Community Involvement

The Beacon

is a day center which provides hot meals, clothing, private shower and lavatory facilities, laundry services, and case management to people living on the streets of Houston. The case management provided at The Beacon helps individuals access services that can assist them in addressing the root causes of their homelessness and begin the process of moving off the streets and becoming self-sufficient. Chef Hugo participates annually on their Come to the Table gala dinner.
BeaconHomeless.org

Houston Food Bank

is the nation's largest size Feeding America food bank and source of food for hunger relief charities in 18 southeast Texas counties. A network of nearly 500 food pantries, soup kitchens, senior centers and other agencies, feeding a total of 137,000 people each week, provides more than 53 million nutritious meals annually. Hugo's and Backstreet Café support the Houston Food Bank throughout the year, including participation in Houston Restaurant Weeks and recently the Cadillac Culinary Masters program.
HoustonFoodBank.org

Foodways Texas

preserves, promotes, and celebrates the diverse food cultures of Texas.
FoodwaysTexas.com

James Beard Foundation

Chef Hugo has help special dinners at the James Beard House in New York City and participated in James Beard Celebrity Chef Tours, all of which benefit the James Beard Foundation, a national not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization based in New York City.  The mission of the organization is to celebrate, nurture, and honor chefs and other leaders making America's food culture more delicious, diverse, and sustainable for everyone.  A cookbook author and teacher with an encyclopedic knowledge about food, the late James Beard was a champion of American cuisine. He helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts, instilling in them the value of wholesome, healthful, and delicious food. Today JBF continues in the same spirit by administering a number of diverse programs that include educational initiatives, food industry awards, scholarships for culinary students, publications, chef advocacy training, and thought-leader convening. The Foundation also maintains the historic James Beard House in New York City’s Greenwich Village as a “performance space” for visiting chefs.

jamesbeard.org

National Multiple Sclerosis Society

supports research and vital services for men, women and children living with multiple sclerosis. Chef Hugo participated each year in the MS150, a 150-mile bike ride from Houston to Austin, Texas.
Houstonms150.com

The Periwinkle Foundation

develops and provides programs that positively change the lives of children, young adults and families who are challenged by cancer and other life threatening illnesses and are cared for at Texas Children's Hospital. Each year more than 4,000 children are touched by Periwinkle programs Camp Periwinkle, CampYOLO, Family Camp, the Long Term Survivor Program and the Arts ;& Creative Writing Program which culminates each year in a traveling exhibition of art by children touched by cancer and blood disorders. Through camping, recreational and arts programming, The Periwinkle Foundation provides opportunities for these special children and their families to heal emotionally, lead fuller lives and become stronger survivors. Sommelier Sean Beck has participated in – and consecutively won – their Iron Sommelier Competition from its inception. He has not "retired" himself and is helping to organize the event and be a judge.
PeriwinkleFoundation.org

Texas Restaurant Association

serves as the advocate in Texas and indispensable resource for the hospitality and foodservice industry.
RestaurantVille.com

Greater Houston Restaurant Association

promotes the growth of the restaurant industry through education, public awareness and governmental affairs. ghra.com

Tequila Interchange Project

is a non-profit organization and consumer advocacy group for tequila comprised of bartenders, consultants, educators, academics, consumers and tequila enthusiasts. The organization advocates the preservation of sustainable, traditional, and quality practices in the tequila industry amid concerning trends currently becoming mainstays in the industry.
www.TequilaInterchangeProject.org

Greater Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau

is the primary sales and marketing arm of the city of Houston and Harris County. The mission of the GHCVB is to improve the economy of Greater Houston by attracting conventions, tourists and film projects to the area through sales and marketing efforts.
VisitHoustonTexas.com - Travel

American Cancer Society

Chef Hugo is a featured chef for the Cattle Barron’s Ball, which benefits the American Cancer Society, the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service.