Chef Change

Promising Washington Ave restaurant starts the year with an exciting new chef

The new year means a new face in the kitchen at The Durham House, the promising upscale Southern/Cajun restaurant that replaced Woodrows Heights this fall. Original chef Don Schoenburg has departed. Mike McElroy, the popular local chef whose most recent post consisted of helming food truck The Rollin' Kitchen for Gr8 Plate Hospitality, took over on Monday.

Owner Raj Natarajan Jr tapped Schoenburg to transform Woodrows Heights into The Durham House, and the chef attracted strong initial buzz by replacing the restaurant's familiar po' boys and fried seafood with elevated dishes like stuffed rabbit loin and lamb tartar. According to Natarajan, Schoenburg is departing for personal reasons.

While Schoenburg's presence will be missed, McElroy's extensive resume suggests he'll be able to step in. Prior to developing The Rollin' Kitchen's menu of casual Cajun fare like boudin balls and shrimp etoufee, McElroy worked in celebrated New Orleans restaurants like Redfish and Commander's Palace.

"I felt the offer of the position was a great opportunity that I couldn't pass up," McElroy tells CultureMap.

"Our selection of Mike as the executive chef was a function of our desire to bring in a person with deep roots in the food community of Houston, and the greater Gulf Coast, as well as a proven skill set that would contribute to the continual refinement of the dishes and preparations coming out of the kitchen of The Durham House," Natarajan writes in an email. "Serendipitously, Mike’s desire to move into a full kitchen, the style of his food, his extensive butchery and charcuterie experience, and his background in New Orleans, San Francisco, and Houston aligned perfectly with most every point on our chef wish list, and thus effective 1/4/2016 he will be officially joining the team!"

Look for McElroy to expand the restaurant's cold bar, introduce grass fed beef and develop an in-house charcuterie program. "Mike is going to be reducing the over all number of items on the menu, so that we can assure that every item on the menu will be truly incredible, and we can execute an extremely refined level of service such that dishes can be modified as desired, as well as adjusting dishes on the fly to amplify the harmony between food and beverage pairings," Natarajan adds.

A new menu rolls out January 20 — just in time for the start of crawfish season.

Mike McElroy is the new chef at The Durham House.

Photo by Eric Sandler

Mike McElroy is the new chef at The Durham House.

washington-avenue chefs

WINE NEWS

Fredericksburg winery uncorks new ranch-inspired tasting room

Photo courtesy of Formando Vineyards

Formando Vineyards will open its tasting room on October 1.

A new tasting room is giving Houstonians another reason to take a trip to the Hill Country. Formando Vineyards, a family owned winery shaped by six generations of Texas ranching, will open at 11835 N. State Highway 16 in Fredericksburg on October 1.

Ceci McBride and her nephew, Henry Johnson, founded the brand in 2019, choosing a name that paid homage to the vaquero traditions of the family’s Chaparrosa Ranch. The Spanish “formando” translates to “forming,” and the family likens the winemaking process to the care and patience ranchers use to develop a horse for riding.

All of the label’s fruit, sourced from select Hill Country growers and the family’s estate in Gillespie County, is painstakingly harvested by hand. The family says their goal is to leave the land better than they found it.

"We wanted Formando to feel inseparable from the land and our family's history," Johnson said in a release. "At the same time, we want guests to discover just how expressive and exciting Texas-grown wine can be."

"For six generations, our family has gathered around the land, the table and the traditions of ranch life," McBride added. "Formando is our opportunity to welcome people into that story."

Co-owners Ceci McBride (l) and Henry Johnson pose with wine club coordinator Estella Winton.Photo courtesy of Formando Vineyards

The portfolio includes whites like Picpoul Blanc and Grenache Blanc and reds like Sangiovese and Montepulciano. But the flagship blend is more personal. Harry's Red is named for McBride's late son and “honors the love, connection, and family memories that helped shape Formando.”

Guests can drop in to Formando to order wine by the glass and bites such as house-made focaccia, Texas charcuterie, sandwiches, and pizzas. But for the full experience, the winery recommends a guided tasting. The three options — red-only, mixed wines, and a food pairing — run 60-90 minutes.

The winery also offers the Señor Pico Wine Club, which has three membership tiers with benefits ranging from member discounts and first dibs on new releases to complimentary tastings and exclusive invitations to private events.

Following the debut, Formando’s tasting room will be open Thursday through Sunday, 11 am-5 pm. Reservations can be made online.

wine fredericksburg hill country tasting rooms openings