This is truly a special food+drink edition. We had such a great response from the real food+drink experts in town that we had to drop other editorial pages to get all of this in! So here you go, straight from the insiders mouth ? chefs, restaurateurs, mixologists, bartenders, cooks, ? whatever you want to call them ? Share their passion, tips and favorites.?Photography by Jenny Antill | Photography by Jack Opatrny
?
President of ClarkCooperConcepts.Inc.
Clark Cooper Concepts. Ibiza food and wine bar, Brasserie 19, Coppa Ristorante Italiano
Are you a chef? No.
How do you come up with your restaurant concepts? Our concepts are derived from a desire to create and implement a complete dining experience, one I would like to experience myself. Listening to my guests? desires and understanding the business potential and marketplace to implement the concept in the right location and time is essential to any business opportunity. My life experiences and travels around the world have helped develop a pipeline of potential restaurant concepts that are all waiting for the right time and place.
How many restaurants do you have? 3.
Who is your inspiration? My imagination! My family, my friends and my business?partners.
What is your dream concept if money?wasn?t a question? It is always about the money otherwise a concept with no financial repercussions or budget would not inspire me to create. The fear of failure is what motivates me.
What do you think makes you successful? The fear of failure and the ability to treat each day as the first day of business.
What do you do when you aren?t working? Hang out with my beautiful family. My wife Jacy and two kids, Caymus and Gjelina.
Favorite thing on your menu? Too many to narrow down; each restaurant is a different style of cuisine and each one affords me the opportunity to eat the best food in Houston prepared by the best staff in Houston. Right now I am hooked on our homemade pepperoni pizza at Coppa.
Photography by Sofia van der Dys
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
Chandler Rothbart
Executive Chef |?BRC?Gastropub?
What cookbook would you recommend for a novice??The Professional Chef.
What defines Houston cuisine to you??For me, it?s ingredients that we find, with ease, throughout Texas. From the great fish from the Gulf, venison, Texas antelope, Texas Longhorn, quail, Texas literally has it all, right here! I?m so glad to be back in my hometown.
Were you a picky eater? ?No. I?ve always appreciated anyone willing to cook for me.
Favorite spot to eat off the beaten path??I visit Slow Dough Bread Co. once a week to brainstorm with Heath, and slam dunk as much bread as I can. Last week he was testing a square pizza dough. Great to be a taste tester! Unfortunately they are not open to the public yet.
Photography by Jack Opatrny & Jenny Antill
Tyson Cole
Owner/Chef,?Uchi and Uchiko
How do you come up with your restaurant concepts? Uchiko is a sister concept to both the other Uchis. It?s based on 12 years of training as a master sushi chef.
??Who is your inspiration? My guests, my partners, my chefs and my family. ??What is your dream concept if money wasn?t a question? A place with the old El Bulli schedule: open 6 months per year fully booked, and the other 6 months pay chefs to experiment and play with new ideas and food. ??What do you think makes you successful? Passion, tenacity, patience and a never-ending desire for perfection. ??What do you do when you aren?t working? Spend time with our 3 girls. Movies. Eat out. ??Favorite thing on your menu? Madai carpaccio. It?s a sashimi of black sea bream from Japan. It?s the best fish in the ocean.?Photography by Brett Buchanan?
?
Manabu Horiuchi
Horiuchi is the Executive Chef at Kata Robata. This Sushi Chef isn?t messing around, with 8 years of intensive training in Tokyo, Japan. ? ?
What?s your favorite kitchen gadget? Sushi knife.
Where do you get ideas for new dishes? I am most often inspired by many other talented chefs. I also get ideas from my dreams.
What advice do you have for new cooks? Don?t waste time. Life is very short.
What would you name your own restaurant? SUSHI HORIUCHI.
?
Dax McAnear?Triniti
What is your personal specialty? You know that chef-y types joke about this question, right? But, I?d say that losing/looking for my tongs (now tweezers). I?d be two years younger if I got all that time back in lump sum!
What advice do you have for diners? Itt?d be cool if we had the?opportunity?to ?make things right? in the same way that good bartenders do. I used to watch Bobby (that ?Anvil guy?) talk people into four different drinks they didn?t like, then nail the 5th ? and those folks were?slobbering?Bobby?s name all the way home. I?d like the chance to make you happy before you tweet/yelp what a fuck-up I am.
What food is most versatile for cooking? The only thing I use all of the time ? is thyme. I have this ongoing daydream, where some of my favorite ingredients are people, mostly bad-ass martial artist types. Thyme is the Aikido master. Assertive, patient, can handle almost any foe. Ultimately is nonviolent.
What knife do you use the most? I recently fell in love with the Miyabi line at sur la table (it is one of their in-house brands). I have the 8-inch ?fusion? (or something). Rocks!
Where did you start??I started cooking in Pennsylvania. My first ?fine dining? place was Carr?s Restaurant in Lancaster. Honestly, though, I consider The Olive Garden (the OG) my alma mater. ?Photography by Sofia van der Dys
Lori and Efisio Farris
Owners/Executive Chef
Lori and Efisio Farris are the husband and wife duo behind Arcodoro, the Italian restaurant in the Galleria Area. Their first restaurant, Pomodoro, is in Dallas. The two have expanded their business to include staples from Efisio?s Sardinia, including their own wine, olive oils, pane crustau, risottos and more. All available at Central Market and other retailers.
Do you get your hands dirty (if you aren?t a chef)? We both do anything it takes to get it done?host, wait, cook, clean, fix, garden, debone fish, open wine and taste test (of course). ? Do you cook at home? Yes, we love to cook for families and friends on Sundays. Efisio visits all the Asian markets and comes home with anything from eel to octopus. Lori does?the dishes. ? What do you enjoy most about a busy evening? Lori likes greeting the customers.
Efisio likes having a beer with the staff and recapping the night?s events.
? How did you get into the restaurant business? We met in NYC when
we were working at the same restaurant. Although we didn?t think/speak the same l
anguage we thought it would be fun to open a restaurant together. That was 25 years ago. ? Were you involved in the design, execution of the restaurant space? If so, what did you enjoy most or least? Efisio has designed and been the general contractor of all of our restaurants.
?
Teresa Tadeo Wittman?
Owner and Executive Chef,?Fratelli?s Authentic Italian Cuisine
(L-R) Maria Teresa Jimenez, Blanca Rubio, Maria Arrieta, Teresa Tadeo Wittman and Mercedes Ocampo.
Wittman learned to cook Italian classics in the home of her husband?s business partner?s mother (yes, you are going to want to read that one again?) in Ravenna, Italy. Over the course of ten years, she spent her time in the kitchen helping Franca Nanni cook the family meals, learning how to make frittatas, risotto and her now famous nine-hour ragu Bolognese. She learned to cook very simply and to make everything from scratch ? raviolis, tortolines and tagliatelle pasta, which is so wide, it has to be cut by hand. Her husband Bob built the brick oven where she bakes cracker-thin pizzas and bone-in chops.
How did you come up with your restaurant concept? While I was cooking in Franca?s kitchen, learning to make Osso Bucco, Tortellini in Brodo and Melanzane alla Parmigiana, I knew I wanted to open an Italian restaurant and share these foods with everyone.
What is your dream concept if money wasn?t a question??This is my dream concept.
What do you do when you aren?t working??I spend as much time with my husband as I can and I work in my herb and flower garden.
?
Aquiles Chavez
Owner/Executive Chef, La Fisheria
What?s your favorite kitchen gadget? Shoes: Birki Shoes in orange or black.
Where do you get ideas for new dishes? Travels, friends, memories from childhood.
What advice do you have for new cooks? This profession is a lot about practice. Also, remember these 3 words: passion, creativity and mise en place. Mise en place (pronounced ?miz on plas?, literally ?putting in place?) is a French phrase defined by the Culinary Institute of America as ?everything in place,? as in set up. It is used in professional kitchens to refer to organizing and arranging the ingredients (e.g., cuts of meat, relishes, sauces, pre-cooked items, spices, freshly chopped vegetables and other components) that a cook will require for the menu items that he or she expects to prepare during his/her shift.
Favorite spot to eat off the beaten path? Houston: Plonk | Mexico City : Nicos.
Guilty pleasure? Mexican street tacos.?Photography by Jamie Lagdameo
?
Junnajet ?Jett? Hurapan
Executive?Chef/Owner BLU?
What?s the latest item you added to your menu? Braised curry lamb shank and steak au poivre. ??Do you believe in kids? menus? There?s nothing at all wrong with kids? menus; they have their place. For us in particular, our dinner setting is tailored to adults who need adult time. ??Were you a picky eater? No?what chef was? ? Favorite spot to eat off the beaten path? I try not to make a routine of any place.
?
?
Le Chau
Chau has been the head Bartender at RA Sushi Bar and Restaurant for the last 6 years. When he?s not mixing up cocktails, he?s bowling, fishing and trying new things.
What drink have you invented? Lethal Injection: layered shot featuring vodka, Bacardi 151, apple pucker, Midori, pineapple juice, sweet and sour, blue curacao, Malibu with a black raspberry sinker. ??How do you handle over-imbibers? Serve them shots of water and see if they notice.
Ryan Hildebrand
Executive Chef/Owner, Triniti Restaurant
The native Houstonian and Baylor University graduate with a degree in graphic design decided early on that he was much happier grinding it out in the kitchen for $6 an hour than being confined to a cubicle. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, Hildebrand worked as sous chef under Mark Cox at Mark?s American Cuisine, followed by s???uccessful stints as executive sous chef at the Houstonian?s Olivette, sous chef at Bistro Moderne and as executive chef at Patronella?s, Bistro Provence, Bistro Don Comillo and Textile, prior to Triniti.
What?s your favorite kitchen gadget? Tweezers. ??Where do you get ideas for new dishes? Floral design. ??What advice do you have for new cooks? Work for at least a year before you go to culinary school. ??Do you have a vegetable or herb garden at home? Herbs. ? Why do you think Houston?s foodie reputation is still a well-kept secret? The culinary community doesn?t support or promote each other like in other cities. ? Are you a mentor? Who was your mentor? I hope so; Jim Mills. ? Guilty pleasure? Little bitty burger barn and 80?s music. Photography by Sofia van der Dys
?
David Luna
Born in Texas City, Texas and raised in Alvin, Texas where family chores such as raising hogs, chickens and rabbits, as well as learning to hunt, fish and prepare the game, encouraged culinary curiosity at an early age. Before coming home to Houston and taking over as Chef/cook/deckhand at the Hotel ICON/LINE & LARIAT Restaurant, Luna was Executive Chef at Broussard?s in New Orleans and invested in a microbrewery in Honolulu.
What?s your favorite kitchen gadget? A ballpoint pen.
What advice do you have for new cooks? ?Don?t put anything on a plate that you wouldn?t put in your mouth.?
What would you name your own restaurant? I?ve never really thought about it much, but I like ?Victoria??sounds like a classy gal and a very pretty town not too far from here.
Favorite off the beaten path spot to eat? I love Giacomo?s, although it?s gotten quite?busy lately.
Why do you think Houston?s foodie reputation is still a well-kept secret? It shouldn?t be a secret. Food is supposed to be shared.
Who was your mentor? My grandmother showed me the stove.
Guilty pleasure??Whataburger Chicken Strips (blushing).
?
Tony Mandola
Owner, Tony Mandola?s
What cookbook would you recommend for a novice?
A basic cookbook such as Betty Crocker?s first cookbook that my mom had in the 50s. It is full of solid recipes that are great for any beginner.
What?s the latest item you added to your menu?
When we opened up on Waugh, we added a gumbo pizza and a shrimp pizza to the menu. Both are big hits so far!
Any other famous chef you?d like to cook with?
I would love to cook with Paul Prudhomme who brought us the creole/Cajun crave. I would also love to cook with Mario Batali but most of all I wish that I could cook with my mother again.
Do you believe in kids? menus?
Yes. Being a parent to 3 children, my wife and I know that not every child is used to eating Oysters Damien. It?s nice to welcome families to our restaurant and give the children options.
Were you a picky eater?
Absolutely not. My mother cooked a home-cooked meal every night and I was always expected to eat what was put in front of me.
Why do you think Houston?s foodie reputation is still a well-kept secret?
The focus is always on the East and West Coasts. With a lot of attention geared towards the other coasts, Houston is not considered to be a popular city. This further defines Houston as a multicultural and innovative city. Houston is not sexy like LA or New York, and Texas is always famous for Dallas and NASA.
?
ANDRES CHAPA?
artist. mixologist.?painter. bartender
With over 11 years under his belt in the industry, Chapa uses his creative juices stemming from his passion for the arts to conceptualize handcrafted cocktails at the eighteenth cocktail bar.
How many regulars do you have, a la Cheers? A whole lot ? too many to name.
What drink have you invented? Blind pig bootleggers punch.
Do you mix drinks at home?? Why, yes, I do when I cook. I?m quite the chef and home is where I practice and experiment, coming up with recipes and formulas.
Is this your end-all job or is this how you get by to make your real dream come true? Not my end, just the beginning. I have a creative passion for handcrafting cocktails, slinging drinks and even flare bartending. I am a machine at this. The dream is to become the proprietor of my own cocktail lounge, and to be able to indulge in my passion of painting.? Photography by Daniel Ortiz
?
Arturo Boada?
Chef/Owner
In his 30 years of restaurant experience, Chef Arturo Boada has created a great number of locally recognized restaurants. Boada has cooked for the likes of Former President George H.W. Bush at a private home per his request. His cooking experience has also given him the opportunity to consult, create and design restaurants nationally and internationally, advising in concept creation, menu development, recipe development, kitchen design and construction. He owns and runs Arturo Boada Cuisine in the Tanglewood area.
How do you come up with your restaurant concepts? I have always been creative and passionate at what I do.
What is your dream concept if money wasn?t a question? A tapas restaurant with an international flare and an ocean view couldn?t hurt.
Do you believe in kids? menus? Absolutely NOT!
Were you a picky eater? Always in a good way.
Favorite off the beaten path spot to eat? Sushi Tora, Dos Amigos, Eurasia.
Why do you think Houston?s foodie reputation is still a well-kept secret? I thought we were well known as a foodie town??
?
Vanessa O?Donnell
Owner/Pastry Chef, Ooh La La the?Dessert Boutique
Who taught you to cook??Dolores Balusek, a longtime family friend. I began watching her cook when I was 10 years old.
What is your personal specialty??At the bakery, cupcakes but at home my husband would say cookies and any dessert out of Southern Living Magazine. I am in the process of making every dessert in the Best of Desserts 2012 Southern Living issue.
What advice do you have for diners??Don?t get the same thing every time. There are a lot of good things that people are afraid to try; for example, we had a maple bacon pancake cupcake that was excellent but people were scared and put off by the bacon. Try new things and have an open mind.
What food is most versatile for cooking??Salt?it can be great for baking. It can be used for cutting the sweetness of a dessert. There are also some desserts that are really great because of the salty/sweet aspect of them.
Best-kept local secret??In my opinion ? the queso at Becks Prime. I tell my husband every time we get it, that we need to tell more people, because it is just so good.
Favorite spot to eat off the beaten path? ?Dekker?s Grill in Fulshear and The Empire Turkish Grill off of Memorial.
What is Houston lacking in the foodie world??I am a sucker for home-cooked Southern food. My real wish would be to have a restaurant that made good comfort-style food, but made it healthy.
?
German P. Mosquera
Executive Chef/Owner Roots (Bistro/Juice)
?The natural science of life has woven itself into the roots of my being, extending out into one of the essentials of life, food. Whole, real, pure and seasonal are the foundations and beliefs that create the experience and simple feeling of joy at Roots.?
What?s your favorite kitchen gadget? Well, there are two: immersion thermal circulator and Air-O-Chill Unit.
Do you have a vegetable or herb garden at home? Yes, I love lemon verbena.
Favorite spot to eat off the beaten path? I really enjoy Pepper Tree. I know, but the spinach dumplings are my style, light and simple.
Why do you think Houston?s foodie reputation is still a well-kept secret? As big as we do things in Texas I don?t think we have the gaudy mindset to let it be known, but make no mistake that we have the best of everything ? from our China town to the Montrose strip ? of pure love of the best food.
?
Sylvia Casares
Owner and Executive Chef
Named after Sylvia?s signature menu item, Sylvia?s Enchilada Kitchen features nineteen enchiladas, and each reflects a specific region of Texas, the Texas-Mexico border and Mexico. She uses the best ingredients money can buy to create simple home-style Tex-Mex, or special mesquite grilled meats like Cabrito and Carne Asada.
Who taught you to cook? My father, Everardo Issassi Casares, taught me how to grill meats over a mesquite fire. I taught myself how to smoke meats. And my paternal grandmother, Sara Casares, and my mother, Severa Casares, taught me how to cook everything else.
Advice to diners? Educate yourself on the restaurant where you plan to dine. Review their menus. Check out what the local restaurant critics have to say and chat with your friends. Online reviews are a great resource, too.
Most versatile food for cooking? Chilis. They can be used fresh, dried, smoked or grilled, and based upon how they are prepared, will give you different and unique flavors. They can be used in desserts, sides and marinades and cocktails.
?
Dagan Lynn
Executive Chef
A transplant to Houston?s 024 Grille in the Westin Memorial City, Lynn followed advice from an instructor at the Western Culinary Institute, Portland, Oregon: ?Attach yourself to a star.? An internship for the highly decorated Alain Ducasse in New York City and influences like Thomas Keller and Doug Psaltis helped her hone her skill.? ?
What is your personal specialty? Anything from the ocean. It seems throughout my cooking career I have been running fish stations.
What advice do you have for diners? Keep an open mind. Do not put a preconceived notion in your head about a dish. Try it, and then make a conclusion. ??What knife do you use the most? NENOX 10-inch chef knife.? ??Where did you start out on your restaurant career? A place in upstate New York called Groover?s Caf?. I started my career at ADNY, Essex House.? ??Favorite spot to eat off the beaten path? BBQ Garden Korean (on Gessner).? ??Why do you think Houston?s foodie reputation is still a well-kept secret? If you love BBQ, it?s no secret. Farm-to-table methodology is nationwide. It is gaining
traction.? ??What is Houston lacking in the foodie world? A Michelin Star Restaurant! Investors,?anyone???
?
Lance Feagan?
Executive Chef and?Co-owner of BRC Gastropub?
What cookbook would you recommend for a novice??I imagine there is a reason I have owned and continued to use The Joy of Cooking since I was in high school. If you are wanting to be serious about cooking get On Food and Cooking.
What?s the latest item you added to your menu??Cape Cod Lobster ? we have them flown in every Thursday and are sold out by Saturday ? and our Tomahawk Ribeye for 2.
What defines Houston cuisine to you??Diversity in culture and ranges of value. The youngsters opening up their own places now are also helping define a new era in Houston cuisine.
Any other famous chefs you would like to cook with??I have been blessed and (cursed) to work with quite a few but Daniel Patterson at Coi in San Francisco looks to be doing some great things and considering its location on breadth of available products?I would have a blast working with him.
Do you believe in kids? menus??I totally believe in kids? menus when they make sense. For instance it works at our Liberty Kitchen in the Heights but wouldn?t work at BRC. If you limit options for people, especially with children, you are losing a great potential long-term, loyal customer base.
Were you a picky eater??Not at all. You wouldn?t survive in an Italian family from New Jersey if you were.
Favorite spot to eat off the beaten path??Mi Pueblito Colombian, up around 9400 Richmond. Pork Belly, Lechona Tolimense?very authentic, good vibe and great value.
?
Roberto Castre
Executive Chef and Co-Owner of the award- winning Latin Bites Cebiche & Pisco Bar
Castre began his career in the kitchen as a teenager in Peru, attending the Escuela de Alta Cocina from Los Andes culinary school.?His mother constantly took culinary classes and experimented at home, while staging weekend cooking contests between Castre and his siblings (which he almost always won). Castre headed to Miami six months after graduating from culinary school to embark on his career.
Where do you get ideas for new dishes? From my trips to Peru and its different regions. There are over a thousand different dishes throughout Peru.
Do you have a vegetable or herb garden at home? Yes, I have a few Peruvian herbs and spices here in Houston. I only grow a little bit for my personal use; because of the soil and weather conditions it cannot be grown in larger quantities.
Favorite spot to eat off the beaten path? In Houston, Caf? Pita, a small place with very tasty home-style Bosnian food. I also have a few favorite spots in Peru like ?La Lucha,? a sandwich shop.
Guilty pleasure? Chicharron Sandwich. It?s delicious but is not precisely the healthiest of all dishes.
?
Lee Ellis
Owner BRC, Liberty Kitchen Petite Sweets
Do you get your hands dirty? Yes, I am the best bus boy in the business. ? Do you cook at home? Yes, I am the executive chef at home. ??How did you get in the business? Because I love food and people. ? Were you involved in the design of your restaurants and shops? Yes, the entire process. ??Least favorite part of the design process? Dealing with the City. ??Favorite thing on the menu? House smoked salmon and fresh oysters.
Rolando ?Roland? Soza
Executive Chef, Bistro Alex, A Brennans Family Restaurant?
Climbing up the ranks since 1999 when he started as a line cook, Soza earned a degree in culinary arts from Houston Community College, where he graduated with honors.
What?s your favorite kitchen gadget? I have several, but my favorite would have to be my KitchenAid stand mixer. Because of the variety of attachments, it?s like getting multiple gadgets in one. Using it for making cookies and cakes is just the beginning. I have used it for so much, from grinding meat for homemade sausage and making fresh pasta to experimenting with new ice cream flavors. Where do you get ideas for new dishes? Some of our ideas (including my team) come from seasonal items and visiting the local farmers markets. Others come from favorites when we were kids. I have lots of great memories from cooking with my grandparents and parents. Cooking at home with my kids is something we do as often as possible.
Do you have a vegetable or herb garden at home? Not anymore. We had a tomato plant?like I said we ?had? one.
Favorite spot to eat off the beaten path? The Pho Binh Trailer on Beamer Road (south side). It was one of the best finds. It?s a tiny place that is very popular. So much so that if you get there too late you might be out of luck.
Guilty pleasure? Hmmm?..my wife and kids would probably say Reese?s Peanut Butter Cups. Man, those things are my Achilles? heel.
Photography by Shannon O?Hare
?
Ronnie Killen
Chef, Killen Steakhouse
What?s your favorite kitchen gadget? Cryovac machine.
Where do you get ideas for new dishes? Going out to eat.
What advice do you have for new cooks? Cook for the right reason. You really have to love cooking or being a chef will chew you up and spit you out. Do you have a vegetable or herb garden at home? Yes, I grow my own heirloom tomatoes. Nothing better than a fresh tomato.? ??Favorite spot to eat off the beaten path? Lila?s Mexican restaurant in Pearland, Texas. ??Who was your mentor? My grandmother. ??Guilty pleasure? Shipley?s donuts.
?
Mike Raymond?
Owner, Reserve 101
Originally from new jersey, raymond co-owns reserve 101 and has been in the food+hospitality world for 24 years.
What drink have you invented? ? The cocktail push pops. I really enjoy the salted caramel, bacon and bourbon creamiscle. ??Do you mix drinks at home? I?m pretty lame when it comes to drinking at home. Besides, my girlfriend tends to drink all the whiskey at the house before I get home ? haha. ??Is this your end-all job? I wouldn?t do what I do if I didn?t love it!
John Sikhattana?
Born in Thailand but raised in Hawaii, John gained an early appreciation for food from his parents, both farmers. At 17 years old, he started working at Roy?s Hawaiian Fusion Restaurants. Fast forward to 2000 and John went on to open the first Roy?s location in San Francisco where he met Chris Yeo, the owner of STRAITS. Today he?s the executive chef at Straits Asian Bistro and Lounge.
?
What?s your favorite kitchen gadget? Korean Scallion Slicer. ? Where do you get ideas for new dishes? From market fresh products and my cravings. ?? Do you have a vegetable or herb garden at home? I have a Thai Chili Pepper Plant. ? Favorite off the beaten path spot to eat?? Aloha Grill on Westheimer.
? Guilty pleasure? Beignets.
?
Matt Harms
TQLA Houston
Harms has a passion for tequila, and mixology. The head bartender/ bar manager at TQLA has been in the service industry for over 10 years.
How many regulars do you have, a la Cheers? Probably 30-40.
What drink have you invented? I have come up with several of the
specialty cocktails here at TQLA. One of them called the El Mateo, which encompasses habanero-infused tequila with our housemade green
sangrita. It?s sweet, spicy and absolutely delicious.
?
Rene Hidalgo
Owner/Manager Maria Selma Restaurant
Do you get your hands dirty? Yes, every time that I have to get things done.?? Do you cook at home? Rarely. Just some grilling
on holidays. ? What do you enjoy most about a busy evening? When customers leave happy after a good meal and thank me
for it. ? How did you get into the restaurant business? I?d been working in the industry since 1988, so when I had the opportunity to open my own place, I took it, and 10 years later here we are. ? Were you involved in the design, execution of the restaurant space? Yes, I was, and I enjoyed every corner of the restaurant because I did a lot of the remodel myself. ? Favorite thing on your menu? I love my dish call ?La Gringa? which
is a marinated pork in achiote, served with grilled onions, pineapple and melted cheese and, of course, with handmade corn tortillas.
?
Jose Hernandez
Chef de Cuisine, Triniti Restaurant
What cookbook would you recommend for a novice? Larousse Gastronomique, The World?s Greatest Culinary Encyclopedia.
What?s the latest item you added to your menu? Blood sausage with purslane.
What defines Houston cuisine to you? Diversity. Houston embraces a variety of cuisine.
Any other famous chef you?d like to cook with? There are many. Thomas Keller is one of them. He?s the most creative chef in the U.S.
Do you believe in kids? menus??No, I don?t. Parents can develop a child?s palate and teach them early on to be adventurous eaters. Exposure is the key. Children can be taught from an early age to appreciate all kinds of foods.
Favorite spot to eat off the beaten path??In Houston, I like Tacos El Cilantro on Telephone Road and 45. They sell great tacos de suadero. There?s this taco place in New York called La Pinche Taqueria. They serve the best chilaquiles. I like the tortas ahogadas at El Faro inChicago.? Photography by Sofia van der Dys
David Grossman
Chef, Branchwater Tavern
Who taught you to cook??My grandmother.
??What is your personal specialty??Fish and seafood.???What advice do you have for diners??Be open to trying new things and dining adventures.?? What food is the most versatile for cooking??FISH???a multitude of cooking techniques can be applied to it along with different flavor combinations.?? Best-kept local secret? Kayaking on Buffalo Bayou.?? What knife do you use the most??Butter knife.?? Where did you start out your restaurant career? Austin, Texas. ?? Favorite off the beaten path spot to eat??Mala Sichuan.?? What is Houston lacking in the foodie world??An authentic Thai restaurant.
John Sikhattana?
Born in Thailand but raised in Hawaii, John gained an early appreciation for food from his parents, both farmers. At 17 years old, he started working at Roy?s Hawaiian Fusion Restaurants. Fast forward to 2000 and John went on to open the first Roy?s location in San Francisco where he met Chris Yeo, the owner of STRAITS. Today he?s the executive chef at Straits Asian Bistro and Lounge.
What?s your favorite kitchen gadget? Korean Scallion Slicer. ? Where do you get ideas for new dishes? From market fresh products and my cravings. ?? Do you have a vegetable or herb garden at home? I have a Thai Chili Pepper Plant. ? Favorite off the beaten path spot to eat?? Aloha Grill on Westheimer.
? Guilty pleasure? Beignets.
Matt Harms
TQLA Houston
Harms has a passion for tequila, and mixology. The head bartender/ bar manager at TQLA has been in the service industry for over 10 years.
How many regulars do you have, a la Cheers? Probably 30-40.
What drink have you invented? I have come up with several of the
specialty cocktails here at TQLA. One of them called the El Mateo, which encompasses habanero-infused tequila with our housemade green
sangrita. It?s sweet, spicy and absolutely delicious.
?
Rene Hidalgo
Owner/Manager Maria Selma Restaurant
Do you get your hands dirty? Yes, every time that I have to get things done.?? Do you cook at home? Rarely. Just some grilling
on holidays. ? What do you enjoy most about a busy evening? When customers leave happy after a good meal and thank me
for it. ? How did you get into the restaurant business? I?d been working in the industry since 1988, so when I had the opportunity to open my own place, I took it, and 10 years later here we are. ? Were you involved in the design, execution of the restaurant space? Yes, I was, and I enjoyed every corner of the restaurant because I did a lot of the remodel myself. ? Favorite thing on your menu? I love my dish call ?La Gringa? which
is a marinated pork in achiote, served with grilled onions, pineapple and melted cheese and, of course, with handmade corn tortillas.
?
?
?
Jose Hernandez
Chef de Cuisine, Triniti Restaurant
What cookbook would you recommend for a novice? Larousse Gastronomique, The World?s Greatest Culinary Encyclopedia.
What?s the latest item you added to your menu? Blood sausage with purslane.
What defines Houston cuisine to you? Diversity. Houston embraces a variety of cuisine.
Any other famous chef you?d like to cook with? There are many. Thomas Keller is one of them. He?s the most creative chef in the U.S.
Do you believe in kids? menus??No, I don?t. Parents can develop a child?s palate and teach them early on to be adventurous eaters. Exposure is the key. Children can be taught from an early age to appreciate all kinds of foods.
Favorite spot to eat off the beaten path??In Houston, I like Tacos El Cilantro on Telephone Road and 45. They sell great tacos de suadero. There?s this taco place in New York called La Pinche Taqueria. They serve the best chilaquiles. I like the tortas ahogadas at El Faro inChicago.? Photography by Sofia van der Dys
?
David Grossman
Chef, Branchwater Tavern
Who taught you to cook??My grandmother.
??What is your personal specialty??Fish and seafood.???What advice do you have for diners??Be open to trying new things and dining adventures.?? What food is the most versatile for cooking??FISH???a multitude of cooking techniques can be applied to it along with different flavor combinations.?? Best-kept local secret? Kayaking on Buffalo Bayou.?? What knife do you use the most??Butter knife.?? Where did you start out your restaurant career? Austin, Texas.?? Favorite off the beaten path spot to eat??Mala Sichuan.?? What is Houston lacking in the foodie world??An authentic Thai restaurant.
Source: http://002mag.com/industry-index/
Kristen Stewart Rupert Sanders Photos BBC 2016 Olympics TD Bank mountain lion hanley ramirez Christian Bale visits victims
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.