Oxheart closes in March

Justin Yu explains why he's closing Houston's best restaurant and what's next

Oxheart Restaurant interior diners kitchen

Oxheart will close March 17.

Photo by © Julie Soefer/Greater Houston Visitors and Convention Bureau

One of Houston's best restaurants announced on Friday that it will close in March. Not because it isn't popular, vibrant, or dynamic — the time had come for a change.

James Beard Award winner Justin Yu revealed in a blog post that he will close Oxheart on March 17, which is the restaurant's fifth anniversary. "Oddly enough, the decision wasn’t too hard to make," the chef writes.

"I want to be ahead of our own curve. I know regardless of what previous successes we’ve had, we can’t sit here and expect success with the same formula," he writes. Later, he adds, "Oxheart has changed; and, importantly, I have new goals and challenges I’d like to take on. So, as lucky as we’ve been to have survived more than the first 6 months of opening, I want to make a change."

Currently, Oxheart serves two different six-course tasting menus using rigorously-sourced local ingredients: one all vegetarian and one that includes a couple of meat dishes. In its place, Yu will open a new, still unnamed restaurant next May. Longtime sous chef Jason White will serve as chef de cuisine, which, as Yu notes, means he needs to "finally get over myself and trust someone else to run the kitchen."

The new restaurant will have a new name, new decor, and a new menu style. Yes, that's correct, the new restaurant won't serve a tasting menu.

In the blog post, Yu compares the work he and his business partner Karen Man put into opening Oxheart to decorating a college dorm room. Renovations to the space will make the new restaurant more efficient for its staff and more comfortable for its diners.

"This time I know what kind of stupid stuff I'm getting into," Yu writes in a text message. "Well, I think I know what I'm getting myself into." He describes the new restaurant's food as "more approachable without being any less ambitious" than what he's served at Oxheart.

Switching things up also will allow Yu to divide his time between the new project he's opening on Yale St. with Anvil owner Bobby Heugel, Public Services, the wine and whisky bar he co-owns with Oxheart sommelier Justin Vann, and Oxheart's replacement. Currently, he expects to spend his mornings in The Heights and his evenings downtown.

Since opening in 2012, Oxheart has emerged as one of Houston's highest profile restaurants. Yu has earned both a coveted Food & Wine Best New Chef award and the prestigious James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest for his work there. The restaurant has held the top spot on Chronicle critic Alison Cook's list of Houston's top 100 restaurants four out of the last five years. National writers including then New York Times critic Frank Bruni, Eater critic Bill Addison, and Washington Post critic Tom Sietsema have all praised it.

Whatever Oxheart becomes, one thing's for sure. Beginning March 18, the title of Houston's best restaurant will be up for grabs. Seeing who steps up to claim the title will be worth watching.

closings chefs the-heights

8 miles high

United and Chef's Table recruit top Houston chef for premium inflight meal

Courtesy of Thorough Fare

Chef Justin Yu will represent Houston on United flights.

United Airlines has a new initiative to lure travelers to fly its premium Polaris business class seating. Beginning August 1, travelers departing from 10 cities around the world — United hubs along with London, Tokyo, and São Paulo — may opt for meals created by some of the best chefs in the world through a new partnership with Chef’s Table, the acclaimed Netflix documentary series.

For flights departing from Houston, United and Chef’s Table recruited Justin Yu, the James Beard Award-winning chef behind Theodore Rex, a fine dining restaurant in downtown that holds a Bib Gourmand designation in the Michelin Guide. In addition, Yu and Bobby Heugel own Houston hospitality group Thorough Fare, which operates bars and restaurants including Anvil, Better Luck Tomorrow, Squable, and a new, still-unnamed restaurant in Montrose that’s slated to open this summer. A frequent traveler, Yu tells CultureMap that he jumped at the opportunity to work with United and Chef’s Table to create a premium meal that showcases Houston’s food scene.

“There’s always something slightly unexpected about Houston and its food,” Yu explains. “The choice of asking me to be the chef very much represents that. As a native Houstonian, I am very rooted in the city, but always with something slightly unexpected with our food.”

While the specific dishes won’t be revealed until closer to launch, Yu shared the creative direction that inspired his menu, which will include an appetizer, a salad, and an entree. Specifically, diners can expect to see Asian ingredients that reflect Houston’s diversity, just as they would on Theodore Rex’s menu.

“I wanted that slightly Texan touch. To me, the Houston part of it is the most important. There’s such a level of diversity. Introducing light touches of that to the meal was something I considered,” he says.

Part of the consideration was creating flavors that would hold up well when served at 30,000 feet. The meal also needs to match the level of luxury that Polaris offers.

“That use of ingredients that’s maybe something you don’t expect in an in-flight meal is something I thought about quite a bit. How do you introduce a deeper level of umami to the flavors, the possibility for a few local ingredients that are unique to the region.”

Being included in the project puts Yu in some pretty prestigious company. The roster includes Michelin star holders such as Nancy Silverton (Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles), Jenner Tomaska (Esmé in Chicago), David Barzelay (two-star Lazy Bear in San Francisco), and Tomos Parry, whose London restaurant Mountain Yu cites as the one he’s most personally excited to visit.

“Getting to know the other chefs has been really fantastic. I feel very blessed to be part of this project,” he says.

Travelers who fly in the Polaris class enjoy a number of amenities, including all-aisle-access seating, lie-flat beds, and premium bedding by Saks Fifth Avenue. Since last year, United has been updating the seats with larger entertainment screens, sliding privacy doors, and tech upgrades like Bluetooth, wireless charging, and USB-C power outlets.

"United's network spans many of the culinary capitals of the world, allowing us to authentically bring together acclaimed chefs from around the globe," said Andrew Nocella, chief commercial officer, United Airlines, in a statement. "Our collaboration with Chef's Table shows how we're leveraging our unique position as the world's largest airline* to deliver restaurant-quality moments in the sky. Our United Polaris international business class travelers are going to love the new dishes coming later this year."

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