Foodie News

Food Network Star is opening a new Houston restaurant — and bringing Guy Fieri along to party

Food Network Star runner-up Susie Jimenez is trading the Rocky Mountain air for the Houston humidity as construction continues on Trenza — her forthcoming West Ave restaurant that will bring together Indian and Latin American cuisine.

"I'm excited about becoming a part-time Houston resident," the 32-year-old Aspen chef tells CultureMap over the phone during a quick lunch break at soon-to-be-neighbor Pondicheri. "I've been coming here on business for about a year now and I've absolutely fallen for the city."

"Aspen doesn't get it in a lot of ways. Houston, though, has this great economy and all of these friendly foodies ready for new ideas."

Though based in Colorado for the last decade, Jimenez says the strong Space City food scene was a major draw for her to launch her first restaurant.

"Aspen doesn't get it in a lot of ways," she laughs. "Houston, though, has this great economy and all of these friendly foodies ready for new ideas. I decided to just take a chance."

Trenza is set to open in September with an all-star launch party which Jimenez hopes will include Food Network celebs like Guy Fieri. She notes that Fieri is a friend and invited, but he isn't 100-percent certain his schedule will allow him to attend yet.

Jimenez already has sketched out an intriguing preliminary menu for her new restaurant, featuring dishes like chicken tikka masala enchiladas and sopes with lamb vindaloo.

"My family is from Mexico, so I grew up cooking very traditional Mexican food with my grandmother and mother," she says. "But when I finished culinary school, I started incorporating flavors and techniques from around the world into these dishes. There's actually more in common than you'd realize.

"In India, there's curry. In Mexico, there's mole. It's really the same concept just with different flavors."

A California native who grew up traveling the West Coast harvesting routes with her family, Jimenez says the restaurant marks a major personal milestone in her life and career.

"I came from picking cherries and worked my butt off for other people my entire life. Now I'm working for myself and feel like the sky's the limit. Why stop now, right?"

Susie Jimenez

FoodNetwork.com

Susie Jimenez

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Bernadine's Revived?

Houston chef takes flight with new Gulf Coast seafood spot in the Heights

Southern Smoke Festival 2022 Graham Laborde Paige Gallaspy Laborde

Photo by Emily Jaschke

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Everything old is new again for Graham Laborde. The chef, a co-owner of Midtown sandwich favorite Winnie’s, will open a new, Gulf Coast-inspired seafood restaurant in the Heights called Little Bird.

If that sounds familiar, it’s because Laborde once led Bernadine’s, a “love letter” to Gulf Coast cuisine that operated in the Heights from 2015 until 2017. While Little Bird is a distinct restaurant with its own identity, diners with a long enough memory will certainly see some commonalities between the two restaurants.

“I’m a firm believer in playing to my strengths, I don’t think any of the cooking I’ve done either at Bernadine’s or Winnie’s or Little Bird, which you’ll soon see, does anything but play to my strengths,” Laborde tells CultureMap. You can’t change who you are. This is the cuisine I know and love. It’s what I’m best at. I’m excited to do it.”

Laborde has claimed the former Flying Fish/The Kid space (1815 N. Durham) for Little Bird, which is just around the corner from where Bernadine’s used to be (it’s now Star Rover). Plans call for about 150 seats, private dining rooms, and an air-conditioned patio. Details include a hand-carved wooden oyster bar and a mural by Houston artists Whitney Garrett-Yarbrough and Dayle Booth.

The menu is still under development, but don’t be surprised if at least a couple of Bernadine’s dishes show up. “I’ve grown a lot over the last 10 years. I think that my style, my palate has grown a lot, too. The menu is a work in progress, but I’m excited to hammer it out,” he says.

Adding to the “getting the band back together” vibe are some of the people helping Laborde bring Little Bird to life. Julia Doran, who served as Bernadine’s pastry chef before a length stint at Nancy’s Hustle and Tiny Champions, is consulting on the dessert program. Chelsea Thomas, formerly Bernadine’s assistant general manager, will serve as general manager at the new restaurant (full disclosure: Thomas is a regular contributor to CultureMap’s “What’s Eric Eating” podcast). Bartender Justin Ware, director of operations for Winnie’s, Johnny’s Gold Brick, and Starduster Lounge, will oversee Little Bird’s beverage offerings.

The chef is excited to be back in the Heights, a neighborhood he knows well.

“I first moved to the Heights straight from New Orleans. I noticed Heights Blvd had a middle ground. It made the transition so much easier,” Laborde says. “I’ve lived in the Heights and Garden Oaks for 16 years. It’s my home. I’m thrilled to be back here.”

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