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What does a food event look like in 2021? If it’s something like COMMUNE, the ambitious two-week activation of the Indie Chefs Community due to take over the Heights House Hotel in late summer, it could completely redefine the genre.
Announced on Thursday by the ICC, COMMUNE will bring some of America’s most exciting chefs to Houston for a variety of pop-ups, shared dinners, classes, discussions, and more between August 21 and September 5. We’re talking about Mason Hereford from New Orleans’s Turkey and the Wolf, Philip Speer from Austin’s Comedor, and Kim Alter from San Francisco’s Nightbird Restaurant. James Beard Award winner Justin Yu is one of the chefs who will represent Houston – no doubt others will be involved too.
The idea is not to do the usual. With the acquisition of the Heights House Hotel, including the Space Cowboy bar and restaurant, COMMUNE will open a range of restaurant quality facilities with different destinations.
For example, New York’s Zoe Kanan, formerly of Simon & the Whale, and Libby Willis, of MeMe’s Diner, which recently closed, will be opening an on-site Jewish deli. Kevin Tien of Washington, DC’s Moon Rabbit will be doing an Omakase pop-up. Another special dinner hosted by Chef Kurt Evans will focus on what is required to end the mass incarceration.
Grover Smith, founder of the Indie Chefs Community, which has hosted more than a few dozen of these larger events or activations over the years, wants to give chefs not only the space to do what they want, but the time, money, too and resources.
He pays many of the guest chefs to close their restaurants while they’re in town. He will also cover your transportation and maintenance costs. The Heights House Hotel will take care of the accommodation. It’s not just about drawing attention to these chefs and industry professionals, it’s also about giving them the opportunity to network, learn and feel revitalized after attending.
“If someone takes five to six days of their life to come, they should get some other benefits, fringe benefits,” Smith tells Houstonia. “I knew we could do something different. If you put a vessel and a mechanism in place for it, you can prepare them for success.”
Smith lives in Houston, one reason why COMMUNE is here. Another reason – and we all know it – is that H-Town eats well and looks good too.
“It’s a very diverse city,” says Smith. “And it has improved a lot on the food scene and is now an extraordinary city for food. There is such a vibrant culture here.”
The Gin Design Group will convert the hotel property into COMMUNE. Smith brings two 55-foot commercial kitchen trailers and specialty products – grills, smokers, and the like. Space Cowboy staff will stay on board during the event, and Lyle Bento and Greg Perez of Night Moves Hospitality will be closely involved with the work behind the scenes.
Smith says all talent, sponsors, staff and volunteers involved at COMMUNE will be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, although he added that there is nothing he can do about the state’s decision to ban events from requiring proof of vaccination when attending.
In addition, half of COMMUNE’s first week net proceeds will go to Chefs Stopping AAPI Hate, a nonprofit that raises funds for local Asian-American and Pacific island organizations that work to stop anti-Asian racism.
COMMUNE is ambitious overall. But Smith is ready to bring the kind of food event to Houston that changes the idea of a food event.
“I’m still trying to take care of it,” says Smith. “But it’s ‘What can be done in empowering people with these skills?’ I think it’s going to be really great for Houston and I can’t wait to show it off. “
Additional chefs and a full schedule will be announced in late June. Advance booking for subscribers begins on June 24th. Tickets cost between $ 50 and $ 500 per event. Please visit indiechefs.com for more information.
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