We have a big celebration planned for folks in the Houston restaurant business – and for those who love and support them – as 2016 marks the 20th anniversary of the Houston Culinary Awards. Everything kicks off today!
Voting is now live on houstonculinaryawards.com, and tickets ($185) to the gala dinner and awards ceremony are now available for purchase. Among the changes we have made for the 20th anniversary is a move to a new venue. The gala dinner will be hosted at The Corinthian, one of the city’s most beautiful and exclusive event spaces, on Sunday, October 2.
The HCA dinner itself is always remarkable. Each year, we select a bartender and chef team of up-and-coming Houston stars – contemporary stand-outs who have taken home honors in previous years – and industry leaders who have helped put Houston on the national culinary map. Their job is to prepare cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a seated dinner for our guests (no pressure, right?) before the awards are announced. To see the 2016 bartender and chef line-up, click here.
Last year’s HCA bartender team
During the dessert service, we will begin to announce winners of the 10 Houston Culinary Awards and 13 Foodie Star Awards, voted on by the public during the month of August. (Voting ends August 31 at 11:59 pm.)
In addition to the 23 awards that Houston votes on, we have one other major annual honor. Each year an honoree is selected to receive a special award that celebrates his or her lifetime contribution to the local restaurant industry. This Legends of Houston Restaurants Award has been given to restaurateurs, wine educators, food writers, culinarians, innovators and philanthropists. Our 2016 Legends of Houston Restaurants Award will be presented to Felix Florez (photo below), founder of Black Hill Meats and Ranch to Kitchen (and partner at Ritual) for his work in creating awareness of heritage meats.
Florez was a familiar face for many years in Houston restaurants. He started out working for the Pappas family and Robert Del Grande’s Rio Ranch and continued to make a name for himself at Gravitas, Kraftsmen Baking, Benjy’s and, finally, Brennan’s of Houston, where he served as wine director. Before that, he was an Austin restaurateur for seven years. With Hollywood-style Texas grit, he left the white-tablecloth world for an even more labor-intensive career and began ranching full-time in 2010. His company, Black Hill Meats, provides humanely raised heritage meat to restaurants, while Ranch to Kitchen offers Houstonians the same high-quality meats delivered to their homes. He is also one of the local restaurant’s world’s outstanding philanthropists, donating meat to a variety of fundraisers.
Finally, we have a special announcement: New this year will be a generous gift by The Grant Gordon Foundation. In honor of Grant Gordon, a brilliant Houston chef who died too young, The Grant Gordon Initiative For Chefs, Inc. will award $5,000 to a Houston-area chef or individual in the hospitality industry who has gone through a crisis or hardship, be it due to an illness or other reason. To nominate a chef or individual, click here.
It will surely be an evening to remember, so don’t wait to buy tickets. Every year the HCA dinner sells out. Avoid disappointment and purchase now.
This year’s finalists are listed below. One of the few rules of the competition: A winner must take a five-year break before being nominated again in the same category. Want to see all of the winners from years past? Click here. Some categories go back to 1997.
PART 1: HOUSTON CULINARY AWARDS
RESTAURATEUR(S) OF THE YEAR
Agricole Hospitality (Revival Market, Coltivare, etc.)
Cherry Pie Hospitality (State Fare, Lee’s Fried Chicken & Donuts, etc.)
F.E.E.D. TX (Liberty Kitchen, BRC, etc.)
Gr8 Plate Hospitality (The Union Kitchen, Jax Grill, etc.)
Rick & Shiva Di Virgilio (Oporto, The Queen Vic, etc.)
Shepard Ross (Pax Americana)
Treadsack Group (Down House, Bernadine’s, etc.)
RECENT PAST WINNERS:
2011 HARRIS PAPPAS & CHRIS PAPPAS
2012 CHRIS SHEPHERD
2013 SETH SIEGEL-GARDNER & TERRENCE GALLIVAN
2014 TRACY VAUGHT
2015 Ronnie Killen
CHEF OF THE YEAR
Bobby Matos (State of Grace)
Danny Trace (Brennan’s)
Justin Yu (Oxheart)
Lyle Bento (Southern Goods, 60 Pioneers)
Richard Kaplan (Weights + Measures)
Richard Knight (Hunky Dory)
Terrence Gallivan & Seth Siegel-Gardner (The Pass & Provisions)
RECENT PAST WINNERS:
2011 HUGO ORTEGA
2012 RANDY EVANS
2013 BRANDI KEY
2014 RONNIE KILLEN
2015 Ryan pera
UP-AND-COMING CHEF OF THE YEAR
(age 35 or younger as of May 31, 2016)
Adam Dorris, 33 (Pax Americana)
Gary Ly, 35 (Underbelly)
Graham Laborde, 32 (Bernadine’s)
Joe Cervantez, 29 (Killen’s Steakhouse)
Omar Pereney, 22 (Peska Seafood Culture)
Vincent Huynh, 31 (Coltivare, Revival Market)
William Wright, 28 (Helen Greek Food and Wine)
RECENT PAST WINNERS:
2011 PHILIPPE GASTON
2012 MATT MARCUS
2013 LYLE BENTO
2014 TRAVIS LENIG
2015 Terrence Gallivan & Seth Siegel-Gardner
OUTSTANDING WINE PROGRAM
Brasserie 19
Camerata
Helen Greek Food and Wine
Hugo’s
Oxheart
Pax Americana
The Pass & Provisions
RECENT PAST WINNERS:
2011 BRENNAN’S OF HOUSTON
2012 13 CELSIUS
2013 MAX’S WINE DIVE
2014 PAPPAS BROS. STEAKHOUSE
2015 Underbelly
PASTRY CHEF OF THE YEAR
Alyssa Dole (Coltivare)
Chris Leung (Cloud 10 Creamery)
Julia Doran (Hunky Dory, Bernadine’s)
Karen Man (Oxheart)
Samantha Mendoza (Killen’s Steakhouse)
Susan Molzan (Petite Sweets)
Vanessa O’Donnell (Ooh La La, Katy)
RECENT PAST WINNERS:
2011 BOBBY JUCKER
2012 MONICA GLENN
2013 HEATH WENDELL
2014 ROY SHVARTZAPEL
2015 Rebecca Masson
OUTSTANDING BAR PROGRAM
Arnaldo Richards’ Picos
Backstreet Cafe
Canard
Captain Foxheart’s Bad News Bar & Spirit Lounge
Eight Row Flint
Reserve 101
Wooster’s Garden
RECENT PAST WINNERS:
2011 BRENNAN’S OF HOUSTON
2012 TRULUCK’S STEAK & STONE CRAB
2013 HUGO’S
2014 TRINITI
2015 Weights + Measures
SERVICE PERSON OF THE YEAR
(includes dining room managers)
Annie Balest (Vallone’s)
Arthur Mooradian (Del Frisco’s)
David Keck (Camerata)
Evan Turner (Helen Greek Food and Wine)
Jeb Stuart (Coltivare)
Sam Governale (Fleming’s, West Alabama location)
Shepard Ross (Pax Americana)
RECENT PAST WINNERS:
2011 HECTOR ANDRADE
2012 MATTHEW PRIDGEN
2013 MATTHEW HUNT
2014 MICHAEL FULMER
2015 Steven McDonald
HOUSTON CLASSIC
(a restaurant in business for 10 or more years)
Arnaldo Richards’ Picos
Benjy’s in the Village
Churrascos
Irma’s Original
Ouisie’s Table
Tony’s
Truluck’s
RECENT PAST WINNERS:
2011 NIKO NIKO’S
2012 NINFA’S ON NAVIGATION
2013 HUGO’S
2014 VIC & ANTHONY’S
2015 Backstreet cafe
BEST INTERIOR DESIGN
Caracol
The Kitchen at The Dunlavy
La Table
Peska Seafood Culture
SaltAir Seafood Kitchen
State of Grace
Steak 48
RECENT PAST WINNERS:
2011 BRENNAN’S OF HOUSTON
2012 AMÉRICAS (RIVER OAKS)
2013 BRENNER’S ON THE BAYOU
2014 LIBERTY KITCHEN & OYSTERETTE
2015 Weights + Measures
BEST NEW RESTAURANT
(must have opened since June 1, 2015)
Bernadine’s
Helen Greek Food and Wine
Hunky Dory
La Table
Southern Goods
State Fare Kitchen & Bar
State of Grace
RECENT PAST WINNERS:
2011 EL REAL TEX-MEX CAFE
2012 UCHI
2013 THE PASS & PROVISIONS
2014 LIBERTY KITCHEN & OYSTERETTE
2015 Holley’s seafood restaurant and oyster bar
PART 2: HOUSTON FOODIE STAR AWARDS
FAVORITE BAKERY
Dessert Gallery
Flo Paris Bakery
Fluff Bake Bar
Kraftsmen Bakery
Macaron (in La Table)
Moeller’s Bakery
Rustika Cafe & Bakery
recent PAST WINNERS:
2011 THREE BROTHERS BAKERY
2012 SLOW DOUGH BREAD CO.
2013 FRENCH GOURMET BAKERY & CAFE
2014 COMMON BOND
2015 Petite Sweets
FAVORITE BARBECUE
Burns Original BBQ
CorkScrew BBQ (Spring)
Pappa Charlies Barbeque
Pizzitola’s Bar-B-Cue
Roegels Barbecue Co.
Southern Goods
The Brisket House
recent PAST WINNERS:
2011 LULING CITY MARKET
2012 PAPPAS BAR-B-QUE
2013 GATLIN’S BBQ
2014 KILLEN’S BARBECUE
2015 Jackson Street bbq
FAVORITE BARTENDER
Chris Morris (Hunky Dory)
Judith Piotrowski (Pax Americana, Zimm’s)
Justin Ware (Johnny’s Gold Brick)
Kimberly Paul (Étoile)
Leslie Ross (Canard)
Monica Richards (Arnaldo Richards’ Picos)
Steven Salazar (Wooster’s Garden)
recent PAST WINNERS:
2011 JUSTIN BURROW
2012 BOBBY HEUGEL
2013 SHERIDAN FAY
2014 RICHARD MIDDLETON
2015 Terry williams
FAVORITE BREAKFAST
Blacksmith
Common Bond
Dish Society
Kenny & Ziggy’s
Marché (in La Table)
Revival Market
Tout Suite
recent PAST WINNERS
2011 THE BREAKFAST KLUB
2012 TINY BOXWOOD’S
2013 BARNABY’S
2014 AVALON DINER
2015 La guadalupana
FAVORITE BURGER
B&B Butchers & Restaurant
Fielding’s Wood Grill (The Woodlands)
Grafitti’s at Union Street
Hopdoddy Burger Bar
Hunky Dory
Jonathan’s The Rub
The Burger Joint
recent PAST WINNERS:
2011 HUBCAP GRILL
2012 BERNIE’S BURGER BUS
2013 LANKFORD GROCERY
2014 UNDERBELLY
2015 Pappas burgers
FAVORITE COFFEEHOUSE
Catalina Coffee
Greenway Coffee & Tea
Inversion Coffee House
Morningstar
Siphon Coffee
Southside Espresso
The Honeymoon Café & Bar
recent PAST WINNERS:
2011 BRASIL
2012 PAULIE’S
2013 BLACKSMITH
2014 REVIVAL MARKET
2015 Common bond
FAVORITE FARMERS’ MARKET VENDOR
(replaced Favorite Houston Food Blog as of 2014)
Animal Farm
Atkinson Farm
Gundermann Acres
Hattermann Poultry Farm
Sinfull Bakery
Texas Hill Country Olive Co.
Wood Duck Farm
PAST WINNERs:
2014 THE GRATEFUL BREAD
2015 Blue heron farm
FAVORITE FOOD TRUCK/CART
BBQ Godfather
Blood Bothers BBQ
Brooks’ Place, LLC
Cousins Maine Lobster
Craft Burger
Lucky Fig
The Rice Box
recent PAST WINNERS:
2011 EATSIE BOYS
2012 BERNIE’S BURGER BUS
2013 H-TOWN STREATS
2014 THE WAFFLE BUS
2015 Tacos tierra caliente
FAVORITE LATE NIGHT SPOT
(serves food past 11 pm)
Conservatory
Jinya Ramen
Mai’s
Pho Binh by Night
Spanish Flowers
Theo’s
Velvet Taco
recent PAST WINNERS:
2011 KATZ’S DELI
2012 BB’S CAFE MONTROSE
2013 THE HAY MERCHANT
2014 TACOS A GO-GO
2015 Weights + measures
FAVORITE MOM & POP ETHNIC
Cafe Piquet (Cuban)
Cafe TH (Vietnamese)
Cooking Girl (Chinese)
Fat Bao (Asian fusion)
Himalaya Restaurant (Pakistani)
Mala Sichuan (Chinese)
Pondicheri (Indian)
recent PAST WINNERS:
2011 NIKO NIKO’S
2012 MAI’S
2013 EL REY
2014 IRMA’S
2015 Arnaldo richards’ picos
FAVORITE OUTDOOR DINING
B&B Butchers
Batanga
Cafe Annie
Caracol
Hunky Dory
Punk’s Simple Southern Food
The Burger Joint
PAST WINNERS:
2011 BRENNER’S ON THE BAYOU
2012 TINY BOXWOOD’S
2013 BRENNAN’S OF HOUSTON
2014 RAINBOW LODGE
2015 The grove
FAVORITE PUB OR BAR
Eight Row Flint
Johnny’s Gold Brick
La Grange
Lei Low
Moving Sidewalk
Poison Girl
Reserve 101
PAST WINNERS:
2011 THE GINGER MAN
2012 THE HAY MERCHANT
2013 13 CELSIUS
2014 WEST ALABAMA ICE HOUSE
2015 Julep
FAVORITE SWEETS/ICE CREAM
Cacao & Cardamom
Fluff Bake Bar
Hugs & Donuts
Macaron (in La Table)
Michael’s Cookie Jar
Ooh La La
Petite Sweets