chef on the move
Houston fine dining restaurant parts ways with longtime chef
Chef Kate McLean has parted ways with Tony's.
One of Houston’s highest profile fine dining restaurants has parted ways with its longtime chef. Kate McLean is no longer the executive chef at Tony’s.
A representative provided CultureMap with a statement from the Vallone family, who have owned and operated Tony’s for 60 years:
After a number of years at Tony’s, chef Kate McLean will be embarking on the next chapter of her journey. We wish her the best in her future endeavors. Our commitment to providing Houston with the finest dining experience remains unchanged, and we look forward to seeing our guests in the restaurant soon.
In a text message, McLane confirmed her departure but declined to comment on the circumstances. “I wish the family well,” she writes.
The sudden exit brings an abrupt end to McLean’s second stint at the Greenway Plaza restaurant. In 2013, at just 29, McLean assumed the title of chef de cuisine, making her the first woman that founder Tony Vallone hired to lead his kitchen. Ultimately, she earned a promotion to executive chef prior to her departure in 2017. Following Vallone's death in 2020, she returned in 2022 with the title of executive chef and partner.
Over the last three years, McLean has put her mark on Tony’s in a number of ways that seemed designed to broaden its appeal. She expanded the caviar program both in terms of its variety and how it was served. Diners celebrating special occasions would get cotton candy. More recently, Tony’s offered a summer special of half-off a table’s first bottle of wine — encouraging deep dives into the massive list — and ran baseball-themed specials for select Astros games.
While the restaurant undeniably has its fans, Tony’s doesn’t hold the same prestigious place among critics that it used to. The Houston Chronicle notably excluded the restaurant from its 2024 list of Houston’s top 100 restaurants. Similarly, it did not receive a place in the Michelin Guide.
Tony's has yet to announce McLane's replacement. As noted in its statement above, the Vallone family still intends to provide “Houston with the finest dining experience.” Dining enthusiasts will eagerly await who the family hires to lead the kitchen to achieve that goal.
