We’re holding all food & beverage workers close this holiday season. As our teams take a short, well-deserved pause, here are a few important reminders:

Emergency Relief Fund: Applications will be paused from December 17, 2025, to January 4, 2026. Please apply before the application closes on December 16 at 5 PM CT. If you have an ongoing case, you can continue working with your case manager. Please reach out to them with any concerns about closures and deadlines.

Behind You Mental Health Program: Applications remain open, and services will be available in January. The earlier you apply, the quicker we can determine eligibility, and you can be ready for when services commence.

Texas Hill Country Floods: Applications close 12/16.

Mayank Istwal

Chef Mayank Istwal is the Corporate Executive Chef at Houston’s Michelin-starred Musaafer and recognized by Conde Nast Traveler as one of the top 13 chefs bringing Indian Cuisine to the world. With a blend of expertise, passion, and encyclopedic knowledge of spices, ingredients, and textures, Chef Mayank offers a neoteric Indian dining experience. Situated within Musaafer (meaning “The Traveller”), nestled in Houston’s luxurious Galleria at Westheimer and Sage, guests can expect a stunning and expertly curated setting to savor his culinary creations. In September of 2025, Musaafer opened their second location at 133 Duane Street in the Hope Building in TriBeCa New York.