Local baker’s home burns; friends set up fund

Pastry chef Jody Stevens, better known as Jodycakes, lost her home to a fire Wednesday, according to a post on Facebook Thursday morning.

She wrote:

“Friends and family, I’m going to need a ton of prayers, love and support. Yesterday evening, my house caught fire (investigation pending) and Is completely uninhabitable. Luckily they were able to save the kitties but looks like I’ve lost everything…still in shock.”

Friends set up an account to help her with expenses on Giveforward. As of noon, nearly $4,000 was collected.

Stevens has built a devoted Houston following for lavish wedding cakes, traditional cakes and baked goods, and especially for her vegan, gluten-free and organic cakes. She began her custom cake business in Houston in 2008 after two years in Los Angeles where she honed her vegan, gluten-free and organic baking chops.

An avid volunteer for local fundraisers, Stevens organized the local Depressed Cake Shop fundraiser in September which attracted the participation of nearly 30 local bakers and pastry chefs; all proceeds were donated to the Montrose Center, a clinic that provides affordable behavioral health and prevention services.

UPDATE: The Houston food and beverage community is rallying behind Stevens with a month-long series of events, benefits, and fundraisers, beginning with a donation drive this Sunday, May 4 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Paulie’s (1834 Westheimer). Volunteers will have laptops and will be accepting donations on Stevens’s behalf via a GiveForward page, as well as via cash and check. Donations of gift cards to stores such as Target, Old Navy, Gap, etc. and Visa or Mastercard gift cards are also encouraged to assist Stevens in purchasing clothing, toiletries, and other essentials.

This Sunday’s fundraiser coincides with the Sunday Streets HTX block party as well as a pop-up brunch at Paulie’s from chefs Ben McPherson and Matt Wommack. Westheimer will be closed from Hazard to Yoakum and open to pedestrian and bicycle traffic only. Those visiting Paulie’s for the donation drive will be able to enjoy live music from Instant French, composed of local musicians Chase Hamblin, Lou Miller, and Shane Lauder.

In addition to brunch, The Modular food truck will be stationed at Westheimer and Dunlavy serving food all afternoon; owner Joshua Martinez will donate 100 percent of the proceeds to Stevens’s recovery fund.

Later that evening, bartenders Aaron Lara and Jeremy Olivier will be hosting a milk punch workshop at Down House from 6 p.m. to midnight. Tips from the evening will go to Stevens’s recovery fund as well.

On Sunday, May 11, chef Adam Dorris will be donating 100 percent of the proceeds from his farm dinner with local urban farm league Plant It Forward (1318 Sul Ross). That same evening, Goro & Gun (308 Main) will host a crawfish boil with 100 percent of the proceeds going to benefit Stevens. The following Sunday, May 18, sommelier Evan Turner will be donating 100 percent of the proceeds from his Greek crawfish boil and gyro festival at Culinaire (3900 Milam).

Finally, on Sunday, May 24, Big Star Bar (1005 W. 19th) will be hosting a Friends of Jodycakes Fundraising Bash with an all-American spread of Memorial Day Weekend foods. A bake sale and silent auction are planned to help raise additional funds; donations are currently being accepted for both.