Some 350 of Houston’s culinary stars gathered in the ballroom of The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa last evening (Sunday, October 5) for My Table magazine’s 18th Annual Houston Culinary Awards.
The gala evening was hosted by Teresa Byrne-Dodge, publisher/editor of My Table magazine, emceed by St. John Flynn of Houston Public Media and presented by Reliant, an NRG company. Houston’s top chefs, restaurateurs, bartenders, farmers’ market vendors, bakers, wine pros, food truck owners and passionate foodies gathered to honor winners of the 2014 Houston Culinary Awards, which included a special tribute to Houston Chronicle food critic Alison Cook, recipient of the 16th Legend of Houston Restaurants Award.
A portion of the evening’s proceeds benefited the Houston Food Bank.
Finalists and winners of the 2014 Houston Culinary Awards are shown below, with the winners bolded in red. Past winners are also shown. We are hoping to get photos from the event soon! Check our Facebook page for updates.
PART I: HOUSTON CULINARY AWARDS
RESTAURATEUR OF THE YEAR
Michael Cordúa (Americas, Artista, Churrascos)
Laurenzo Family (Laurenzo’s, El Tiempo)
Paul Petronella (Paulie’s, Camerata, OKRA)
Shepard Ross (Brooklyn Athletic Club, Glass Wall)
Claire Smith (Canopy, Shade)
Tony Vallone (Tony’s, Ciao Bello, Vallone’s)
Tracy Vaught (Backstreet Cafe, Hugo’s, Caracol)
Recent PAST WINNERS:
2009 James Silk, Meagan Silk & Richard Knight
2010 Alex Brennan-Martin
2011 Harris Pappas & Chris Pappas
2012 Chris Shepherd
2013 Seth Siegel-Gardner & Terrence Gallivan
CHEF OF THE YEAR
Charles Clark (Ibiza)
Ryan Hildebrand (Triniti)
Manabu Horiuchi (Kata Robata)
Ronnie Killen (Killen’s Steakhouse, Killen’s Barbecue)
Bobby Matos (Ciao Bello)
Ryan Pera (Coltivare, Revival Market)
John Sheely (Mockingbird Bistro)
Recent PAST WINNERS:
2009 Monica Pope
2010 Chris Shepherd
2011 Hugo Ortega
2012 Randy Evans
2013 Brandi Key
UP-AND-COMING CHEF OF THE YEAR
(age 35 or younger )
Kaz Edwards, 33 (Uchi)
Patrick Feges, 29 (Killen’s Barbecue)
Travis Lenig, 33 (Liberty Kitchen & Oysterette)
Kate McLean, 29 (Tony’s)
Amalia Pferd, 30 (Good Dog Hot Dog)
Austin Simmons, 27 (Hubbell & Hudson)
Justin Yu, 29 (Oxheart)
Recent PAST WINNERS:
2009 Jose Luis Vela
2010 David Cordúa
2011 Philippe Gaston
2012 Matt Marcus
2013 Lyle Bento
OUTSTANDING WINE SERVICE
60° Mastercrafted
Brasserie 19
Camerata
Coppa Ristorante
Glass Wall
Pappas Bros. Steakhouse
The Pass & Provisions
Recent PAST WINNERS:
2009 Backstreet Cafe
2010 The Tasting Room
2011 Brennan’s of Houston
2012 13 Celsius
2013 Max’s Wine Dive
PASTRY CHEF OF THE YEAR
(includes bread makers)
Sara Brook (The Dessert Gallery)
Rebecca Masson (Fluff Bake Bar)
Susan Molzan (Petite Sweets)
Vanessa O’Donnell (Ooh La La, Katy)
Roy Shvartzapel (Common Bond)
Jody Stevens (Jodycakes)
Samantha Thompson (Tiny Boxwood’s)
Recent past winners:
2009 Katie Leggett
2010 Ruben Ortega
2011 Bobby Jucker
2012 Monica Glenn
2013 Heath Wendell
OUTSTANDING BAR SERVICE
Camerata at Paulie’s
Captain Foxheart’s Bad News Bar
El Big Bad
Goro & Gun (now Moving Sidewalk)
Mongoose Versus Cobra
The Original OKRA Charity Saloon
Triniti
Recent past winners:
2009 Anvil Bar & Refuge
2010 Capital Grille
2011 Brennan’s of Houston
2012 Truluck’s Steak & Stone Crab
2013 Hugo’s
SERVICE PERSON OF THE YEAR
(includes dining room managers)
Brandon Busch (La Griglia)
Michael Fulmer (Triniti)
David Keck (Camerata)
Arthur Mooradian (Del Frisco’s)
Tim Neely (Rainbow Lodge)
David Orchard (Vic & Anthony’s)
Shepard Ross (Brooklyn Athletic Club)
Recent past winners:
2009 Mark “Bubba” St. Cyr
2010 Sean Beck
2011 Hector Andrade
2012 Matthew Pridgen
2013 Matthew Hunt
HOUSTON CLASSIC
(a restaurant in business for 10 or more years)
Barbecue Inn
Damian’s
Irma’s
Ouisie’s Table
Pico’s Mex-Mex
Rainbow Lodge
Vic & Anthony’s
Recent past winners:
2009 Goode Co. Texas Barbeque
2010 Carrabba’s
2011 Niko Niko’s
2012 Ninfa’s On Navigation
2013 Hugo’s
BEST INTERIOR DESIGN
Artisans
Brasserie 19
Caracol
El Big Bad
Liberty Kitchen & Oysterette
Nara
Triniti
Recent past winners:
2009 Mark’s American Cuisine
2010 Américas (The Woodlands)
2011 Brennan’s of Houston
2012 Américas (River Oaks)
2013 Brenner’s on the Bayou
BEST NEW RESTAURANT
(must have opened since June 1, 2013)
60° Mastercrafted
Andes Cafe
Caracol
Coltivare
Common Bond
Liberty Kitchen & Oysterette
Nara
Recent past winners:
2009 Benjy’s on Washington
2010 Haven
2011 El Real Tex-Mex Cafe
2012 Uchi
2013 The Pass & Provisions
PART II: HOUSTON FOODIE STAR AWARDS
FAVORITE BAKERY
Common Bond
Drew’s Pastry Place
El Bolillo
Kraftsmen Baking
Ruggles Cafe Bakery
Rustika Cafe & Bakery
Take the Cake
past winners:
2010 French Riviera Bakery & Cafe
2011 Three Brothers Bakery
2012 Slow Dough Bread Co.
2013 French Gourmet Bakery & Cafe
FAVORITE BARBECUE
Beaver’s
Brooks’ Place BBQ
Corkscrew BBQ
Killen’s Barbecue
Pizzitola’s Bar-B-Que
Ray’s Real Pit BBQ Shack
The Brisket House
past winners:
2010 Goode Co. Texas Barbeque
2011 Luling City Market
2012 Pappas Bar-B-Que
2013 Gatlin’s BBQ
FAVORITE BARTENDER
Lindsay Burleson (Poison Girl, Little Dipper)
Alex Gregg (now of moving Sidewalk)
Alba Huerta (The Clumsy Butcher Group)
Richard Middleton (Brennan’s)
Jeremy Olivier (Down House)
Brandon Ricks (Bad News Bar)
Leslie Ross & Laurie Harvey (Triniti)
past winners:
2010 Sean Beck
2011 Justin Burrow
2012 Bobby Heugel
2013 Sheridan Fay
FAVORITE BREAKFAST
Avalon Diner
Blacksmith
Common Bond
Eatsie Boys Cafe
Kenny & Ziggy’s
Ouisie’s Table
Revival Market
past winners
2010 The Buffalo Grille
2011 The Breakfast Klub
2012 Tiny Boxwood’s
2013 Barnaby’s
FAVORITE BURGER
Brooklyn Athletic Club
Fielding’s Wood Grill
Jonathan’s The Rub
Mockingbird Bistro
Petrol Station
Underbelly
Vic & Anthony’s
past winners:
2010 Becks Prime
2011 Hubcap Grill
2012 Bernie’s Burger Bus
2013 Lankford Grocery
FAVORITE COFFEEHOUSE
Antidote Coffee
Boomtown Coffee
Catalina Coffee
Double Trouble Caffeine & Cocktails
Greenway Coffee & Tea
Revival Market
Southside Espresso
past winners:
2010 Empire Cafe
2011 Brasil
2012 Paulie’s
2013 Blacksmith
FAVORITE FARMERS’ MARKET VENDOR
(a new category as of 2014)
Animal Farm
Atkinson Farm
Blue Heron Farm
Plant It Forward Farms
Swede Family Dairy
The Grateful Bread
Wood Duck Farm
FAVORITE FOOD TRUCK/CART
Flip-n-Patties
Mélange Creperie
Monster PB&J
Phamily Bites
Pi Pizza
Tacos Tierra Caliente
The Waffle Bus
past winners:
2010 Little Miss Cupcake
2011 Eatsie Boys
2012 Bernie’s Burger Bus
2013 H-Town StrEATS
FAVORITE LATE NIGHT SPOT
(serves food after 11 pm)
Chacho’s
Dot Coffee Shop
Hollywood’s Vietnamese & Chinese
Little Big’s
Pho Binh by Night
Spanish Flowers
Tacos a Go-Go
past winners:
2010 House of Pies
2011 Katz’s Deli
2012 BB’s Cafe Montrose
2013 The Hay Merchant
FAVORITE MOM & POP ETHNIC
Aladdin (Mideastern)
Cafe Pita+ (Bosnian)
Cafe TH (Vietnamese)
Himalaya Restaurant (Pakistani)
Irma’s (Mexican)
Pollo Bravo (Peruvian)
Pondicheri (Indian)
past winners:
2010 Fadi’s Mediterranean Grill
2011 Niko Niko’s
2012 Mai’s
2013 El Rey
FAVORITE OUTDOOR DINING
Artista
Brooklyn Athletic Club
Eleven XI
Punk’s Simple Southern Food
Rainbow Lodge
RDG + Bar Annie
The Grove
past winners:
2010 Backstreet Cafe
2011 Brenner’s on the Bayou
2012 Tiny Boxwood’s
2013 Brennan’s of Houston
FAVORITE PUB OR BAR
Captain Foxheart’s Bad News Bar
D&T Drive-Inn
Liberty Station
Mongoose Versus Cobra
Original OKRA Charity Saloon
The Pastry War
West Alabama Ice House
past winners:
2010 Anvil Bar & Refuge
2011 The Ginger Man
2012 The Hay Merchant
2013 13 Celsius
FAVORITE SUPERMARKET
99 Ranch Market
Canino’s Produce Market
Heights General Store
Local Foods
Revival Market
Super H Mart
Trader Joe’s
past winners:
2010 Central Market
2011 H-E-B
2012 Whole Foods
2013 Phoenicia
FAVORITE SWEETS/ICE CREAM
Cloud 10 Creamery
Common Bond
Eatsie Boys Cafe
Fat Cat Creamery
Fluff Bake Bar
Mam’s House of Ice
Petite Sweets
past winners:
2010 The Chocolate Bar
2011 Amy’s Ice Cream
2012 Hank’s Ice Cream Parlor
2013 Crave Cupcakes
FAVORITE WINE SELLER
13 Celsius
Camerata
D&Q The Beer Station
French Country Wines
Plonk
Sonoma Retail Wine Bar & Restaurant
Vine Wine Room
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