News from My Table
Winners Announced at the 2009 Houston Culinary Awards
Houston’s culinary crème de la crème gathered at REEF restaurant on Sunday, October 4, for My Table magazine’s 13th Annual Awards for Culinary Excellence in Houston. The gala reception and dinner was co-hosted by Bryan Caswell and Bill Floyd, the 2008 Restaurateurs of the Year, and My Table publisher Teresa Byrne-Dodge. You can view Tony Ruppe’s event photos online at Image Catcher.
Here are the 2009 Houston Culinary Awards winners:
Restaurateur of the Year
James Silk, Meagan Silk & Richard Knight (co-owners of Feast)
Chef of the Year
Monica Pope (T’afia)
Up-and-Coming Chef of the Year
(age 35 or younger)
Jose Luis Vela (Mockingbird Bistro)
Outstanding Wine Service
Backstreet Cafe
Pastry Chef
Katie Leggett (Andre’s Pastry Shop & Cafe)
Bar Service
Anvil Bar & Refuge
Service Person of the Year
(includes dining room managers and wait staff)
Mark “Bubba” St. Cyr (Carrabba’s)
Houston Classic
(honoring a restaurant in business for 10 or more years.)
Goode Co. Barbeque
Best Interior Design
Mark’s American Cuisine
Best New Restaurant
(open since June 1, 2008)
Benjy’s on Washington
More than 300 of Houston’s top chefs, restaurateurs, industry professionals and local foodies gathered to honor finalists and winners of the 2009 Houston Culinary Awards. The evening featured numerous drink stations, food stations and passed hors d’oeuvres, and dancing to the local cover band, Fuzzy Side Up. Guests also received goodie bags as well as the just-released Houston Hot Spots poster, featuring 49 Houston restaurants. Many in the crowd enjoyed having their posters autographed by the chefs and restaurateurs in attendance.
There was also a special tribute to C. Sam Ray, recipient of the 11th Legends of Houston Restaurants Award. Sunday, October 4, 2009 was officially proclaimed C. SAM RAY DAY in the City of Houston by The Honorable Mayor Bill White and in Harris County, Texas, by Harris County Judge Ed Emmett.
A donation was made to the Houston Food Bank’s Kids Cafe program.
Underwriters of the 2009 Houston Culinary Awards include My Table, REEF restaurant, Republic National Distributing Co., Central Market, Schepps Dairy, the Grand Wine & Food Affair, Sysco Corp., A la Carte Foodservice Consulting Group, Greater Houston Restaurant Association and Winn Meat Company.
Winners of the 2009 Houston Culinary Awards were presented hand-crafted glass and wrought iron awards created by local artist Gene Paul Michal.
The Houston Culinary Awards were founded in 1997 to recognize and honor local chefs, restaurants and restaurateurs exhibiting high standards and likely to make a lasting impact for years to come. In its first two years, four awards were presented; the list was expanded to 10 awards in 1999.
