one hot night

Prestigious James Beard tasting event spotlights star Houston chefs in one of only 5 U.S. stops

Dawn Burrell will host three of her fellow Top Chef contestants.

Photo by Jenn Duncan

The organization behind America's most prestigious culinary awards will host an event featuring some of Houston's top chefs. The James Beard Foundation's Taste America Culinary Series will kick off in Houston on June 29.

Houston is one of only five cities nationally that will host a tasting event, which is designed to celebrate chefs and independent restaurants with a walk-around tasting format that features participants serving signature dishes from their stations. Local and national sponsors will contribute beverage stations and "other activations," according to the event's website.

Participating chefs include three who are among this year's finalists for the James Beard Awards, which will be announced in Chicago on June 13. They are Best Chef: Texas nominees Christine Ha and Tony Nguyen of Xin Chao and Outstanding Pastry Chef nominee Ruben Ortega of H-Town Restaurant Group (Hugo's, Xochi, etc.). They'll be joined by Top Chef finalists Dawn Burrell (Late August) and Evelyn Garcia with her business partner Henry Lu (Kin), as well as CultureMap Tastemaker Awards winners Rebecca Masson (Fluff Bake Bar) and Kaitlin Steets (Theodore Rex).

“I am so excited to have the James Beard Foundation in Houston,” Masson tells CultureMap. "I'm honored to be participating alongside some of our city's greatest chefs."

Houstonian Michelle Wallace (Gatlin's BBQ) and Phoenix chef Cassie Shortino will participate as representatives of the TasteTwenty, a group of 20 chef teams in 20 cities who are promoting the foundation's Good Food for Good initiative.

“It is an honor to be a member of James Beard Foundation’s TasteTwenty and have the opportunity to represent Houston’s incredible food community,” Wallace said in a statement. “I can’t wait to be together with Chef Cassie and all of the other participating Houston chefs to celebrate and share our food together with guests.”

In addition to enjoying the chefs' food, attendees will have a soundtrack provided by DJ Seek, aka Blood Bros. BBQ co-founder Robin Wong, and Input Output will present its interactive displays that combine light and sound.

The event is presented in partnership with Houston First and sponsored by Capital One. Tickets, priced at $175 for general admission and $225 for premier access (enter an hour earlier), are on sale now.

“We are grateful to our partners at Houston First for hosting the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America kick-off event. We are excited for Houston residents and visitors to experience the incredible culinary talent of our inaugural TasteTwenty chefs," said Siobhan Flaherty Haber, vice president of events at the James Beard Foundation. "By sharing their stories, we hope participants understand the importance of independent restaurants in their communities and are inspired to join our growing community of food lovers around the country, who are dedicated to creating a more sustainable food system for all."

Dawn Burrell.

Photo by Jenn Duncan

Dawn Burrell.

fundraisers news-you-can-eat

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.