Aqui will shutter

Controversial chef Paul Qui will shutter his Montrose restaurant — but he's not leaving Houston

Aqui will close December 23.

Photo by Eric Sandler

Montrose restaurant Aqui will close December 23, chef-owner Paul Qui announced. Instead, Qui, chef de cuisine Jillian Bartolome, and general manager Adam Mathews will open a new concept focused on "Filipino bites" that will open in spring 2019 at a new location that has yet to be announced.

“Although it is bittersweet to close Aqui, our team is very excited for all the projects we have in store for Houston in 2019," Qui said in a statement. "Houston is our home and we are excited to continue to add to its rich culinary story.”

Even prior to its opening in August 2017, Aqui had been mired in controversy due to Qui's arrest in March 2016 on suspicion of two Class A misdemeanors: unlawful restraint and assault causing bodily injury to a family member. Although Caldwell County District Attorney Fred Weber ultimately dismissed the charges when the alleged victim, who was Qui's girlfriend at the time of the incident, "declined to participate as a witness," many people chose not to patronize the restaurant.

Despite that, the restaurant received considerable acclaim for its innovative mix of Thai, Japanese, and Filipino flavors. Bartolome earned a James Beard semifinalist nomination in the category of Best Pastry Chef and won this year's CultureMap Tastemaker Award in the same category. Chronicle critic Alison Cook awarded the restaurant four stars; she also published a companion essay defending the decision to review it at all.

Closing Aqui is only the latest setback for the chef. Qui, his Austin flagship, closed in August 2016, reopened as Kuneho in January 2017, and then closed for good in November 2017. Tacqui, a taco concept in Dallas, closed this year after less than six months in business.

Still, Qui seems determined to make a go of it in Houston. He and Bartolome will host a series of pop-ups to preview the new, unnamed concept. They're also inviting customers to make one last trip to Aqui before the closure. The restaurant will maintain its regular hours through December 9. After that, it will be open from December 12 to 16 and 19 to 23.

closings

on the block

Houston chef wins $20,000 at prestigious restaurant pitch competition

Photo by Eric Kleinberg

Ope Amosu poses with his $20,000 check

A high-flying Houston restaurant is once again basking in the national spotlight. Chef Ope Amosu of West African restaurant ChòpnBlọk won $20,000 at Utility, a “progressive, community-first hospitality trade show” that took place last weekend in Chicago.

The event’s Restaurant Pitch Competition provides financial support and increased visibility for independent restaurant concepts. ChòpnBlọk plans to use the money to grow “the concept's footprint and bring this cuisine to a national platform,” according to press materials. More than 100 restaurants submitted pitches to win the prize, which is sponsored by Chase.

Amosu impressed a panel of celebrity judges and hospitality experts that included TV host Andrew Zimmern, James Beard Award winner Alon Shaya, Top Chef season 15 winner Joe Flamm, Arjav Ezekiel, a James Beard Award-winning sommelier and co-owner of Austin’s acclaimed restaurant Birdie’s, and June Rodil, CEO of Houston's Goodnight Hospitality.

Of course, neither Amosu nor ChòpnBlọk are strangers to national attention. Recently named Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year in the 2026 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards, ChòpnBlọk has been named one of Esquire’s Best New Restaurants, received a two-star review in the New York Times, earned a Bib Gourmand designation from the Michelin Guide, and a 2026 James Beard Award finalist nomination for Best Chef: Texas.

Founded in 2024, Utility is a two-day conference that draws more than 1,500 attendees from across the country. In addition to the Restaurant Pitch Competition, it hosts panels created by the Independent Restaurant Coalition and the Houston-based Southern Smoke Foundation, chef throwdowns, a pastry showcase, and more. Attendees can also browse wares from more than 30 vendor selling everything from cookware, to technology, to footwear.

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