Joe Abuso founded Abuso Catering Co. in 1994 and grew it into one of Houston's most successful and respected high-end catering companies. He sold it in January of 2007 and is now consulting nationally to restaurants and hotels. Prior to starting Abuso Catering, he graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, received a M.M. from Rice University, became a Certified Sommelier and cooked at the Mansion on Turtle Creek.
"Diane is owner of Elegant Edibles, a specialty food manufacturer which produces all natural and gourmet confections, snacks and recipe ready ingredients. Elegant Edibles products are sold to specialty food stores.
The kitchen at Elegant Edibles also serves as commissary for Relish Fine Foods, a family owned and operated take-out market specializing in gourmet prepared foods and foods from Texas producers. Relish is a member of the Slow Food® movement.
Diane, after practicing law for 20 years, attended the Art Institute Houston Culinary Diploma Program. Products which she has developed have been written about in Saveur Magazine, the Dallas Morning News, the Houston Business Journal and the Houston Chronicle.
Chef Fournier Graduated From the Culinary Institute of America
Chef Randy Fournier is currently the Food and Beverage Director of Hess Corporation in Houston and president of the Houston Food and Beverage Managers Association.
He is also the President of the Culinary Endowment & Scholarship, a professional charitable organization, which raises money for scholarships for culinary students of merit.
Austrian born, Master Chef Fritz Gitschner is the Executive Chef of the Houston Country Club.
He also held the Executive Chef’s position at several five star hotels and resorts around the world including the Golden Tulip Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino, Marriott’s Riyadh Hotel, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and the Restaurant Admiral Tegetthoff in Vienna, Austria.
Chef Gitschner is a Certified Master Chef (CMC), one of only 55 to have successfully completed the Master Chef’s Examination, the most rigorous culinary testing a professional chef can obtain. He is committed to training young chefs based on over thirty years of experience in the culinary field.
Manfred grew up in Koblenz, Germany, where he trained and then worked as a pastry chef at some of Europe’s finest luxury resorts and hotels in Switzerland and Germany before coming to Houston, Texas in 1963. Jachmich received a degree in economics and management from Houston Baptist University. In 1972, Jachmich opened his first restaurant, Ruggles Grill, and later Café Moustache, Post Oak Grill, River Oaks Grill, Remington’s, and Redwood Grill among others.
In 1985, Jachmich founded Chelsea Catering which was appointed to become the catering arm of Continental Airlines first in Houston, Texas and Denver, Colorado and then to Washington, D.C., Newark, New Jersey and LaGuardia, New York. During Jachmich’s tenure, Chelsea Catering increased revenues from $15 million to $32 million and was recognized with industry awards for food quality. Jachmich is recognized as one of Houston's great restaurateurs, continuing to innovate and create new concepts in dining and hospitality today.
Claire Smith is Proprietor and Co-Executive Chef of Shade Restaurant in Houston, Texas. From 2000-2003, she was moving around the country - Houston, TX, Chicago, IL, and Stamford, CT - managing the operation of a small catering and events business. From 1994-2000 she was the Proprietor and Executive Chef of Daily Review Café in Houston. From 1988 to 1993, Claire worked at various restaurants around the U.S. as Chef and Sous Chef.
Claire holds a degree from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, CA, graduating Valedictorian of her class of 110 students. Claire also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art and in Art History from Rice University, Houston, Texas.
Mary Grace Gray
Hotel Granduca
Ms. Gray, a native Houstonian, began her career at Four Seasons Hotels in Houston and Dallas. She joined Interfin in 1999 as General Manager of Villa d'Este Condominium. She then opened Montebello, the second condominium in Uptown Park in 2004. As plans were developed for a third project, Hotel Granduca, Ms. Gray assembled the team for a fall opening in 2006 and continues to manage the hotel.
Her leadership has seen her successfully develop numerous partnerships and alliances that have benefited all of the Uptown Park projects. Ms. Gray serves on the Board of the Galleria Chamber of Commerce and chairs the International Committee.