An Evening of Heritage Fundraiser: Reflections on Houston's Gastronomic Heritage: Tony's and Maxim's

Friday, February 17, 2023
6:30 PM 9:00 PM 18:30 21:00

The Heritage Society 1100 Bagby Street Houston, TX, 77002 (map)

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Please join us on Friday, February 17, to hear of the two legendary Houston restaurants that were located at 3755 Richmond Avenue at Timmons Lane. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. and features vignettes about each restaurant. The evening focuses on the Heritage of the location… once the site of Maxim’s and now the site of Tony’s. A gourmet four-course dinner completes the evening.

Tony and Donna Vallone opened Tony’s in a modest location on Sage Road in 1965. In 1972, the Vallones moved to a new location on Post Oak at the urging of his longtime landlord and friend, Gerald D. Hines. It was there that Tony's was firmly ensconced as the go-to restaurant for the rich and famous, thanks in no small part to Houston Chronicle gossip columnist Maxine Mesinger, who'd taken quite a fancy to the place. One of the most memorable nights was a 1982 party in honor of Princess Margaret in Tony's wine cellar, with Governor John Connally teaching the princess to Texas two-step to the accompaniment of live violins. In 2004, the opportunity arose to create a restaurant that truly matched Vallone's ambitions. Vallone had the existing Tony's location built so that “I could have a big kitchen, high ceilings, private dining rooms and do what I wanted to do,” he said. Tony and Donna Vallone changed the dining landscape of Houston forever. (Source: Houston Chronicle)

In 1949, amid the city’s booming economy and population growth, the Peacock Grill opened— giving Houstonians a new kind of culinary experience. Max Manuel and Camille Bermann opened their fine dining establishment in downtown Houston filling the niche for continental cuisine. The name was soon changed to Maxim’s, and a Houston legend was born. Bermann based the new name and the design concept on the world-renowned restaurant Maxim’s de Paris. For over fifty years, Maxim’s provided sophisticated food and dining to its loyal patrons, introducing Houstonians to fine French cuisine and wine. In 1981, the restaurant moved to Greenway Plaza. After Camille’s death, the restaurant closed in 2001. Maxim’s legacy lives on in the many fine dining establishments, especially Tony’s, that have opened their doors in Houston following in the footsteps of Camille Bermann. Camille Bermann’s son, Mark Bermann will give insights of this storied restaurant at the event.