Lynn Wyatt and Steve Wyatt
“Entering the cocktail space, guests were welcomed by décor inspired by the Roaring Twenties,” noted an MFA rep. “A black and gold custom bar, with large-scale white feather centerpieces, added to the supper club feel. Guests sipped Old Fashioneds and Manhattans as specialty cocktails, as they enjoyed the David Caceres jazz trio.”
At dinner in Cullinan Hall, the 40-foot walls were draped from floor to ceiling in lush hunter green velvet with glinting gold details. “Framed LED screens adorned the walls, showcasing important figures and friends from the MFAH’s long history,” added rep, who went on to note the white and green florals, crystal centerpieces, and mirrored tabletops. Some of the dramatic chandeliers twinkling overhead 15 feet tall. Guests seated in the balcony for the more-than-sold-out event had a birds-eye view of the Art Deco-inspired scene.
Dinner began with chilled poached lobster salad before moving on to beef tenderloin and finally crème brulee with fresh berries. “MFAH trustees Michelle and Frank Hevrdejs, and Sara and Bill Morgan, generously donated wine from Aperture, their award-winning winery in Sonoma County,” explained the rep. During dinner, MFAH gala fae Brandon Wattz of L.A. crooned for guests, who also enjoyed a thematic dance performance by Astarte Creative. The beautiful and glam DJ Kiss spun dance tunes for after-dinner revelers.
As part of the record $5.5 million till, Jan and J. Venn Leeds made a $2 million gift to establish and endowment to provide funding for the Grand Gala each year in perpetuity.
During its 100 years, MFAH has grown from its original space in a small house to having a 14-acre main campus, plus two house museums and gardens. Its collection has grown from a modest 60 works of art to about 80,000 pieces today.
VIPs spotted in the crowd include museum honcho Gary Tinterow, Margaret Alkek Williams, Anne S. Duncan and Moti Ferder of principal underwriter Lugano. Grand Gala Ball. Other notables included Lynn Wyatt, Jim and Whitney Crane, Denise Wynne, Cherie and Jim Flores, Franci Neely, Janet Gurwitch and Ron Franklin, Tina and Joe Pyne, Pershant and Nidhika Mehta, Phoebe and Bobby Tudor, Hallie Vanderhider, Bobby Dees, Jay Jones, Terry Wayne Jones; Aliyya Stude, and Cynthia and Tony Petrello.
Scott and Judy Nyquist
Renu and Suresh Khator
Phoebe Tudor
A toast to 100 years
Brandon Wattz performs.
Margaret Alkek Williams
Keefer Lehner, Daniel Zilkha and Rohan Shetty
John Eddie Williams, DJ Kiss and Sheridan Williams
Cynthia and Tony Petrello
Janet Gurwitch and Ron Franklin
Hushang and Shahla Ansary
Lisa Dodd, Logan Dresser and Maria Stavinoha
Hallie Vanderhider and Bobby Dees
Josh Gaynor, Stuart Winston and Idit Ferder
Guest gifts
Feather dancers perform.
Durga and Sushila Agrawal
David and Heidi Gerger and Chinhui and Eddie Allen
Dancie Ware
Claire and Eric Anyah
Brad and Leslie Bucher
Bill and Andrea White
Barron and Lisa Wallace
Alicia Lohman and Felix Pacheco
The brunch bread basket at Rumi's Kitchen beckons.
Traveler's Cart
Traveler's Cart (photo by Jenn Duncan)
Traveler’s Cart is now open on Montrose at West Gray, a counter-service-style outfit from the owners of popular Traveler’s Table nearby. The food menu includes street snacks — think falafel bites and butter chicken samosas, and small plates like Thai fried chicken wings and pan-fried lamb dumplings — and main dishes that are sure to fill you up, like an American roadside burger and the more adventurous Peri Peri chicken and Jamaican jerk pork ribs.
Rumi's Kitchen
Boreka at Rumi's Kitchen
Having recently celebrated its one-year anniversary, Rumi’s Kitchen is unveiling a new brunch menu highlighting its signature Persian flavors in unique new dishes. Chef Ali Mesghali is serving a bread basket with Jerusalem bagels, za’atar biscuits and more, plus a stellar take on Shakshuka — and the Iranish Coffee, a spice-sprinkled beverage of Bruichladdich unpeated scotch, nocino, coffee and cream. Sweet tooth? Don’t skip the Dutch Baby Pancake with sour-cherry jam, cream and powdered sugar. Brunch is available on weekends between 11am and 2:30pm.
Kira
Destination sushi spot Kira — a sister restaurant to popular Neo in Montrose — has rolled out a new Sunday-night experience dubbed Bar Kira, a high-energy, music-fueled take on its intimate sushi counter. The menu on Sunday nights (7pm-midnight) includes a lobster roll on housemade milk bread; smoked-fish onigiri with yuzu aioli; and a Spanish-style iberico ham sandwich. The exclusive cocktail list is fun — try the seasonal In Limbo, with brown-butter bourbon, pear, kelp syrup, and lemon and lime.
Kaiten Sushi Ginza Onodera
Chef Akifumi Sakagami
A shopping center on Westheimer near Dairy Ashford has been dubbed West On West (WOW), and is home to several exciting and delicious concepts already beloved in Chinatown and Katy Asiatown, like SomiSomi ice cream and Paris Baguette. The latest restaurant to bow is Kaiten, from Michelin-starred group Sushi Ginza Onodera, who delivers their traditional Japanese fare via conveyor belt. The new Houston location marks Ginza Onodera’s first opening in the U.S. mainland and second international Kaiten Sushi restaurant outside Japan.
il Bracco
il Bracco happy hour
A pair of Post Oak hot spots have debuted new deals, just in time for the holidays! Available daily from 3-6pm, il Bracco and Balboa Surf Club’s new happy-hour menus have yummy bites, cocktails and wines by the glass. Balboa’s seafood-savvy offerings include tostadas with ahi tuna and macadamia nuts, and crispy fish tacos with jalapeno slaw. Meanwhile, il Bracco touts bar snacks — marinated olives, spiced Marcona almonds, housemade chips — for just $3, plus fritto misto, arancini, and more.
Alora
The sadly shuttered Kau Ba, which apparently garnered a Michelin star posthumously, will soon be Alora. Expect preview pop-ups of the new Vietnamese-Peruvian restaurant throughout the holiday season. An example of the fusion fare includes the Shaking Lomo Saltado, a marriage of Vietnamese shaking beef and a popular Peruvian dish.
Medium Rare
Opening any day in Midtown: Medium Rare, offering a single pre-fixe meal of steak frites with artisan bread and a green salad ($31 per person). The concept, born in Washington D.C. in 2011, has expanded all over the U.S., perhaps best known for its secret sauce — and more extensive dessert menu with a specialty sundae and tastily tart key-lime pie and more, which can be tacked on for an additional $12. Vegetarians and vegans can opt for a portobello mushroom entrée.
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Chef Ope Amosu addresses foodies
Two months prior to each gathering, the nearest major city to the event is revealed. Just 24 hours before the meal, guests are sent the precise coordinates. The menu and all other details remain a closely guarded secret until guests arrive.
In Houston, many might expect traditional Tex-Mex or barbecue, but this time, the menu took an unexpected turn, showcasing the vibrant flavors of West Africa — a fitting tribute to the city’s rich diversity. The evening’s secret chef was Ope Amosu, the culinary mastermind behind ChòpnBlọk, which recently opened its first brick-and-mortar location in Montrose. “Houston is emerging as one of the top culinary destinations in the U.S., known for its eclectic food scene that spans the globe,” said Isaac Farias, Brugal Rum Brand Ambassador and sponsor of the event. “The city’s culinary landscape is now even recognized by the Michelin Guide.”
Sixty-four guests from eight different states gathered al fresco for the five-course feast. Standout dishes included the Colonial Scotch Egg, filled with spiced turkey, and the Black Star — a bowl brimming with fried rice, shrimp, yassa curry, and crowned with sweet plantains.
For the adventurous foodie, Secret Supper is hosting dinners in Italy and France in 2025. Bon voyage!
Plantain Chips
Cocktails with Brugal Rum
Colonial Scotch Egg
The table
