Major Chef Shuffle

Major chef shuffle: Houston restaurant power replaces rising star chef with top international prospect

For whatever changes have taken place at Triniti over its three-plus years, the presence of chef/owner Ryan Hildebrand and chef de cuisine Greg Lowry have given the kitchen a decided sense of stability.

That situation changed with Lowry revealing he's left the modern American restaurant for a position as corporate executive chef of Ogden Hospitality, the California-based company behind James Beard Award winner Bradley Ogden's three Houston restaurants: Funky Chicken, Bradley's Fine Diner and the upcoming Pour Society. (The Chronicle first reported Lowry's move.)

"I think Greg and myself both had kind of a feeling that he would always be here," Hildebrand tells CultureMap "You get to a certain point in your career where that’s kind of the goal is to find your forever home kitchen. Greg and I both thought, up until this opportunity presented itself, that this was going to be it."

"Brandon has a little more stylized version of cooking. He’s got a little more international influence just because of his background."

Replacing Lowry will be Brandon Soverall, who's been at Triniti since 2012. Having been born in Trinidad and worked in Germany, the chef brings an international perspective to his cooking that's a departure from Houston-native Lowry.

"Brandon has a little more stylized version of cooking. He’s got a little more international influence just because of his background — where he’s from, where he’s traveled, where he’s worked," Hildebrand says.

"I’m excited to see it, because Brandon has been able to channel that into a practical way of utilizing his skills here."

The Ogden Group describes Lowry's new role as "forging a new culinary identity for Bradley’s Fine Diner and Funky Chicken, meshing the sensibilities of the group led by James Beard Award winning chef, Bradley Ogden, and his own, which offers a lauded knack with local ingredients and regional flavors." The 2014 CultureMap Tastemakers Best Rising Star Chef winner will need all of his considerable skills to turn around the fortunes of Ogden's efforts in Houston, which have mostly been reviled by diners.

Lowry's new menus will begin to roll out by the end of the month, but whether they're enough to save Bradley's Fine Diner from its low sales numbers remain to be seen.

Meanwhile, Soverall steps in for Lowry and will assist Hildebrand in reconcepting his plans for FM903, which Hildebrand previously noted will be built around a version of the hamburger on Triniti's new lunch menu.

"We just finalized some budget questions, and we’ll be green-lighting the architecture firm to continue," Hildebrand says. "They’ve already gotten pretty far along, but now it’s a full court press to get it done."

Brandon Soverall has been promoted to chef de cuisine at Triniti.

Courtesy photo

Brandon Soverall has been promoted to chef de cuisine at Triniti.

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bring on barnaby's

Favorite Houston comfort food spot picks Garden Oaks for 10th location

Courtesy of Barnaby's Cafe

Barnaby's Cafe is coming to the Stomping Grounds this fall.

Earlier this week, real estate developer Bryan Danna promised “big news…very soon” about a new tenant for the former LuLoo’s Day & Night space at his Stomping Grounds development in Garden Oaks. That news is that Houston favorite Barnaby’s Cafe has claimed the space for a new location that will open later this year.

When a Barnaby’s decal appear on the restaurant’s door a couple of days ago, news of the restaurant’s imminent arrival spread quickly on social media. It will be Barnaby’s tenth location, joining outposts in Montrose, River Oaks, the Heights, and more.

The restaurant will occupy a 2,250-square-foot space at the Stomping Grounds. It will offer a to-go window for people hanging out in the development’s green space as well as a gated, dog-friendly patio. Houston artist Roberto Cervantes will contribute works to the restaurant’s interior.

Founded in 1992 by restaurateur Jeff Gale, Barnaby’s is known for its wide-ranging and affordable menu of classic American fare, including salads, sandwiches, breakfast items, and dinner entrees. Customer favorites include the Lebanese chicken fattoush salad, chipotle black bean burger, baby back ribs, and green eggs, which are scrambled with spinach and artichoke hearts. Dogs can snack on a special “puppy menu” of ground beef, sliced chicken breast, or scrambled eggs over brown rice.

Stomping Grounds green space A to-go window will expedite orders for people in the Stomping Grounds' green space.Courtesy of Stomping Grounds

“Bringing Barnaby’s to Garden Oaks and Oak Forest has been on my wish list for more than a decade, so I’m incredibly grateful that Jeff Gale and his team saw Stomping Grounds as the right fit,” Danna said in a statement. “Jeff and I go back to his first Heights location, which was one of Barnaby’s first big moves north of Montrose, and I have always respected what he and his longtime team have built. Thirty years in the restaurant business is a serious accomplishment. You do not make it that long unless you know how to take care of people, build loyalty, and become part of the neighborhood.”

When it opens this fall, Barnaby’s will be open daily from 11 am to 9 pm. It will join other restaurants at the Stomping Grounds, including Fat Cat Creamery, Tex-Mex restaurant La Mex, Bollo Woodfired Pizza, casual sushi restaurant Himari, Little Sister Cake Shop, and High Five Mini Bar. Earlier this week, casual Vietnamese restaurant Pho Prime announced that it had claimed the space formerly occupied by The Pho Fix for a new location that will also open this fall.

news-you-can-eat openings stomping grounds barnaby's cafe