Update on Our Hurricane Response

Our small and mighty team is working through more than 3,000 applications for both Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The processing time for applications may range from 6 to 8 weeks, depending on the date of your application—cases are processed in the order in which they were received. You must apply online for assistance.

If you applied for assistance unrelated to a disaster, we are working as quickly as possible to process your case. Please reach out to your case manager directly or casemanagement@southernsmoke.org for any updates. We appreciate your patience during this challenging time. We are committed to serving you as soon as possible and look forward to the opportunity to assist you.

We are so grateful for the outpouring of support, and thanks to generous donors, to date we have granted $375,000 to 247 F+B workers affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton with more than 3,000 applications in process.

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Chef Image
Houston, tx /
Underbelly Hospitality
WHERE WILL I BE COOKING:

Texas native Nick Fine discovered his love for cooking during a summer job at a Yellowstone National Park resort. Afterward, he spent time in the kitchens of five-star resorts in Scottsdale and Palm Springs before returning to Texas to cook at the Mansion on Turtle Creek under Chef Dean Fearing. He spent three years at Veritas in New York City and honed his technique with Chef Scott Bryan. He returned to Texas to work as a sous chef at Brennan’s of Houston. After the Brennan’s fire in 2008, Nick spent six years at Aspen’s The Little Nell as executive banquet chef before moving to Boulder to work with Steven Redzikowski at Oak and Acorn.  Nick returned to Texas to open Ford Fry’s State of Grace as sous chef and then opened One Fifth, Chris Shepherd’s five-year restaurant that changed its concept annually, as chef de cuisine in January 2017. Nick was promoted to culinary director of Underbelly Hospitality in December 2017 and opened Wild Oats as chef/partner in 2022. Nick and his wife Laura have three children: Lottie, Hazel and Wyatt.