betting big on hot chicken

Houston-themed hot chicken restaurant boosted by major investment

Houston TX Hot Chicken is poised for major growth.

Courtesy of Savory Fund

A food-focused venture capital firm has made a major investment in a new restaurant. Houston TX Hot Chicken is the latest addition to Savory Fund’s portfolio.

Founded in Las Vegas by Edmond Barseghian, Houston TX Hot Chicken does hot chicken tenders that can also be served as sandwiches, salads, and loaded fries. Seven spices levels — everything from “no spice” to “Houston, we have a problem” — and eight dipping sauces, four of which are made fresh daily, meaning diners of all tastes will be able to find a favorite. Beverage options include milkshakes, beer, and cocktails.

Houston TX Hot Chicken food spread The restaurant serves hot chicken tenders at seven spices levels.Courtesy of Savory Fund

“This collaboration with Savory Fund transcends a merger; it signifies the harmonious convergence of two passionate forces, both driven by a shared vision of uncompromising excellence,” Barsegian said in a statement.

The investment will allow the restaurant, which has grown to 11 locations in six states (including a Houston-area location), to fund further expansion. Savory’s investment demonstrates that the company is bullish on the Nashville hot chicken trend.

“Savory has been monitoring this flavor segment for the past five years. We have met with and evaluated many brands attempting to do what HHC has already accomplished, and we are thrilled to make this strategic investment,” Andrew K. Smith, co-founder and managing partner of Savory Fund, added. “We are confident in HHC's potential to lead the Nashville hot chicken wave, particularly as we look toward franchising. Edmond and his team are ready to turn a local hotspot from Las Vegas into a national success story through additional corporate growth and franchising.”

Houston TX Hot Chicken joins a number of restaurants in Savory’s portfolio, including Austin pizza favorite Via 313, breakfast concept Hash Kitchen, and Hawaiian barbecue restaurant Mo’ Bettahs. Last year, the fund invested $1 million in Houston Vietnamese restaurant Saigon Hustle. Overall, the fund has more than $600 million in assets under management. Terms of the deal with Houston TX Hot Chicken were not disclosed.

As Smith said on a recent episode of CultureMap’s “What’s Eric Eating” podcast, the company has big plans for Houston. It has already opened one location of burger joint Pincho with multiple locations of Via 313, Hash Kitchen, and drive-thru beverage concept Swig on the way.

“It’s kind of a foodie town. You guys like to eat,” he said. “People enjoy eating out. It’s part of their lives. It’s part of their social interaction with friends and family members.”

More announcements could be coming soon. Smith added the fund is looking to invest in at least one Mexican concept, different Asian concepts, and a healthy-eating concept.

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the more things change

Houston's essential Jewish diner looks better than ever after refresh

Photo by Sergio Trevino

The dining room has more light than ever.

It’s tricky to renovate a restaurant that’s as essential to its community as New York Deli. A staple of Houston’s Jewish community for almost 50 years, the tiny restaurant near Meyerland will serve as many as 400 people during a busy Sunday brunch.

Still, the time had come, as the tape on the deteriorating banquettes and peeling wallpaper illustrated. With the restaurant’s lease up for renewal, co-owner Michael Saghian saw an opportunity for some updates.

“I couldn’t be the new guy who ruined the place by moving it,” he tells CultureMap. “We worked out a deal with the landlord [to stay] and did a big refresh.”

The most noticeable change is the removal of the restaurant’s front door and vestibule. Instead, diners enter through the restaurant’s companion bagel shop. Separate entrances made sense when the bagel shop was certified kosher by local religious authorities, but now that designation only applies to the Bellaire location that opened in 2020. Not only is the new setup easier for people with mobility issues to navigate, it allows more light into the dining room, brightening the place considerably..

Saghian and co-owner Riana Sherman worked with interior designer Erin Hicks on the refresh. Tables, chairs, and banquettes are all new, but the color scheme remains the same. The process yielded 10 more seats, and the furniture is a little more durable, too.

“People have flipped chairs because they’re so lightweight,” Sherman says. “We got a sturdier chair.”

Behind the scenes, an expanded kitchen allows for the restaurant’s cooks to work faster and more efficiently. An additional egg cooker should cut down the amount of time people wait for their food to arrive.

“The kitchen had one of everything. Now we have two of everything. We can pump out a lot more food,” Saghian says.

Photographs on the walls honor longtime customers such as the “bagel girls,” a group of woman who’ve eaten breakfast at the restaurant since the ‘80s. A piece of old wallpaper has been framed and hung on the wall, too, as a nod to the space’s history.

New York Deli interior changes Photographs on the walls honor longtime customers.Photo by Sergio Trevino

Photo by Sergio Trevino

The dining room has more light than ever.

Saghian says he suffered from sleepless nights as he worried about people’s reactions to the changes, but so far his customers have been effusive.

“It still feels like an old school diner,” Saghian says. “It has pieces you remember. Even the new stuff is old school.”

While the physical environment is new, the staff remains the same. To ensure he kept the same team of cooks and servers, Saghian paid their wages for the two weeks the restaurant was closed for renovations.

Even more importantly, the prices are the same. That’s something that will make even the oldest regulars happy.

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