Bourbon & Bounty

Friends of G&G are invited to gather at 21 Magazine for the fifth annual Bourbon & Bounty—an intimate Southern supper inspired by the land, sea, and sky. Join us for a lively cocktail hour followed by a multicourse meal prepared by chef Thomas Billie of Belly of The Beast in Spring, Texas; chef Eric Cook of Gris Gris and Saint John in New Orleans, Louisiana; and chef Orlando Pagán of Wild Common in Charleston, South Carolina, accompanied by Blade and Bow cocktails, live music, and wine pairings, and culminating in a tasting of Blade and Bow’s limited-release 22-year-old bourbon

Meet the Chefs:

Eric Cook
Gris Gris + Saint John | New Orleans, LA

Eric Cook is the Executive Chef and Owner of award-winning New Orleans restaurants Gris Gris and Saint John. A Marine Corps combat veteran, he built his culinary career in top New Orleans kitchens before launching his own acclaimed ventures. Cook has appeared on Top Chef New Orleans, Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted, Beat Bobby Flay, and more, with features in Food & Wine, Forbes, and Bon Appétit. His debut cookbook, Modern Creole, offers approachable Southern, Cajun, and Creole recipes. He also founded the First to Fight Foundation, supporting veterans and their families, and actively volunteers with multiple veteran-focused organizations.

Orlando Pagán
Wild Common | Charleston, SC

Chef Orlando Pagán, a Puerto Rico native and Johnson & Wales graduate, has honed his craft in Michelin-starred kitchens from San Francisco to the Lowcountry. After working with Chef Sean Brock at McCrady’s Tavern, he became Executive Chef and went on to open Wild Common in downtown Charleston, where he leads the culinary program and was named a 2022 James Beard Semi-Finalist. Outside the kitchen, he enjoys golf and time with his wife and two children.

Thomas Billie
Belly of The Beast | Spring, TX

Chef Thomas Bille is the award-winning chef and co-owner of Belly of the Beast in Spring, Texas, where he creates cuisine rooted in his Mexican American heritage and refined by global technique. Named Best Chef: Texas by the James Beard Foundation in 2025, Bille began his career in Los Angeles, rising to Executive Sous Chef at Otium before relocating to Texas with his wife and partner, Elizabeth, to open Belly of the Beast in 2018. His inventive dishes—such as empanadas de papa y queso, street-corn agnolotti, and nori-topped tuna tostadas—reflect his boundary-pushing approach, blending tradition, storytelling, and innovation.