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    Brennan's new chef

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

    Eric Sandler
    May 9, 2017 | 1:23 pm
    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.”

     
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    hola, mayahuel

    Netflix chef's modern Mexican restaurant opens in Houston this month

    Eric Sandler
    Jul 7, 2025 | 6:45 pm
    Mayahuel restaurant
    Photo by Bethany Ochs
    Mayahuel's menu combines seasonal ingredients and heirloom corn.

    The countdown is on to Houston’s newest modern Mexican restaurant. Mayahuel will officially open for dinner on Friday, July 18.

    Located in the Autry Park mixed-use development, Mayahuel united Culinary Khancepts — the hospitality group behind Liberty Kitchen, State Fare, and Leo’s River Oaks (among others) — with star chef Luis Robledo Richards. Known locally for his short-lived taqueria Comalito, Richards is the pastry chef behind Mexico City’s celebrated Tout Chocolat. His resume includes serving as a judge on the Netflix series Sugar Rush: The Baking Point and being named the Best Pastry Chef in Latin America by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

    At Mayahuel, Richards will feature dishes made with seasonal ingredients and heirloom corn that’s imported from Mexico. At opening, it will be a tidy group of 16 savory dishes — divided into starters, “Tacos y Masa,” and entrees, as well as a separate tasting menu. The restaurant takes its name from the Mexica goddess of the maguey plant, which only blooms once, to emphasize its connection to Mexico’s land and culture.

    “At Mayahuel, we’re not just preparing food — we’re honoring time, place, and process,” Richards said in a statement. “Our ingredients are chosen only when they’re at their best. We don’t force nature to fit our schedule — we follow its lead.”

    Dinner at Mayahuel could begin with dishes such as bread and tortillas served with miso and salsa matcha butters, a bluefin tuna tostada with uni cream and yuzu aioli, salmon aguachile, or a beef carnitas croquette. The “Tacos y Masa” section includes beef cheek and shrimp tacos, a duck confit tamal, and a squash blossom tetela. Entree choices include filet mignon with mole negro, cochinita with black bean puree and tortillas, and sea bass with potatoes and salsa Veracruzana.

    Brunch is a more casual affair built around items such as chilaquiles, French toast, enfrijoladas, and a Mexican take on eggs Benedict topped with salsa roja hollandaise.

    Large format desserts each take inspiration from one of three ingredients — vanilla, coffee, or cacao. Priced at $28 each, the menu describes them as “a thoughtful, interactive finale that honors tradition through technique, seasonality, and imagination.”

    Pairings include cocktails made with agave spirits, fresh juices, and house made syrups. Notably, all tequilas will be additive-free, which means some prominent brands may not be featured behind Mayahuel’s bar.

    The restaurant occupies an approximately 5,100-square-foot space that’s divided into a 16-seat bar, a 40-seat dining room, an eight-seat chef’s table, a 36-seat, second floor dining room, and a 34-seat patio. It joins other concepts in Autry Park such as French restaurant Annabelle Brasserie, sushi spot Doko, fine dining steakhouse Turner’s Cut, Vietnamese restaurant Annam, and a still-unnamed concept from Austin’s Emmer & Rye Hospitality.

    “Mayahuel is about creating a sense of place and story,” Culinary Khancepts founder Omar Khan said. “It’s a natural evolution for our group — rooted in culture, crafted with care, and designed to be as memorable as it is welcoming.”

    Mayahuel will be open for happy hour and dinner Monday-Saturday and brunch on Saturday and Sunday. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

    Mayahuel restaurant
      

    Photo by Bethany Ochs

    Mayahuel's menu combines seasonal ingredients and heirloom corn.

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