Photos by Samantha Jane Beatty
Styling by Todd Ramos
Model Jerry Raines for Neal Hamil Agency
Grooming by Briana Dai
Photography assistance by John Lewis
Styling assistance by Tyler Treadwell
Shot on location at The Barn at Four Pines Ranch in Crosby
Brennan's (photo by Kimberly Park)
Feed crews large and small with classic Thanksgiving sides, sauces and desserts enhanced with fine Texas-Creole touches. Prep your own protein, and let Brennan’s cover the turtle soup, Andouille mac and cheese, candied sweet potatoes, oyster dressing, Creole bread pudding and whole pies. Limited supply available for pre-order. Pick up Tuesday, Nov. 22 at Brennan’s, 3300 Smith Street. Orders are served chilled with reheating instructions. Menu and ordering here.
Daily Gather Deviled Eggs (photo by Debora Smail)
Daily Gather’s catering menu blends the best of their brunch, lunch and dinner menus. From light fare, like the citrus avocado salad ($60, serves 7-10), mustardy bacon deviled eggs ($26/dozen) and the harvest salad ($92, serves 7-10), to heartier sides like elote cornbread ($36/dozen), the options will hit the spot. Catering menu here.
Dish Society Brussels Sprouts (photo by Kimberly Park)
Holiday fare can be fresh and delicious without the subsequent food coma with the help of locally sourced salads and sides from your favorite homegrown diner. Tasty choices include balsamic bacon Brussels sprouts, truffle mac & cheese, mashed sweet potato, smoked gouda grits, roasted seasonal veggies, and sautéed greens. Throw in healthful salads like the Super Brussels Sprout Salad, Wine-Poached Apple Pecan Salad, and Kale Caesar. Place orders to pair with your protein for curbside pickup. Catering menus and ordering info here.
When you’re short on time or want to make a great impression with family and friends, bring chef Philippe’s cooking to your table. Holiday foods to-go from Etoile must be placed by Nov. 21 — call 832-668-5808. The menu includes luxuries such as leek and mushroom soup; a pound of pork and duck paté; a pound of foie gras (brioche loaf available); roasted turkey, stuffing and gravy; pecan vanilla bourbon pie, or the complete Thanksgiving Dinner with the trimmings (serves 10-12, $225).
Available for pickup, customers can order from a scrumptious selection of desserts including Pumpkin Flan, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Coconut Cheesecake, Brownie Cheesecake, or Dulce de Leche cheesecake. Pumpkin Flan is offered in 8-inch (serves 8-12) or 10-inch (serves 12-16) options. The pickup date is November 22. For something savory throughout the holidays, stop by Picos’ signature Tamale Stand for scratch-made tamales available in half dozen ($12) or full dozen ($24).
Traveler's Table (photo by Becca Wright)
Want to get away but can’t this holiday? Traveler’s Table has a Thanksgiving In the Islands menu for a refreshing meal twist. Peruse the exotic menu and order online here.
Celebrate Thanksgiving stress-free with The Moran CITYCENTRE’s Family Thanksgiving Bounty Box by Chef Christian Cardenas. Indulge in a delectable spread of traditional favorites and chef-crafted specialties including mix green salad candied pecans, feta cheese, roasted beets and herb vinaigrette, herb butter roasted sliced turkey breast. Served with cranberry sauce, homemade traditional gravy, sage stuffing, bacon Brussel sprouts, classic mashed potatoes, honey roasted spaghetti squash, and French dinner rolls. Pumpkin pie for dessert! To place orders, call the hotel at 713-973-1600 by November 21 at 4pm and pickup Thanksgiving morning between 9am-2pm. For more information, please visit the website. The four-person meal is $140. The Moran hotel is also the perfect place to stay for the in-laws.
Looking for an impressive spontaneous meal? Choose from two different Japanese Thanksgiving packages at $175 per person for pick-up Nov. 20-22. The eight-course omakase menu includes gems like Chinese broccoli, sprouts, Wagyu strip loin and Uchi salad with Thai cashew pesto. Sister location Uchiko also offers the omakase for take-out with kombu roasted carrots, smoked duck breast, lobster in tiger’s milk and more.
Dominique Sachse, Debbie Festari, Brigitte Kalai and Nicole Lassiter
Before dining on grilled radicchio Caesar salads and Airline chicken chasseur —chocolate mousse cake for dessert — this year’s honorees were presented to a crowd of nearly 450. The 2023 Women of Substance included Gina Bhatia, Laura Davenport, Elsie Eckert, Debbie Festari, Leisa Holland-Nelson Bowman, Kathy Givens, April McGee, Jordan Seff, Elizabeth Stein, Paula Sutton, Stephanie Tsuru and Rini Ziegler.
“All honorees had their fan base in the audience, but no one did it better than those supporting April McGee,” noted a rep for the event’s organizers. “They raised cut out images of her beautiful face as she was announced and erupted in cheers of joyous praise and adoration! Disruptive and delicious!”
Another highlight was a surprise musical performance. St. Francis student and son of co-chair Sippi, Shaan Khurana, 14, moved through the crowd Oprah-style singing “You Raise Me Up,” before joining his backup singers on stages for a rousing crescendo. Richard Brown musicians provided accompaniment.
Half a million bucks was raised — thanks in part to a successful auction and three surprise last-minute gifts of $20,000 each — for reVision, whose mission is to provide “a community of kinship, connecting caring adult volunteers, case managers, mental health professionals, and faith communities with disconnected youth,” the organization says.
Boldface names filled the hotel ballroom, including Jeff and Rachel Bagwell, Kelly Anzilotti, Philamena Baird, Devinder Bhatia, Bill and Cheryl King, Susan Boggio, Donae Chramosta, Andrew Cordes, Yvonne Cormier, Bobby Dees, Sidney Faust, Tena Faust, Elaine Finger, Gregg Harrison, Brigitte Kalai, Ajay Khurana, Nicole Lassiter, Tama Lundquist, Carmen and Butch Mach, Joella and Steve Mach, Lenny Matazewski, Melissa Mithoff, Bobbie Nau, Bruce Padilla and Shelby Kibodeaux, David Peck, Dominique Sachse, Laura Stein, Stacey Swift, Ileana Trevino, Elaine Turner, Betty Tutor, Astrid Van Dyke, Barbara Van Postman, Hallie Vanderhider, Beth Wolff, Cynthia Wolff and Sherri Zucker.
Andrew Cordes and Tena Faust
Sippi Khurana and Ajay Khurana
Deborah Duncan and Ernie Manouse
Cynthia Wolff and Beth Wolff
Dr. Devinder Bhatia and Gina Bhatia
Duke and CC Ensell
Kathy Givens
Stephanie Tsuru and Betty Hrncir
Jacob Stein, Elizabeth Stein and Laura Stein
Kelly Anzilotti, Susan Boggio, Sherri Zucker and Perri Palermo
Suzan Deison and Fran Litchenstein
Regina Rogers, Franelle Rogers, Reverend Carrie Leader, Warner Roberts and Dr. Yvonne Cormier