a past Taste America event

WHETHER IT’S A top-chef taste-off, a cult-followed smashburger cookout, or a cool meal from Norway, there are deliciously fun happenings in H-Town this summer. Mark your calendars — and come hungry!


June 25: Burger Bodega Pop-Up

Bludorn chef-owner Aaron Bludorn and Burger Bodega’s Abbas Dhanani are teaming up this Saturday (noon-3PM) in the backyard at Bludorn. Anticipate hot-off-the-grill smash burgers – a double patty with grilled onions, pickles and bodega sauce on a Martin’s potato bun – as well as sweet treats, ice cream and cool drinks at the bar.

June 29: James Beard Foundation’s Taste America

Photo by Marc Florito of Gamma Nine Photography

The kickoff of the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America culinary series starring many Houston chefs takes place next week. The June 29 soiree at Silver Street Studios is the first of 20 events in this year’s series celebrating the chefs and local independent restaurants across America. Taste Houston will highlight the richness of Houston’s food culture, while spotlighting national chefs who are aligned with the Foundation’s mission.

Here’s a tease of the tasting menu from just a few of our Houston chefs: Top Chef finalist Evelyn Garcia and her biz partner Henry Lu will prepare ceviche with lemongrass leche de tigre, chili oil and sesame crisp, while Michelle Wallace of Gatlin’s is serving hickory-smoked catfish with deconstructed dirty rice. And Dawn Burrell of the forthcoming Late August will present cured salmon with tamarind “Tiger fry,” cucumber and crunchy salmon skin.

Expect an immersive experience with interactive stations, an installation from Houston’s innovative media lab Input Output, and music from DJ Seek. A portion of proceeds from each event will go directly to the participating chefs’ restaurants, with the remaining proceeds benefiting the James Beard Foundation’s national programming, including the Open for Good campaign. Purchase tickets (starting at $175) here before it’s too late!

June 26: Ferragamo Wine Dinner

Salvatore Ferragamo

Ferragamo is headed to Houston! The Italian design house is collaborating with Doris Metropolitan for an exclusive night with the Ferragamo family winery, IL BORRO, for the Ferragamo Wine Dinner ($325). The dashing Salvatore Ferragamo, grandson of the company’s founder, will be mingling with guests and signing bottles of IL BORRO. For reservations call 713.485.0466.

June 26-July 3: Lysverket Norwegian Dinners

Photo by Daniel Müller Freunde von Freunden

Catch this! Golfstrømmen’s Executive Chef Christopher Haatfut will be flying in from Norway and bringing his acclaimed seafood concept Lysverket along with him for a one-week gastronomic takeover. The pop-up will include nightly dinners at Golfstrømmen alongside brunch offerings that will bookend the week of evening festivities. The dining sessions ($75-$175, 24 seats available) feature special collaborations, including a vegetable-centric dinner with Urban Harvest on June 28. See the menu breakdown and reservation info here.

June 29-Sept. 1: Earth Wine & Fire Dinners

The heat is on at Fleming’s with the new Earth, Wine & Fire three-course wine dinner experience. Guests can choose between two three-course menus: a plant-forward Earth Menu and a signature steak Fire Menu. Each menu is paired with three wines from the Wagner Family portfolio featuring Caymus Vineyards.

Food
Leadership in Action: ‘Family, Community and Spiritual Connection’ Drives Success for Henry Richardson

How did you get to where you are today? The present moment is a combined history of my family, my time as an athlete, my passion for learning, and my desire to see the world be better. I grew up as a successful springboard and platform diver, however, an injury caused me to seek alternative treatments to heal my body. In that process, I discovered the power of yoga, exercise, meditation, mindset, and nutrition. This holistic approach eventually led me to open a Pilates and cycling studio called DEFINE body & mind. I opened studios around the nation, and after selling most of my business between 2017-2019, I was ready to explore how I could make an even greater impact on the wellbeing of our community. In 2023, I started actively working on a brand new multi-family/apartment concept called, Define Living. The idea focused on offering health and wellness services within a beautiful apartment setting to increase the wellbeing of our residents. Having a strong sense of community is the number one factor in living a happy life, so why not build a community where daily fitness, cooking classes, and social connection are the norm? We opened Define Living in March of 2024, and we couldn’t be happier with how things are being received. We are already looking at building more concepts like this in the Houston area and beyond.

Keep Reading Show less

ON JAN. 3, 2025, I observed a big personal anniversary. As of that day, it’d been 20 years since I first moved to Houston — from the Big Apple media circus, by way of my home state of Louisiana — and began working as an editor in the lifestyle-magazine biz here. It’s been two full decades, which is hard to believe! I like to joke that I’m far too young and good-looking to have done anything for two decades. But here we are.

Keep Reading Show less

Christopher Salazar stars as troubled-genius chef in the Alley's 'Seared'.

ONE OF HOUSTON'S favorite theater makers — Alley Associate Artistic Director Brandon Weinbrenner — has gotten some delicious news about his latest show. The run of his Seared, a sometimes-funny and sometimes-intense tale of life in the kitchen at a suddenly hot New York restaurant by playright Theresa Rebeck, has been extended beyond its original schedule and will now be up through March 9.

Keep Reading Show less
Food+Travel