Foodie News
Houston Chef's Table: Sugar hooker Rebecca Masson can't get enough of Catalan's"cake"
No one knows Houston restaurants better than the people who run them, own them, and work in the kitchens. In this continuing series, CultureMap is asking our favorite foodie personalities around town where they go for great eats when they're not working.
Known around town as the sugar fairy — or occasionally the sugar hooker — Rebecca Masson makes the most exquisite desserts this side of the Mississippi, as evidenced by a Houston Culinary Award for Best Pastry Chef and an underdog victory at the Houston Chowhounds' Shroom (mushrooms) Throwdown in February, earning a victory with a divine icebox pie with a porcini-chocolate crust, candy cap mushroom custard and toasted meringue.
After years of working at and consulting with some of the best restaurants in town, Masson's treats are available for order at trailerparkbetty@gmail.com. She talks to CultureMap about unconventional birthday cakes, burgers and brunch.
Restaurant for a special occasion: "Catalan. Chris Shepherd is my unofficial birthday cake maker. He makes me a candied pork butt with brown sugar and puts it on a platter with tongs sticking out. He's been making my cake for three years."
Favorite meal: "I am obsessed with the burger at BRC and the pickle jar. It is so good — greasy, but in a good way. And Yelapa is a close second, with the Mexican fried rice. I think (L.J. Wiley) puts kimchee in it. They tried to take it off the menu, but they got so many people asking for it they had to bring it back."
Breakfast/Brunch favorite: "The brunch at Beaver's is really good. Sometimes my family goes for the 99-cent mimosas at Rainbow Lodge, but usually we are more about the food."
Dessert: I like the cupcakes at Ooh La La. Vanessa (O'Donnell) makes really, really good cupcakes. It's amazing. And the vanilla cupcake with the milk chocolate frosting at Sprinkles is a really good cupcake. That's not a popular thing to say but I have to give credit for a good cupcake where I find one."
Other articles in the Houston Chef's Table Series: