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    What's Eric Eating Episodes 360 and 361

    Meet the live fire-loving chefs behind the hottest new restaurant in the Heights

    CultureMap Staff
    Mar 21, 2024 | 7:00 pm
    Baso restaurant chefs Max Lappe and Jacques Varon

    Chefs Max Lappe and Jacques Varon are this week's guests.

    Photo by Eric Sandler

    On this week’s episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” chefs Jacques Varon and Max Lappe join CultureMap editor Eric Sandler to discuss Baso. Located in the Heights, Baso is a Basque-inspired restaurant that prepares many of its dishes using a wood-fired hearth.



    The conversation begins with both chefs explaining their paths to professional cooking. Eventually, they worked together at Angler, a seafood restaurant in Los Angeles. When Varon decided to return to his hometown of Houston to open Baso, he recruited Lappe to join him.

    Baso has been building a following for the duo’s flavorful interpretation of Basque cuisine, including earning two CultureMap Tastemaker Award nominations for Best New Restaurant and Rising Star Chef of the Year. They discuss some of their popular dishes with Sandler, including their innovative caviar service, signature grilled pork chop, and roasted cabbage with lamb bacon. Sandler asks how they stay motivated when they've received so much attention so quickly.

    “I get a lot of motivation from my friends at these Nordic restaurants or Japanese restaurants I’ve worked in. They say, you have to keep pushing the boundaries. If you don’t, people get bored, and you become another Chili’s. Keeping people on their toes makes me happy,” Varon says.

    “Like Jacques was saying, I never trust when anyone says anything is good. It kind of freaks me out. I think, why is everyone lying to me? Why is everyone nodding their heads? I don’t believe it,” Lappe adds. “I don’t see us stopping pushing any time. I know we have a really long way to go. I think we’re alright for being new, but I won’t be okay with where we’re at a month down the line.”

    On this week’s other episode, Sandler and co-host Monica Danna discuss the news of the week. Their topics include: chef Alex Padilla announcing his departure from The Original Ninfa’s; Chicago restaurant Portillo’s plans to open two Houston-area locations; and the opening of High Five Mini Bar at the Stomping Grounds in Garden Oaks.



    In the restaurants of the week segment, Danna and Sandler discuss their recent meal at PostScript, the female-focused Upper Kirby restaurant that features a menu created by Houston chef Bryan Caswell. They share thoughts on its very pink interior as well as some of their favorite dishes. From there, they turn to a recent meal at Le Jardinier, the New York-based French fine dining restaurant at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

    -----

    Subscribe to "What's Eric Eating" on Apple podcasts, Google Play, or Spotify. Listen to it Sunday at 9 am on ESPN 97.5.

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    drew be goode

    New pitmaster brings top 50 cred to historic Houston barbecue joint

    Eric Sandler
    Aug 21, 2026 | 10:30 am
    Goode Co Barbecue Drew Lindsey pitmaster
    Photo by Brian Kennedy
    Drew Lindsey is Goode Co.'s new multi-unit pitmaster.

    One of Houston’s oldest barbecue joints has brought in fresh talent to oversee its operations. Drew Lindsey is the new Multi-Unit Pitmaster for Goode Co. Barbeque.

    Lindsey brings an impressive resume to his role. His career began at the Austin location of Michelin-recommended Terry Black’s Barbecue and also includes stops at Hurtado Barbecue (Arlington) and Dayne’s Craft Barbecue, the Fort Worth-area restaurant ranked No. 7 on Texas Monthly’s 2025 list of the state’s 50 best barbecue joints. Now, he’s responsible for ensuring consistency across Goode Co. Barbecue’s three locations and developing new menu items.

    Still, Lindsey’s role isn’t to rock the boat. Instead, he tells CultureMap he’s simply looking to refine what the restaurant has been doing since 1977.

    “I was drawn to Goode Co because of its rich history, the deep roots that Jim Goode planted in the Houston area back in 1977,” Lindsey says. “Being able to contribute to that legacy while continuing to grow as a pitmaster and leader was an opportunity that really stood out for me. It’s about projecting the craft and developing people, making sure that no matter which location a guest visits they receive the great quality barbecue that Goode Co. represents.”

    He notes that one way Goode Co.’s brisket is different from places he’s worked previously is its seasonings, which adds a few more ingredients to the familiar mix of salt and pepper that’s the standard in Central Texas-style barbecue.

    “The way that I would describe it is Southeast Texas barbecue with a little bit of Texicana, like Mexico-style barbecue.” Later, he adds, “I like that there’s a little more flavor in the rub itself for brisket.”

    Another of Lindsey’s roles is developing new menu items and tweaking some of the restaurant’s existing dishes. For example, Goode Co.’s pork ribs are now finished with an agave glaze.

    “One thing I’ve been working on a is a tequila-lime glaze pork belly burnt end,” he says. “They’re seasoned with black pepper and Mexican seasoned salt then dunked into a tequila lime glaze — nice, thick, one inch cube of pork belly.”

    Diners will find these and other items on a bi-weekly features menu that’s served every Thursday through Sunday. Available from open until sold out, the current menu includes pulled pork, jalapeno-cheddar sausage link, and green chile pimento cheese dip with Ritz firecrackers.

    Lindsey says he’s still getting to know Houston’s barbecue scene. So far, he’s tried Tejas Chocolate + Barbecue in Tomball and Truth BBQ, but he has plans to sample more broadly.

    “Khoi Barbecue is one I want to try. I love the fusion of Asian cuisine with Central Texas-style barbecue,” he says.

    Goode Co Barbecue Drew Lindsey pitmaster

    Photo by Brian Kennedy

    Drew Lindsey is Goode Co.'s new multi-unit pitmaster.

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