Following the New Year's Day attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Houston's culinary community is supporting the victims. One of the local establishments is Tiger 2 Step Oyster King, owned by New Orleans native Royal Bellock. Bellock, who was in New Orleans at the time of the attack, expressed the restaurant's desire to help, saying, "Even though we not there right now, we back and forth and we still in Houston, but we still from New Orleans and that’s where our heart at," in a Click2Houston report.
Co-owner Jackquel Johnson added that the restaurant is dedicating a portion of their oyster sales to the victims' families until Sunday, stating, "We want to be real supportive." Bellock reflected on New Orleans' resilience, saying, "We done been through Katrina, we done been through Gustav, we done been through everything man. Like they can’t beat us down man we gonna keep going no matter what," in a statement obtained by Click2Houston.
Other Houston restaurants are also offering support. At Quotes, owner Kevin McCraw is matching the donations collected at his restaurant throughout the week, noting the close ties between Houston and New Orleans. "We get a lot of people here that are from New Orleans. A lot of our customers are from New Orleans. A lot of our guests drive here from New Orleans," McCraw told KHOU.
Community activist Dr. Candice Matthews is working with local restaurants on fundraising efforts. McCraw emphasized that the actions of the attacker do not represent Houston, stating in the same report, "This terrorist individual, he’s not Houston. He doesn’t represent Houston. We represent Houston. Let’s show them what Houston is about." Donations can be made through the Instagram accounts for Tiger 2 Step Oyster King (@tiger2dozen) and Quotes (@quoteswillowbrook).
