The Southern Smoke Foundation held its annual Southern Smoke Festival recently, through which more than $1.5 million was raised to support people affected by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.
The nonprofit, started by one of Houston’s most respected chefs, Chris Shepherd, has a mission to provide emergency relief grants and mental health assistance to those who need it most in the food and beverage industry. No request is too large or small.
“Ladies and gentlemen, one night only, no auction, $1.5 million,” Shepherd told the crowd at the festival.
Southern Smoke aid
Originally founded by Shepherd to aid a friend with multiple sclerosis, the Southern Smoke Festival began in 2015 as a parking lot party.
In its first year, the nonprofit raised around $180,000 with the help of sponsors like Lexus. Now, it attracts some of the top chefs in the culinary world.
The Southern Smoke Emergency Relief Fund helps workers with essentials like groceries, clothing, medications and rent, without deadlines or caps on requests. Grants are awarded for unforeseen financial crises like those that have come from recent hurricanes.
[Related: Learn more about Shepherd]
The organization also runs Behind You, a mental health program that offers free counseling for food and beverage workers and their families. While it primarily serves California, Illinois, Louisiana, New York and Texas, workers outside these areas can apply for mental health support through the Emergency Relief Fund.
These vital programs are funded through annual contributions from Southern Smoke and its supporters.
So far this year, the Southern Smoke Foundation has granted:
- $327,600 to 369 food and beverage workers affected by the Derecho storm.
- $452,000 to 578 food and beverage workers affected by Hurricane Beryl.
- There are currently more than 1,900 applications processing for food and beverage workers affected by Hurricane Helene.
Southern Smoke Festival 2024
This year’s event was held at Discovery green, where guests tried new foods and got sips of something different at every turn – from about 70 chefs, bartenders and wine bars, all to raise money for those in need.
“Understand that you guys are the change,” Shepherd said to everyone who participated in the event. “We’ve all made a conscious decision to be the good. This is just a small segment of our community, but we’re growing. We can do this together.”
There was everything from barbecue and burgers to seafood and fried goods.
Austin pitmaster Aaron Franklin consistently had the longest line of the day, as people waited for his brisket. But legend Rodney Scott and Don Nguyen of Khoi Barbecue also impressed with their barbecue.
Guests got to enjoy burgers from Austin Simmons and Brooklyn pitmaster Billy Durney.
There was also live music and a stage strictly devoted to cooking demonstrations by chefs like Milk Bar founder Christina Tosi and Mason Hereford of New Orleans’ Turkey and the Wolf.
All of it was done with one intention: To help fellow food and beverage workers.
Helping food and beverage workers in need
Overall, this year’s festival -- which was supported by companies like Lexus, YETI, Alaksa Seafood, H-E-B and Tito’s, to name just a few -- raked in $1.5 million.
While the Southern Smoke Foundation has already granted hundreds of thousands of dollars to food and beverage workers this year alone, it is processing nearly 2,000 applications for those affected by Hurricane Helene and anticipates incoming grant applications from people affected by Hurricane Milton, as well.
If you would like to donate to the Southern Smoke Foundation to help support the cause, click or tap here.
If you are a food and beverage worker who would like to learn more about getting support from Southern Smoke, click or tap here.