Moonen in at Perry's

Popular Houston steakhouse chain hires Vegas star chef to serve up the sizzle

Rick Moonen is Perry's newest hire.

Courtesy photo

Perry Steakhouse & Grille's newly opened River Oaks location may be the talk of the city's social set, but a major chef hire could make the restaurant an object of foodie obsession, too. The company announced it has hired celebrity chef Rick Moonen to be the company's master development chef.

In his new role as a full-time Perry's employee, Moonen, who closed his Las Vegas restaurants RM Seafood and Rx Boiler Room at Mandalay Place last year, will oversee menu development, quality control, and efficiency for all 15 of the company's locations in conjunction with Perry's corporate chef Grant Hunter. Although he will remain based in Vegas, a representative tells CultureMap that the chef will travel frequently. Currently, diners may spot him at the River Oaks location.

“We are so excited to name chef Rick Moonen as the master development chef of Perry’s Restaurants,” Perry’s owner and founder Chris Perry said in a statement. “His creativity, passion and immense talent have put him at the forefront of the culinary industry, and we look forward to collaborating with him and having our culinary program benefit from his insight.”

Known for his efforts to promote the use of sustainable seafood, Moonen is a highly acclaimed chef with a national profile. He is a James Beard Award finalist, was the runner up on season two of Top Chef Masters, and even appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show.

"It is an honor to align myself, at this great stage of my career, with Perry’s Restaurants,” Moonen added. “Culture, tradition, and innovation are what drives us as we grow in the hospitality industry.”

Customers will already see Moonen's influence on the menu in the form of three, limited-time-only specials that are currently available at all Perry's locations: red snapper crudo with pickled ginger, turmeric, and bright tangerine oil; barbecue octopus with charred lemon garlic potatoes, ranch cabbage slaw, and pickled shallots; and whole Bandera branzino that's steamed whole, presented tableside, and served with an agrodolce sauce.

Perry's has always been popular, but dishes like its massive pork chop or fried asparagus with crab are known more for comfort than innovation. Bringing Moonen on board could elevate the restaurant's culinary profile. At a time of ever-increasing competition, especially among steakhouses, someone with Moonen's reputation will help Perry's stand out from the crowd.

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firing up Montrose

New Houston seafood restaurant adds live-fire flair to Japanese flavors

Photo by Becca Wright

Spanish sea bass, scallop crudo, nigiri, bluefin binchotan, and bluefin crudo.

An ambitious new seafood restaurant is coming to Montrose next week. Casa Kenji will open on Tuesday, December 9.

Located in the former Andiron space (3201 Allen Pkwy), Casa Kenji is the first Houston project for New Orleans restaurateur Malachi DuPre, a former LSU standout who played briefly in the NFL before establishing Kenji and Kenji Kazoku restaurants in New Orleans. Together with former LSU teammate John “B-John” Ballis and Houston chef Bigler “Biggie” Cruz, Casa Kenji will blend Latin and Japanese influences while also incorporating live-fire elements into the restaurant’s dishes. Cruz, whose resume includes a lengthy stint at Uchi as well as working at critically acclaimed Houston seafood restaurant Golfstrømmen, tells CultureMap that Casa Kenji’s approach is the first time he can be himself in the kitchen.

“My perfect restaurant was always based on the live fire and sushi combination,” Cruz says. “My mom cooked with wood for my entire life. The live fire creates completely different flavors. The smoky flavors, the sear from the charcoal — they create a different type of memory for me.”

The use of live fire techniques will permeate Casa Kenji’s menus in ways both big and small. For example, diners will be able to feast on prawns grilled directly on charcoal and served with yuzu chili garlic, or savor lightly seared Japanese wagyu tataki paired with mushrooms. Even raw dishes will benefit from the restaurant’s wood-burning grill and stove.

“Every vegetable we peel, we make into an ash that’s a topping for the dishes. It adds a different layer of flavor,” Cruz says. Look for it in the scallop aguachile, among others.

Even vegetables get a smoky component, as in a cabbage dish that’s braised with dashi and soy sauce before being roasted and served with an onion soubise that Cruz says he developed based on techniques he learned from Golfstrømmen chef Christopher Haatuft.

“It’s rich, super savory, with smoky layers, and you get brightness from the shiso gremolata. I think it will be a signature dish for us,” the chef says.

One change to the interior is the addition of a six-seat omakase counter that looks into the kitchen. Cruz promises those diners will have an even more elevated experience than the restaurant’s regular menu, including ingredients such as Japanese wagyu and premium fish flown in from Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market.

Beyond its cuisine, Casa Kenji hopes to stand out with its spacious outdoor patio. Since very few Japanese-inspired restaurants in Houston offer outdoor seating, it should appeal to diners who want a little vitamin D along with their tuna crudo.

“We’re proud to showcase the craft and creativity that defines Casa Kenji,” co-founders Cruz, Ballis, and DuPre said in a statement. “With chef Bigler Cruz at the helm — blending live-fire technique with the discipline of Japanese tradition — we’re equally honored and excited to share a unique concept that is truly rooted in passion, culture, and community.”

Casa Kenji will be open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday beginning at 4 pm. Reservations are available on Resy.

Photo by Becca Wright

Spanish sea bass, scallop crudo, nigiri, bluefin binchotan, and bluefin crudo.