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Superstar Mexican chef returns to Houston via new 3-year partnership

A superstar Mexican chef is bringing a fresh perspective to a Houston restaurant. Pochitos Mariscos y Más will soon feature a new menu created by chef Aquiles Chávez.

$Pochitos Mariscos y M\u00e1s Aquiles Chavez$

Courtesy of Pochitos Mariscos y Más

Chef Aquiles Chávez will roll out his menu on September 3.

One of Mexico’s most prominent celebrity chefs, Chávez is known for his time as a judge on Top Chef Mexico as well as starring in shows such as Fox Life's El Toque de Aquiles, Aquilísimo, Motochefs, and Amazon Prime’s Sabores de Libertad. He opened Houston restaurant La Fisheria in 2012 before eventually parting ways with the restaurant.

Pochitos owner Juan Antonio Hernandez recruited Chávez for a three-year term. Beginning September 3, the chef will roll out a new menu that includes Gulf Coast fried seafood; grill and asado preparations; Cajun-influenced boiled seafood; Sinaloa- and Pacific-inspired cold dishes such as ceviches, aguachiles, and crudos; and Mexican-inspired sushi. Chávez will also oversee seasonal updates to the restaurant’s cocktail menu.

“Houston is one of those cities where so many cultures meet at the table, especially when it comes to seafood,” Chávez said in a statement. “We have an opportunity at Pochitos to bring together different techniques and traditions while keeping the food fun, generous and full of flavor. And because this is a three-year collaboration, we can keep evolving the menu and giving guests new reasons to come back.”

Open since 2024, Hernandez hopes bringing Chávez on board will make Pochitos a destination restaurant that draws diners from the inner loop as well as nearby suburbs such as Clear Lake and Webster. Other upgrades include new dining room seating, tables, and plateware; a dedicated kids’ menu; and fold-up windows to blend the restaurant’s indoor and outdoor environments.

Hernandez is the lead singer and composer for Houston Tejano/norteño group Obzesion. Aspects of that career have influenced Pochitos, such as its stage, DJ booth, and high-end AV equipment.

“I grew up in southeast Houston. This is home to me,” Hernandez added. “We could have taken this concept to another part of the city, but I kept coming back to one thought: why not here? Why shouldn’t this side of Houston have something people are willing to drive across the city to experience? I didn’t want Aquiles to come put his name on a handful of dishes and leave. I wanted him to challenge everything we were doing in the kitchen. That’s why we committed to this partnership.”

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Bernadine's Revived?

Houston chef takes flight with new Gulf Coast seafood spot in the Heights

Southern Smoke Festival 2022 Graham Laborde Paige Gallaspy Laborde

Photo by Emily Jaschke

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Everything old is new again for Graham Laborde. The chef, a co-owner of Midtown sandwich favorite Winnie’s, will open a new, Gulf Coast-inspired seafood restaurant in the Heights called Little Bird.

If that sounds familiar, it’s because Laborde once led Bernadine’s, a “love letter” to Gulf Coast cuisine that operated in the Heights from 2015 until 2017. While Little Bird is a distinct restaurant with its own identity, diners with a long enough memory will certainly see some commonalities between the two restaurants.

“I’m a firm believer in playing to my strengths, I don’t think any of the cooking I’ve done either at Bernadine’s or Winnie’s or Little Bird, which you’ll soon see, does anything but play to my strengths,” Laborde tells CultureMap. You can’t change who you are. This is the cuisine I know and love. It’s what I’m best at. I’m excited to do it.”

Laborde has claimed the former Flying Fish/The Kid space (1815 N. Durham) for Little Bird, which is just around the corner from where Bernadine’s used to be (it’s now Star Rover). Plans call for about 150 seats, private dining rooms, and an air-conditioned patio. Details include a hand-carved wooden oyster bar and a mural by Houston artists Whitney Garrett-Yarbrough and Dayle Booth.

The menu is still under development, but don’t be surprised if at least a couple of Bernadine’s dishes show up. “I’ve grown a lot over the last 10 years. I think that my style, my palate has grown a lot, too. The menu is a work in progress, but I’m excited to hammer it out,” he says.

Adding to the “getting the band back together” vibe are some of the people helping Laborde bring Little Bird to life. Julia Doran, who served as Bernadine’s pastry chef before a length stint at Nancy’s Hustle and Tiny Champions, is consulting on the dessert program. Chelsea Thomas, formerly Bernadine’s assistant general manager, will serve as general manager at the new restaurant (full disclosure: Thomas is a regular contributor to CultureMap’s “What’s Eric Eating” podcast). Bartender Justin Ware, director of operations for Winnie’s, Johnny’s Gold Brick, and Starduster Lounge, will oversee Little Bird’s beverage offerings.

The chef is excited to be back in the Heights, a neighborhood he knows well.

“I first moved to the Heights straight from New Orleans. I noticed Heights Blvd had a middle ground. It made the transition so much easier,” Laborde says. “I’ve lived in the Heights and Garden Oaks for 16 years. It’s my home. I’m thrilled to be back here.”

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