Bludorn and Truth BBQ Chefs Cook Up World Central Kitchen Fundraiser

Bludorn and Truth BBQ Chefs Cook Up World Central Kitchen Fundraiser

Leonardo Botello and Aaron Bludorn (photo by Alex Montoya)

TALK ABOUT TASTE buds! Pals and chefs-of-the-moment Aaron Bludorn and Leonard Botello served a most delicious four-course fundraiser for World Central Kitchen. The international nonprofit is currently providing meals for refugees in Eastern Europe.


Bludorn hosted the dinner at his eponymous Montrose hot-spot, where a sold-out crowd sipped on craft cocktails like the mezcal-based Verdad Swizzle with smoked pineapple juice and observed pitmaster Botello, who owns Truth BBQ, doing what he does best: smoking meats outside. Once settled in the dining room, guests enjoyed plates like pit-roasted prime rib and duck-and-crawfish-filled puff pastry — all showcasing a mouthwatering melding of Botello's Central Texas-style barbecue and Bludorn's French-flecked Gulf cuisine.

Dessert was a berry-topped Basque cheesecake with smoked-vanilla ice cream. But the sweetest part of the evening? Raising more than $22,000 for World Central Kitchen's relief efforts in Ukraine.

Duck and crawfish puff pastry (photo by Ben Sassani)

Aaron Bludorn (photo by Alex Montoya)

Leonard Botello (photo by Ben Sassani)

Beef tartare with crispy tendon and polish baerii caviar (photo by Alex Montoya)


Food
Pelican Builders Welcome Residents To First New Upper Kirby Condo Offering In Years;
Boutique Midrise Adds To Pedestrian Appeal Of Sought-After, Inner Loop Neighborhood

WITH ITS INAUGURAL set of residents newly moved in, Pelican Builders’ mid-rise condominium Westmore at 2323 W Main Street in Upper Kirby is already seeing the blossoming of a tight-knit community. Designed by Houston-based Mirador Group the Westmore is the first new condominium product to be introduced to the in-demand, inner loop neighborhood in more than three years. And with remaining two-bedroom homes starting at $895,000, it’s a remarkable value for this increasingly pricey area, where condos can easily climb to several million dollars and more.

Keep Reading Show less
Home + Real Estate

JUST IN TIME for the Lunar New Year on Wednesday, Jinya Ramen is opening its 70th (!) location in Pearland. Known for its thick, rich broth and flavorful noodles — thanks to the specialized water used to prepare its broth and the aging process its noodles undergo — Jinya also touts a wide array of authentic toppings, from tender pork chashu to shrimp wonton.

Keep Reading Show less

Duck N Bao's bento boxes are part of Dine Out Rice Village

HOUSTON'S EVER-GENEROUS restaurant scene is already at it in 2025. Here are three ways foodies can dig in, raise a glass, and support important causes in January.

Keep Reading Show less
Food