By Elisabeth Brigham By Elisabeth Brigham | May 17, 2024 | Food & Drink,
Sasha Grumman
While you might remember her from the hit Bravo TV show, Top Chef, we Houstonians know Sasha Grumman from her various H-Town feats and delicious meals that stole our hearts. Her impressive Houston resume includes being executive chef at the C. Baldwin Hotel and working with the Southern Smoke Foundation. She went on to create her own focaccia business, dubbed Sasha’s Focaccia and now owns SASS Hospitality—which offers private chef services and more.
Christine Ha
Christina Ha is the blind cook who won season three of Gordon Ramsay’s Master Chef, but her accolades do not stop there. The Texas native published her first cookbook, Recipes from My Home Kitchen (which went on to be a New York Times bestseller, we might add), and opened three different restaurants around the city. Her first restaurant, The Blind Goat, was named a semi-finalist for 2020 Best New Restaurant in America by the James Beard Foundation, and Ha was named a James Beard Finalist for Best Chef, Texas, in 2022 and a Semi-Finalist for Outstanding Chef in 2023 for her former restaurant, Xin Chào. If you’re craving her delicious food now, we recommend stopping by her latest culinary concept, Stuffed Belly.
Mark Clayton
Might we introduce Mark Clayton, Squable’s chef and partner—who recently earned a James Beard Nomination for Best Chef: Texas. Before Squable, Clayton worked for Yu at Oxheart and spent time with Agricole Hospitality. We simply can’t get enough of his savory dishes, and if you’re in the mood for refined European specialties, we recommend ordering favorites like the seared Ora King salmon with beurre blanc, grapes and sorrel, or the French cheeseburger made with a stout beef patty, raclette, butter, pickles and fries! Need we say more?
Tom Cunanan
If you’ve ever dined at Hermie’s, you know exactly why chef Tom Constantino Cunanan made the list. The 2019 James Beard Award Winning Chef specializes in progressive Filipino food that is both comforting and creative. If you’re looking to expand your palate, we suggest making a stop at POST Houston for a quick bite at his second culinary venture, Soy Pinoy, where he takes the reigns as partner and menu consultant. Our go-to order? The chicken BBQ skewers, lechón or if we’re craving a bit of everything, the Filipino tray. Dig in!
Chris Shepherd
If you want the 411 on Houston Eats, Chris Shepherd is your guy. Not only did he launch Southern Smoke Foundation—which provides heavily sought-after resources for F&B workers across the country—but he also serves up a melange of culinary happenings around the city. Tune into his weekly foodie episodes on KPRC-TV, Eat Like a Local, in the morning to discover hidden flavors among the city; indulge in his delicious meats and market provisions, Full Tilt Food (now available at NRG stadium); or take a page out of his cookbook, Cook Like a Local: Flavors That Can Change How You Cook and See the World: A Cookbook.
Evelyn Garcia
You guessed it, another James Beard Award Nominee. While chef Evelyn Garcia dabbles in all things food—think Top Chef season 19 and by KIN (a food and beverage line specializing in catering event production and products)—all eyes on are Jūn by Kin, her recently debuted restaurant with chef Henry Lu that snagged its spot as a 2024 James Beard Award Semifinalist for Best New Restaurant. The eatery specializes in the spectacular, boasting a menu full of funky flavors and versatile plates for the whole family. This is sure to be the spot of the summer, so we recommend securing a reservation quickly!
Suu Khin
For those seeking online inspiration, Suu Shin has you covered. The MasterChef: Legends runner-up steals the show with an aesthetically pleasing (and oh, so appetizing) feed filled with an array of Burmese bites. On her website, you’ll find a full page of recipes, pop-up information, and so much more.
Dawn Burrell
This former Olympian-turned-chef is no stranger to the big screen, having competed in Top Chef season 18 and the World All-Star season. We know her best from her James Beard Award Semifinalist Nomination for her work with Caribbean and Southern-influenced restaurant Kulture.
Photography by: Photo by Cavan Images / Will Milne/Getty Images
