Foodies need no lesson in Houston’s culinary might. Harkening back to Southwestern cuisine pioneer Robert Del Grande’s original Cafe Annie in 1980, the proud flags of this ongoing revolution today include seafood shrine Reef, Del Grande’s The Grove, Spanish-leaning Catalan Food & Wine, charcuterie-driven locavore Revival Market, and Max’s Wine Dive, with its declaration of "Fried chicken and Champagne?...Why the hell not?!" capturing the ebullience of the entire Houston epicurean scene. For Houston groups, on the other hand, culinary classes and tours are an absolute must—especially when many of the city’s top chefs are involved.
Here are some appetizing options for cooking up fun in the Houston area.
In addition to serving the tastes of the Rio Grande Valley at her namesake Enchilada Kitchen (two Houston locations, plus a food truck and catering), Sylvia Casares, chef and owner, also teaches weekly Tex-Mex Cooking Classes (281.679.8300) that showcase fajita grilling, tamale making and other Tex-Mex essentials. Honored just last month by Texas Monthly for her contributions to unique Lone Star cuisine, Casares also works extensively with planners on private cooking classes and events at both locations.
An instant hit following its launch in 2010, Houston Culinary Tours takes up to 16 participants on culinary explorations of where the city’s leading chefs dine on their downtime. With Catalan’s Chris Shepherd, Stella Sola’s Justin Basye and Hugo’s Hugo Ortega among the local celebrities in the all-star lineup, this five-hour, four-stop bus experience of neighborhoods, markets and restaurants is as "inside" as it gets, with ticket proceeds benefiting the Houston Food Bank.
Dubbed the "Alice Waters of the Third Coast," German-born, Houston-reared chef Monica Pope has been revolutionizing Houston’s culinary scene for over a decade. With two Houston restaurants to her name, t’afia and Beaver’s Ice House, the highly acclaimed Pope shares her passion for food via her Green Plum Cooking School. Programs include free cooking classes every Saturday morning at her Midtown Farmers Market in t’afia’s parking lot and monthly Cooking Therapy classes for 24 people, including a hands-on look at three recipes, complete with wine pairings. Advance tickets are required for both; details are available on the t’afia (713.524.6922) website.
Located in a former 1950s Bridgestone-Firestone tire store on Houston’s famous Westheimer curve, Anvil Bar & Refuge (713.523.1622) is the place to go for mixology lessons. Typically held on the last Saturday of each month and lasting two hours, Anvil’s entertaining cocktail classes explore themes such as the basics of beer and the history of prohibition while showcasing the art of cocktail-making. Created by three self-professed "cocktail freaks," Anvil is a welcome oasis during Houston’s sweltering summers.
Combining market, bistro and catering under one roof, Hubbell & Hudson (281.203.5608) is an epicurean concept in The Woodlands Town Center some 30 miles north of Houston. This complete culinary destination also features one of only two Viking Cooking Schools in Texas, offering a complete corporate and social event menu, including cooking demonstrations and hands-on workshops.
