Earlier this year, when the James Beard Foundation announced its semi-finalist nominees for 2019’s best restaurants and chefs, the south Texas city of Houston earned 11 nods—and not for the type of cuisine you might expect. With a diverse and creative population, and a history as a melting-pot port city, the fourth largest metropolis in the United States has a culinary scene that goes beyond southern-fried classics to include places that serve everything from regional Mexican and Neo-Soul to fusion Creole-Vietnamese and Indo-Pakistani.
And this weekend, Houston will celebrate its European influences with the 14th International Risotto Festival, taking place Sunday, November 10th, from 2pm-6pm at The Houston Design Center. Tickets are now available for $100 a person; children under 12 are free. Billed as a “gourmet strolling event,” the all-ages-welcome afternoon will center around a competition in which professional chefs will compete for the title of Best Risotto; among this year’s 16 competitors are Angelo Cuppone from Roma, Nick Fine of Underbelly Hospitality, Patrick Guerra from The Art Institute, Mauricio Ferrarese of Ristorante Cavour, Laura Taylor of Bisou.
Top chefs Brandi Key, Maurizio Ferrarese, Scotty Campbell and Angelo Cuppone with Roma Ristorante (ph Facebook)
Guests will have a chance to sample all the risotto entries, as well as other Italian antipasti, deserts, coffees, and wines, while mingling with invited chefs, judges, and sponsors. Italian music and entertainment will also help set the scene, while designer showroom tours, an exotic car display, and kids activities provide distractions between all the eating.
Chef Chris Shepard (ph Facebook)
A special ticketed VIP experience (available for an additional $225) will feature much-celebrated Houston chef (and James Beard Award winner) Chris Shepard, who will be signing copies of his new book, “Cook Like a Local,” and treating you to more wine and chef-crafted bites.
Founded in 2000, the lively event has helped raised over $750,000 for an array of worthy charities, both though the sales of tickets to the main culinary event and with the winning bids on an array of exciting auction items. This year, some of the standout auction experiences include a 7-night stay in a private villa in Cortona, Italy, with activities such as local food and wine tastings and a truffle hunt; and a private dinner party for 12 at the James Beard House in New York City, with a 5-to-7-course meal prepared by a celebrated chef.