If you’ve ever wondered where world-renowned, James Beard Award winning chefs go for grub in their downtime, you’re in luck. The same culinary geniuses that have topped endless ‘Best Of’ lists, graced the covers of Food & Wine and Bon Appetit and helped put Houston on the culinary map are now making it their mission to show residents and visitors the underbelly of the city’s foodie scene.
Forget the upscale restaurants—they aren’t the only things setting Houston apart from major epicurean cities like Chicago and San Francisco. This time around, it’s all about the small, independent, ethnic restaurants—whose recipes have been passed down from generation to generation—that set the city apart.
In conjunction with Whole Foods Market and the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, chefs Bryan Caswell (Reef, Little Bigs and Stella Sola), Marcus Davis (the breakfast klub and reggae hut), Mark Holley (Pesce), Randy Evans (Haven), Hugo Ortega (Hugo's and Backstreet Café), Monica Pope (t'afia and Beaver's), Chris Shepherd (Catalan) and Houston Press food writer Robb Walsh are launching culinary tours to showcase the restaurants, markets and neighborhoods that make Houston one of the most diverse culinary cities in the world.
With only 16 people per tour, the participants will gain intimate knowledge about the city: unexplored neighborhoods; undiscovered restaurants; and markets that contribute to the locally-driven menus of each chef.
Tours are $180 per person, which includes tastings at each stop, complimentary local Saint Arnold's beer, limo-bus transportation and gift bag. Ticket proceeds will benefit the Houston Food Bank. All details are online at www.houstonculinarytours.com.
New tours on sale in June 2010 at www.HoustonCulinaryTours.com.
