Brennan's new chef

Up-and-coming Chef of the Year returns to head culinary team at iconic Houston restaurant

News, Taste of the Nation, Sept. 2015 Joe Cervantez, Ronnie Killen

Joe Cervantez, seen here with Ronnie Killen, is going back to Brennan's.

Photo by Quy Tran

Brennan’s of Houston has found its new executive chef. The iconic Houston restaurant announced on Tuesday that it has hired former Killen’s Steakhouse executive chef Joe Cervantez to fill the role recently vacated by Danny Trace, who suddenly departed Brennan’s after seven years.

Cervantez brings lots of experience to the his new position. Prior to joining Killen’s, the chef worked at Brennan’s under Trace.

"We are thrilled to welcome Joe back to the Brennan’s of Houston family,” says proprietor Alex Brennan-Martin in a statement. “Joe is one of the most talented and resourceful young chefs I’ve had the pleasure of working with in my years in the restaurant business, and on behalf of (general manager) Carl Walker, chef Jose Arevalo, chef Martin Weaver and the rest of the team, we are ecstatic that Joe will be returning to the kitchen next month.”

Hired in 2014 by Killen's chef-owner Ronnie Killen to lead the steakhouse after he began spending more time managing and developing his other concepts, Cervantez earned wide acclaim for helping the restaurant transition from its original location into a larger location. Local diners recognized his work by awarding him the Up-and-Coming Chef of the Year award at 2016's Houston Culinary Awards.

Killen tells CultureMap that he encouraged Cervantez to accept the new position. “I don’t really want to lose Joe, but he’s the best person for that position,” Killen says. Later, he added, “whenever Joe does a feature, he does something that would be perfect for the Brennan’s menu.”

The chef adds that he’s watched Cervantez grow as both a cook and a manager during his time at the restaurant. “I never have to worry about something not being right,” Killen says.

Cervantez will spend a couple of weeks training at Commander’s Palace, Brennan’s world famous sister restaurant in New Orleans, before returning to Houston and assuming his new role in June.

"Brennan’s of Houston has always felt like home to me and I look forward to what’s to come in this new role,” added Cervantez. “I have watched Ella Brennan's Commanding the Table documentary three times now, and each time I get more excited.”

chefs

steakhouse switcheroo

River Oaks restaurant fields a new menu devoted to prime and wagyu steaks

Courtesy of Fielding's Steak

The new menu includes steak and sides such as onion rings.

A River Oaks restaurant is switching things up. After a year of operations, Fielding’s River Oaks has rebranded as Fielding’s Steak with an all-new menu that will launch on Tuesday, January 27.

While the restaurant has always served steaks from Texas ranch 44 Farms, Fielding’s Steak leans more heavily into beef with more cuts and more kinds of beefs, including both American and Japanese wagyu. Similarly, diners can pair their steaks with steakhouse sides such as lobster mac and cheese, creamed spinach, and onion rings.

The new menu starts with four prime steaks — filet, ribeye, NY strip, and bavette — along with a dry-aged cuts including a 35-ounce cowboy ribeye, a porterhouse, a 12-ounce bone-in ribeye, and a 22-ounce bone-in ribeye. Those seeking the most luxurious experience may opt for a wagyu tasting that features four ounces each of Japanese, Australian, and American striploin.

Appetizers and salads include a number of familiar dishes, such as lobster bisque, wedge salad, fried calamari, shrimp cocktail, and an imperial crabcake. Non-steak entrees include maple-brined salmon, lobster risotto, lamb chops, and a grilled Kurobata pork chop with apple mostarda.

Fielding’s River Oaks opened in December 2024. Part of Fielding’s Culinary Group, The Woodlands-based hospitality company behind Fielding’s Local Kitchen & Bar and Fielding’s Wood Grill, the restaurant served a European-inspired menu that included pizzas, pastas, steaks, and seafood.

“Fielding’s Steak represents the natural evolution of who we are and where we’re going,” said CEO Cary Attar said in a statement. “We wanted to create a true steakhouse experience — one that’s chef-driven, ingredient-focused, and worthy of the River Oaks dining scene — while still feeling warm, welcoming, and unmistakably Fielding’s. This new menu allows us to showcase exceptional proteins, refined flavors, and a level of execution that reflects our passion for hospitality and culinary excellence.”

Fielding’s Steak will be open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch from 11:30 am-3 pm and dinner beginning at 5 pm. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

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