Tickets to the 2015 Houston Culinary Awards dinner on Sunday, October 4, are going fast. Well over half of the 320 tickets have already been sold, and there’s a reason for it. Of course we’re all anxious to see who wins Chef of the Year or Best New Restaurant, but we also can’t wait to taste what the impressive 2015 HCA chef team will bring to the table.
This year’s chef and bartender line-up includes Leslie Ross (Treadsack), Monica Richards (Picos), Travis Lenig (Liberty Kitchen & Oysterette), Brandi Key (Coppa, Punk’s Simple Southern Food, SaltAir Seafood Kitchen), Rocco Nankervis (The Oceanaire Seafood Room), Peter Garcia (El Meson), Kelly Boyd (Rainbow Lodge) and Alyssa Dole (Revival Market, Coltivare).
We asked each chef to answer a few questions about themselves, and we will publish their answers throughout the weeks leading up to the Houston Culinary Awards night. These are some of Houston’s finest restaurant talent.
We’re kicking off with one of our two featured bartenders, Leslie Ross, bar director of Treadsack.
Number of years you’ve been honing your craft? What was your first hospitality job?
14 years — I was a server at Saltgrass Steakhouse.
Who is/was your mentor in the restaurant business?
Chris Cusack [co-owner of the Treadsack group of restaurants and bars]
Favorite ingredient and/or culinary gadget you can’t live without?
Green Chartreuse! And a Jackson Cannon bar knife.
Your favorite Houston hole-in-the-wall?
Alice’s Tall Texan
Which restaurants and/or bars have you not yet visited, but are on your list?
Izakaya — the food looks amazing and the cocktails sound refreshing.
The best thing about my job is…
the people! I love, love, LOVE all of the people I get to meet and work with!
If I weren’t a _________ I would be _________.
If I weren’t a bartender I would be sad. I wouldn’t trade my job for anything.