A national publication that looks for rising stars in the food world has revealed its latest picks for Houston. In all, StarChefs is giving its Rising Stars Awards to 22 Houston chefs, restaurateurs, and beverage professionals.
Courtesy of StarChefs
Henry Lu and Evelyn Garcia of Jun.
The winners, listed below, constitute a mix of prominent names in Houston’s restaurant scene — including a James Beard Award winner, a Food & Wine Best New Chef whose restaurant holds a Michelin star, and at least 10 former winners of various CultureMap Tastemaker Awards — as well as promising culinary talent who may still be flying a little under the radar. In all, StarChefs conducted interviews and tastings with more than 100 chefs to determine its 22 winners. Ideally, the recognition leads to more national attention and paves the way for other awards such as James Beard nominations or Food & Wine Best New Chef.
“Houston’s hospitality scene thrives on collaboration instead of competition,” StarChefs managing partner Will Blunt said in a statement. “Houstonians spend a greater share of their food budgets in restaurants than residents of any other American city, fueling a community that resists homogenization — where smoke pits stand beside molinos, Gulf fisheries connect directly to the plate, and pioneering pop-ups push the industry forward. Together, they show how Houston is not only holding its own nationally but also reshaping what it means to be a modern American food and beverage city.”
This is the third time StarChefs has recognized Houston, joining classes in 2011 and 2019. Looking back, the organization has a pretty solid track record. The 2019 class includes Bobby Matos, who now oversees all four of Ford Fry’s Houston restaurants (State of Grace, La Lucha, Superica, and Little Rey); Tommy Ho, the general manager of Anvil and Refuge; and Nick Wong, whose new restaurant Agnes & Sherman is one of this year’s buzziest debuts. The 2011 class includes cornerstones of the Houston dining scene such as Manabu Horiuchi (Kata Robata and Katami), James Beard Award winner Chris Shepherd (Southern Smoke Foundation), and Bobby Heugel (Thorough Fare Hospitality).
StarChefs will celebrate its new class with a series of events that will be held from October 1-15. The magazine encourages Houstonians to visit the recognized restaurants and try signature items from each, such as the fried chicken at Jūn or the garlic chive pancakes at Street to Kitchen.
In addition to the winners, StarChefs has designated two bonus stops: Tribute at the Houstonian hotel and Moon Rabbit, a Vietnamese restaurant in the Heights. During the two-week celebration, StarChefs will donate $3 from every Bò Kho Dip sandwich sold at Moon Rabbit to Houston nonprofit PX Project.
2025 StarChefs Houston Rising Stars Award Winners
Chefs
- Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu of Jūn
- Joseph Boudreaux of Boo’s Burgers
- Benchwan Jabthong Painter of Street to Kitchen
- Christian Hernandez of Barbacana
- Lucas McKinney of Josephine’s
- Max Lappe and Jacques Varron of Baso
- Adrián Torres of Maximo
Restaurateurs
- Sara and Martin Stayer of Nobie’s, The Toasted Coconut, Nonno’s Family Pizza Tavern, and The Road to Nowhere
Game Changer
- Nicolas Vera of Casaema
Community
- Emmanuel Chavez of Tatemó
Concept
- Rafael Nasr of Craft Pita
- Ope Amosu of ChòpnBlọk
Bakers
- Maham Qureshi of Shakkar
- Van Teamer of Pudgy’s Fine Cookies
Bartender
- Kristine Nguyen of Bludorn
Pastry Chefs
- Marie Riddle of Bludorn Hospitality Group
- Micaela Victoria formerly of Goodnight Hospitality
Pitmaster
- Cooper Abercrombie of Bar-A-BBQ
Ice Cream Maker
- Josh Deleon of Underground Creamery
Mentor
- Justin Yu of Thorough Fare
