BBQ Festival, Wine-Tasting Mania, and More Must-Hit Events for Foodies

BBQ Festival, Wine-Tasting Mania, and More Must-Hit Events for Foodies

Korean BBQ at Hongdae 33, which is participating in the Houston Barbecue Festival (photo by Jenn Duncan)

OFFERING SOME OF Houston's best weather, it's no surprise that the spring social season is full of al fresco fun. Grab your calendar and read on for some of the most savory soirees, this month and next!


Empire State Jazz Festival

Discovery Green

Mother’s Day Weekend brings a fun festival to Discovery Green. The Empire State Jazz Festival presents smooth-jazz artists from all over America, including Stephen Richard, Pat Williams, Dean James & Friends, and more, on May 11 (12-10pm). Victor Allotey, founder of Houston’s Empire State Jazz Café and its festival, is a veteran of the NFL and founder of Victor’s Victors Foundation, the event’s nonprofit partner that provides aspiring young musicians with new instruments. Expect a soulful lineup of food, too, including Jamaican, Soul, and Creole cuisine from Nyammings Fusion Bistro. ”There is nothing quite like the magic of live jazz in the open air surrounded by the beauty of Discovery Green,” says Allotey. “Between the extraordinary lineup of musical talent, the food, and the vibe, and the cause, festival attendees are in for a very memorable experience.”

Hill Country Wineries Tasting

On April 18, Texas Hill Country Wineries are bringing more than 60 wines from 20-plus different wineries to Houston for a tasting experience. Come meet winery personalities including owners, winemakers, vineyard managers, and more at The Peach Orchard in The Woodlands, with doors opening for consumers at 5:30pm. Tickets, $75 per person, include wine tastings, charcuterie, light appetizers, and an event wine glass to take home.

Houston Barbecue Festival

Houston Barbecue Festival participant Feges BBQ

Don’t miss the 11th annual Houston Barbecue Festival, April 14, at the Humble Civic Center on Will Clayton Parkway. Smoky stalwarts including Gatlin’s and Roegels join newcomers like Hongdae 33, which will dish out its savory Korean barbecue for the hundreds of attendees. The event is expected to sell out; a portion of proceeds will go to the Recovery Houston Foundation. Kids 6 and under are free!

Celebrity Chefs Against Cancer

Live-action stations will serve plenty of meaty favorites

Taking place in the Four Seasons Hotel’s Grand Ballroom, Celebrity Chefs Against Cancer features 21 chefs from some of Houston’s most exciting restaurants. Gaby Jiminez of Bayou & Bottle and Jonathan Esparza from Toro Toro welcome fellow chefs — Richard Sandoval, Uchiko’s Shaun King, Xochi’s Hugo Ortega, Martin Stayer of Nobie’s — to their home turf. Each chef will prepare bites of signature dishes at live-action stations, while hand-crafted cocktails and beverages — courtesy of Wagner Family of Wine, Maestro Dobel Tequila and Bushmills Single Malt Whiskey — flow. Last year’s event set the fundraising record, and this year’s is poised to do it again: The silent auction will tout Four Seasons packages galore, a Formula 1 VIP-experience weekend in Austin, and more. Proceeds will go to Camp H-Town, the summer sleep-away camp at the Four Seasons for kids who have been touched by cancer. They get to enjoy a movie night, pool party, dance night at House of Blues, and more.

Food
Exclusive Furniture’s Sam Zavary Credits Luck, Hard Work and ‘Mom’s Prayers’ for His Success

How did you get to where you are today? I am a firm believer that hard work and having dreams that you strive to achieve will motivate and inspire people to achieve their potential. Working hard, dreaming, and making sure to take advantage of every opportunity is something I learned at a young age. I credit God and God’s grace firstly, but I know that success is a direct result of hard work. I tell my podcast subscribers and followers to continue setting goals, evolving, improving, and planning, and I practice what I preach. I am proud to have started my business in the fastest growing major city in the United States, and I attribute a lot of the success of Exclusive Furniture to the family culture we create in the best city — Houston’s diversity, philanthropy, and innovation have helped me achieve a lot of the milestones in the furniture business (and the “low prices”) you see today!

Keep Reading Show less

The patio at Toca Madera (photo by Connie Anderson)

EXPERIENTIAL, OR “VIBE,” dining has been trending for a few years now in Houston, from restaurateurs who assume that diners want more than just a meal. Well, they all just got some stiff competition with the opening of Toca Madera in the Pavilion at The Allen.

Keep Reading Show less
Food

The pool at Ritz-Carlton Residences, The Woodlands

IS A HEALTHY, balanced real estate market finally here? Per HAR data, the answer is ... kind of? Inventory is at the highest level since 2011, prices are holding steady, and the city and metro area continue to grow in population. Having lost population after Harvey and Covid, the city welcomes significant yet sustainable growth — and a housing market that can handle it.

Keep Reading Show less
Home + Real Estate