History On Tap Dinners Return to 40th Annual Galveston Historic Homes Tour
Galveston Island, Texas– Fine dining has graced these tables before, but never quite like this as Galveston Historical Foundation’s 40th annual Galveston Historic Homes Tour offers select seats to two special dinners. Held each Saturday of the 40th annual tour, the History on Tap dinners allow guests to enjoy specially crafted menus in locations featured on the tour. Tickets are $150 per seat and reservations, available at galvestonhistory.org or by calling 409-765-3404, are required.
“The special homes tour dinners are a way to experience an evening in a Galveston architectural treasure,” says GHF Executive Director, Dwayne Jones. “These are unique opportunities to enjoy others with a special interest in historic Galveston.
May 3 – Steve Griffith, Executive Chef of Porch Café at Beachtown
Held at Beachtown, the first weekend’s History on Tap dinner features an exclusive opportunity to experience Beachtown’s new construction and fine dining. With a specially crafted menu by Chef Steve Griffith of Beachtown’s Porch Cafe, participants will be treated to a unique dining location in one of Beachtown’s under-construction homes, a welcome by GHF Executive Director Dwayne Jones and a first-hand tour of Beachtown’s new construction practices. Tickets are $150 per person and seating is limited for this dinner.
Chef Griffith attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock where he specialized in nursery management with a degree in agriculture. Nursing a love of cooking with his new degree, Steve entered the university management program and became the catering manager for the university after graduation. While in Lubbock, he ran a small catering company before moving to University of Texas San Antonio as the Food Service Director. Steve moved to Galveston in 1988 as catering manager for UTMB, then Director of Food Services at St. Mary’s Hospital. He would return to UTMB as their Catering Director, helping celebrate the universities centennial events. Steve joined the Beachtown team in 2013 to assist in opening of Porch Café.
May 10 – Mary Eisenhour Bass, Executive Chef of Haak Winery at the 1875 Julius and Elizabeth Ruhl House
The 1875 Julius and Elizabeth Ruhl House welcomes guests to this year’s second weekend History on Tap dinner. Enjoy an exclusive dinner with the owners of this year’s Homes Tour cover house complete with a private tour, welcome by GHF Executive Director Dwayne Jones, drinks and dinner prepared by Haak Winery’s Executive Chef, Mary Bass. Reservations are $150 per person and seating is limited.
Thomas.J. Overmire’s most significant residential work is this grand-scaled, center-hall plan house. Designed for Julius Ruhl, bookkeeper for the Kaufmann & Runge Company, wholesale grocers and cotton exporters, the house is one of the most notable properties in the East End Historic District. The Ruhl family maintained ownership of the property until 1962.
From a young age, Chef Bass has always wanted to cook. She grew up learning from her mother and grandmother the fine art of cooking for large groups of people. After high school she pursued her dream of becoming a chef by enrolling in Galveston Community Colleges Culinary arts and hospitality management program. She’s worked with many notable companies and alongside many of the finest Galveston County Chefs. She has owned and operated a successful cake ball company since 2009. In 2011 she began teaching at Alvin Community College in the Culinary Arts department. In June of 2013 she was hired by Haak Winery as their new Executive Chef.
For more information on Galveston Historical Foundation’s 40th Annual Galveston Homes Tour or any of the associated special events, please contact Will Wright, Director of Marketing & Special Events at 409-765-3404, [email protected] or visit galvestonhistory.org