Presented By

Very Rare Indeed

Elevate Your Experience

Brace yourselves, carnivore connoisseurs of Houston, as DiningOut Events take the sizzle up a notch at the inaugural edition of RARE Steak Championship Houston. Top Chef champion Paul Qui of Fam Hospitality Group has gathered an elite team of the city’s culinary giants to craft an unparalleled VIP pop-up experience at RARE Steak Championship Houston, presented by Buckhead Meats and The Blackwood Educational Land Institute.

This won’t be your average VIP experience; it’s a grand culinary affair with a fusion of flavors and elite wonders.

Refined Refreshments

Being a VIP isn’t just a status—it’s an invitation to indulge. In the VIP lounge, Jarmel Doss, maestro Beverage Director of Fam Hospitality Group, alongside an award-winning bar brigade, will stir, shake, and swirl exclusive cocktails featuring elevated spirits from the esteemed William Grant & Sons portfolio.

Limited Opportunities, Act Fast!

Only a select 250 tickets are available for the VIP Pop-Up Experience at RARE Steak Championship Houston. And considering the who’s who of Houston’s culinary leaders in attendance, VIP tickets are in high demand—and on sale now. VIP tickets are available for $275 though Sept. 2; for $300 through Oct. 1; and for $325 until they sell out.

VIP Experience
VIP Experience
VIP Experience
VIP Experience
VIP Experience
VIP Experience
VIP Experience
VIP Experience
VIP Experience
VIP Experience
VIP Experience
VIP Experience
VIP Experience
VIP Experience
VIP Experience
VIP Experience

The Roster

Lineup Subject To Change

Chef Benchawan Jabthong Painter

Street to Kitchen’s Chef Benchawan Jabthong Painter, better known as “Chef G,” a James Beard Award-winner with a penchant for pushing boundaries.

Chef Paul Qui

Born in Manila, Philippines and trained in classic French and Japanese cuisine, Paul takes a modernist approach towards food, where there are no boundaries.

Chef Vanderlei Bernardi

With over 30 years of Brazilian Steakhouse experience, Executive Chef Vanderlei Bernardi draws inspiration from the dedication and quality of traditional steakhouses in his Southern Brazil hometown, while the restaurant's new name, Romelândia, honors his humble farm roots.

Chef Tom Cunanan

Born in the Philippines, Tom Cunanan is an acclaimed chef, known for his 2019 James Beard Award, and for opening Bad Saint, recognized by Bon Appétit in 2016, and for his partnership with Chef Paul Qui at Soy Pinoy.

Chef Rebecca Mason

Rebecca Mason, a Le Cordon Bleu graduate with a Diplôme de Pâtisserie from 1999, interned at Hotel le Bristol, appeared on Bravo's Top Chef Just Desserts in 2015, and transformed her commissary bakery into Fluff Bake Bar, redefining the traditional bake shop.

Chef Ron Shaw

Ronald, a native chef from Houston's 3rd ward with an 8-year Navy background, discovered his culinary passion, wearing various culinary hats before becoming Chef de Cuisine at Golfstrømmen, where he celebrates southern cuisine's diversity and richness.

Ready to elevate your experience?

Seattle fish CompaNy Presents:

Surf, The Denver
SEafood Challenge

A competition between elite Seafood-Centric Restaurants

A SPECIAL EVENT FOR VIP TICKET HOLDERS

ARE YOU UP FOR THE CHALLENGE?

MOUTH SAVORING SEAFOOD

A competition between seven elite seafood-centric restaurants for VIP guests to judge! This will be a super-premium tasting designed to dazzle the senses. From Sushi to Cioppino you will vote for your favorite!

300 VIP guests enter at 5:30, which is 1.5 hours before GA entrance, and 30 minutes before first taste ticket holders to taste the 25 entries in this year’s Steak championships.

THE BEST OF THE BEST

Experience cooking demos
and creative cocktails

This year’s RARE will have a large single VIP area on the field next to the headline band playing under the sculptures. There will be a comfortable, spacious lounge, as well as creative cocktails exclusive to the VIP area. Cooking demos with various chefs and other surprises will also await you inside the area.

GET YOUR VIP TICKETS

VIP tickets are $325 and are highly limited! They’re sure to sell out fast, so click here to purchase now and secure your VIP status at RARE 2023!

RARE will be held Thursday evening, May 25th
at the Denver Performing Arts Complex & Sculpture Park

VIP Entry begins at 5:30pm.

VIP

meet the 2023 vip competitors

A5 Steakhouse

About A5

A5 Steakhouse is one of the hottest steakhouses in Denver, and they are excited to show our VIP guests that their principled approach to beef also holds true to their take on seafood! Director of hospitality Kevin Burke states, “We talk to farmers and ranchers from all over the state to ensure we know every step of how our ingredients arrive here.” It ultimately stems from invigorating ethical producers. This system ensures the sustainability of these economies.

A5 offers a funky alternative to the average steakhouse. They shed the intimidating, hushed tones of a traditional steakhouse atmosphere to welcome those on their way to concerts and sporting events or a lively night of friends catching up from the music to the decor, it is a modern twist on the Denver steakhouse experience.

MIZUNA

about Mizuna

A neighborhood eatery firmly rooted in French cooking techniques, Mizuna aims to marry tight, professional service with culinary mastery. With a menu that changes monthly to reflect the bounty of each season (on land and by sea), Mizuna is the flagship restaurant to Bonanno Concepts, Frank Bonanno’s chef driven restaurant family, dedicated to satisfying meals, outstanding service, education, and community.

denver poke company

About denver poke company

Anh Nguyen, the owner of Denver Poke Company, began his sushi journey at Kenichi in Aspen Colorado under Executive Master Sushi Chef, Kiyomi Sano. He then moved to Denver and began apprenticing under Toshi Kazaki of Sushi Den for 7 years. After traveling to Hawaii, Nguyen began developing his concept for Denver Poke Company.

Denver Poke Company provides the freshest sushi-grade fish available every morning. Their fish is brought in whole each day and never frozen, and their poke is prepared fresh daily. Also their menu is 100% gluten-free.

Jax Fish House

About Jax Fish House

Jax Fish House LoDo has served the freshest sustainable seafood since 1996. Jax restaurants were the first in Colorado to be certified by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, a leader in the global sustainable seafood movement. Among its many local awards, Jax’s has been recognized nationally: 25 Best Seafood Restaurants, Travel and Leisure Magazine, Wine Spectator Award of Excellence and James’ Beard Foundation’s Smart Catch.

KINI's

About Kini's

Hearkening to its namesake coastal beach town in Greece, Kini’s is a new restaurant featuring light, Greek island dishes, approachable wines, and a Mediterranean-inspired cocktail list with something for everyone.

Koko Ni

About Koko ni

With produce exclusively from Colorado farms and a strong focus on sustainable American seafood, Koko Ni’s Japanese and French-inspired ten-course tasting menu is written daily, based on ingredient seasonality and availability.

Le Bilboquet

About Le Bilboquet

Reminiscent of a charming European square, Le Bilboquet is located in Cherry Creek North in Denver, the new addition to the upscale retail and dining development. Open daily for lunch and dinner, the bistro and bar offers a vibrant atmosphere paired with simple, classic French cooking, bringing a slice of Parisian café culture to the neighborhood and a natural gathering spot to enjoy a chilled bottle of rosé alfresco alongside classic bistro fare or a draft beer and croque monsieur at the bar.

Illuminated with natural light, the dining area incorporates quintessential Parisian elements like blue velvet banquettes, a two-color terrazzo floor and pewter bar counter and features a rotating collection of paintings and photography by locally and nationally acclaimed artists and ornate floral arrangements. Outside of the restaurant, guests are transported to a Parisian sidewalk café with traditional French bistro woven rattan chairs and tables.

Water Grill

About Water Grill

Water Grill is an elegant seafood restaurant that offers a wide variety of fresh and high-quality seafood dishes, expertly prepared by skilled chefs. From succulent oysters and crabs to tender lobster and shrimp, Water Grill is a seafood lover’s paradise. The restaurant features a modern and stylish decor, with a welcoming atmosphere that’s perfect for a romantic dinner or a group celebration.

COCKTAILS

COCKTAILS BROUGHT TO YOU BY

LADY JANE

About Lady Jane

Lady Jane is a neighborhood cocktail bar. We aim to provide a high quality, well curated drinks list in a welcoming and unpretentious space. Our cocktails are bold, seasonal, and approachable while highlighting local ingredients and our favorite producers. So come gather with friends, family, and the community to imbibe and have some fun!

DESSERTS

Desserts Brought to you by

Pints peak ice cream

About Pints peak

Pint’s Peak is Denver’s underground small-batch artisan ice cream completely owned and operated by Caitlin Howington, a trained pastry chef who fell in love with Colorado with a burning desire to share her love of high-quality ice cream with unique flavors.

Our mission is to delight people with small batch, scratch-made artisan ice cream in Colorado using local dairy and the highest quality ingredients. We create chef-driven innovative flavors to change the way you think about ice cream.