Chefs raise $645,000 for homeless on #GivingTuesday
The phrase “everything happens for a reason” is overused, though in the Beacon’s case, it actually applies.
Back in September, Tropical Storm Imelda, the nation’s fifth-wettest tropical cyclone on record, rained on the downtown homeless shelter’s annual “Come to the Table” dinner. Organizers were forced to cancel the event day-of, and worried that they wouldn’t be able to reschedule the program’s lineup of notable chefs and bold-faced philanthropists for a later date.
Fortunately, that wasn’t the case.
Last week, on #GivingTuesday, a nearly sold-out crowd rallied for the occasion, gathering first at the historical Christ Church Cathedral for hors d’oeuvres and wine tasting. There, restaurants such as Brennan’s of Houston — which doled out its signature turtle soup, shrimp and pralines — and Ouisie’s Table — which had delectable open-face tacos on offer — whet attendees’ appetites.
Later, the group moseyed across San Jacinto for a four-course feast prepared by some of the city’s biggest culinary stars.
Chefs Russell Ascencio (Low Tide Seafood & Raw Bar) and Kevin Hart (Harold’s Restaurant and Tap Room) kicked things off with sautéed Gulf shrimp, kimchi stone-ground grits, ginger soy butter sauce and edible flower petals. Next came Manabu “Hori” Horiuchi (Kata Robata Sushi + Grill) and Luis Roger’s (BCN/MAD) panseared salmon with dashi cream sauce, mushroom rice cake and seasonal crunchy vegetables. For the third course, Ryan Lachaine (Riel) and Bobby Matos (State of Grace, La Lucha and Superica) teamed up on a hoisinglazed 44 Farms short rib with red kuri squash and braised turnips. A green tea panna cotta with lemon cream and black sesame brittle from Alice Blue’s Brandi Key and Claire Smith rounded out the meal.
That’s when the focus shifted to philanthropy.
Dashaun Fields ,a former client of Brigid’s Hope, the Beacon’s 12month transitional housing program, spoke of her journey from alcoholism and incarceration to financial freedom and becoming a successful business owner.
The triumphant tale opened plenty of pocketbooks.
Auctioneer Shorty Yeaman happily chimed in. He raised more than $288,000 in under an hour thanks in part to chef Ara Malekian’s in-home dining experience, which sold for $13,000, and Bishop Andy Doyle’s wildly popular “Get out of hell free!” card, which fetched $30,000 for the second year in a row. Not to be outdone, board chairman the Very Rev. Barkley Thompson threw in a last-minute “Purgatory Coupon!”; Matt Wareing offered $30,000 for the impromptu prize on one condition: that Thompson sing.
Shockingly, Thompson obliged. Last year, the Episcopal priest famously gave his final “Come to the Table” performance, though he willingly reprised the role and belted out an Eagles tune onstage.
In total, the ninth annual fundraiser nabbed a record $645,000 toward restoring hope and ending Houston homelessness. A number of staff members wept; reportedly, they’d set a goal for $575,000.
Chalk it up to #GivingTuesday. Or maybe, just maybe, everything does happen for a reason.