CultureMap Exclusive

Controversial chef is out at a popular River Oaks restaurant, management insists parting is "amicable"

Chef Bruce Molzan is out at Corner Table, the River Oaks restaurant known for Paleo cuisine.

"Corner Table and chef Bruce Molzan have amicably parted decided to part ways," the restaurant said in a statement provided to CultureMap when asked about Mozlan's departure. "Both parties are excited about the adventures that lie ahead."

Molzan created a restaurant that's been extremely popular, if mostly dismissed by critics.

At Corner Table, Molzan pulled together some of the strains of his cooking that had been his signature at both Ruggles Grill and Ruggles Green. Corner Table is one of the few Houston restaurants to embrace the Paleo diet that emphasizes lean proteins, whole fruits and vegetable and minimal grains. For example, risotto is made with cauliflower instead of rice and noodles are made with spaghetti squash instead of flour. By providing a full menu of Paleo options, along with Ruggles-style service, Molzan created a restaurant that's been extremely popular, if mostly dismissed by food critics.

Corner Table also gave Molzan a fresh start when it opened in late December 2012. At Ruggles, he was dogged by accusations of improper labor practices including withholding tip money from employees, but no such employment-related controversies arose at the new venture. The restaurant has clashed with its neighbors over a lack of parking, as detailed in a report in the Houston Press.

What's next for Molzan is unclear at this time but an industry source has heard rumors that he's already on to his next project.

The Corner Table employee who first confirmed his departure to CultureMap declined to comment on his next move. Corner Table plans to announce a new chef on Wednesday.

Bruce Molzan has parted ways with Corner Table.

Bruce Molzan Corner Table chef with squash blossoms June 2014

Corner Table/Facebook

Bruce Molzan has parted ways with Corner Table.

chefs

Houston's smallest restaurant?

Michelin-recognized Houston sushi chef fires up 4-seat Japanese skewer spot

Courtesy of Sip & Skewer

Diners sit in front of chefs cooking on a grill.

The team behind one of Houston’s Michelin-recognized sushi restaurants is opening an intimate new izakaya. Sip & Skewer is the newest concept from Hidden Omakase owner Tuan Tran and chef Marcos Juarez.

Opening Friday, February 13, Sip & Skewer is a four-seat restaurant devoted to skewered meats that’s located within Sushi by Hidden, the group’s affordable omakase restaurant in Rice Village. At Sip & Skewer, diners sit across from the chefs as they cook a 10-course, $90 meal on a Japanese binchotan grill.

“Sip & Skewer is small, loud, and intentional. The kind of hidden experience you’d find in Tokyo,” Tran said. “And with Chef Marcos guiding the team at Sushi by Hidden, this space is getting new energy from every angle.”

A four-seat restaurant within a 10-seat restaurant might seem kind of superfluous, but Tran explains that it’s part of a larger plan for his group of restaurants, which also includes West U. hand roll restaurant Norigami. It also builds on the success of Hidden Omakase, the Galleria-area sushi counter that earned a Recommended designation in the Michelin Guide.

“Sip & Skewer is part of a larger vision. It’s designed as a stepping stone toward our next concept, Kōri, a new hand roll and craft cocktail bar opening in the Heights. Our plan is to open Sip & Skewer directly next to our hand roll spot, creating a small alley of Japanese concepts that feed into one another,” Tran explains.

“This allows us to build awareness, train our team in a new format, and introduce guests to Japanese charcoal grilling in a very personal way before we scale the idea into a larger setting with Kōri. The four-seat format keeps overhead extremely low while serving as a live test kitchen and brand builder for what’s coming next,” he adds.

On a related note, Juarez and the other chefs at Hidden Omakase are dividing their time between all three restaurants. Tuam explains that it’s a deliberate strategy to ensure a consistent customer experience.

“The same team that works Michelin-recognized omakase service also runs the grill here, which keeps quality and execution consistent while allowing the chefs a creative outlet in a very different format,” Tran said. “Because Sip & Skewer is only four seats and reservations only, it does not require a dedicated full-time staff. It’s an extension of the team rather than a separate operation.”