Jan. 15–Last year was full of ups and downs for the Houston restaurant industry, from the bounty of openings before Super Bowl LI to Hurricane Harvey, whose wrath tested its mettle. Both were topics of conversation and cause for celebration at the Greater Houston Restaurant Association's masquerade-themed Golden Fork Awards gala Saturday at the Ballroom at Bayou Place downtown, honoring industry leaders.
Mayor Sylvester Turner received a special Golden Fork Award for his service to the community during and after Harvey. Turner accepted on behalf of "the 12,000 restaurant units and hundreds of thousands of people employed in the industry," as well as first responders and others who made a difference.
"Anyone who doubted this city's character — those doubts have been put to rest," Turner said. "People were bringing food from the hospitality industry not for 200 people but for thousands."
Nearly 400 people attended the gala, including GHRA executive director Melissa Stewart, event chair and GHRA board president-elect Greg den Herder, Texas Restaurant Association president Mark Davis Bailey, El Tiempo Cantina's Domenic Laurenzo, radio host Cleverley Stone, Picos' Monica Richards and City Council Member Jack Christie. It raised an estimated $175,000 for education initiatives and the GHRA.
