Go & Provisions star chef takes high toque in any respect Native Meals proprietor’s operations
Greatest identified for his time because the co-owner of The Go & Provisions, Siegel-Gardner additionally brings expertise working for celeb cooks Marcus Samuelsson and Gordon Ramsay. Most not too long ago, he’s served as culinary director for the Southern Smoke Basis. He’s additionally a co-owner of the Marfa Spirit Co. with Agricole Hospitality co-owner Morgan Weber and Josh Shepard.
Siegel-Gardner and Levit have labored collectively previously, together with in 2019 when the chef helped revamp the menu for Benjy’s restaurant in Rice Village. In his new function, he’ll work with the corporate’s present cooks, together with Native Meals chef-partner Dylan Murray, on all the pieces from menu improvement to staffing and HR. He’s additionally working with Levit on what he describes as “long run loopy concepts.”
What does that imply, chef?
“A really loopy thought is wanting to construct a gymnasium — wellness, meals, health — determining a manner we may get into that house,” he says.
What about opening a brand new restaurant of your personal that will construct on the legacy of The Go & Provisions, extensively thought of one among Houston’s greatest throughout its run from 2012-19?
“That’s all the time a chance. I’ve acquired one million concepts in my head of ideas I might like to do,” he says. “Loads of instances it’s a bit of extra strategic desirous about timing after which creating longevity for the idea. Wanting to construct iconic eating places as an alternative of flash within the pan eating places.”
Within the quick time period, he’s working with chef Tony Luhrman on the evolution of his Mexican restaurant El Topo into Maximo Canteen. As CultureMap reported this summer season, Luhrman partnered with Levit on the challenge, which was initially going to be known as Teshica. Though particulars are nonetheless being finalized, Siegel-Gardner does share a number of issues they’re engaged on for the restaurant.
“One of many largest pushes we’re giving Tony would be the manner it feels inside. We’re completely gutting it. It is going to be a distinct service model,” he says.
Plans additionally name for increasing the restaurant’s taco choices which might be made with heirloom corn tortillas. Particularly, Maximo will add fish tacos to El Topo’s present roster.
“I feel Berryhill left an enormous vacuum after they left city. I crave fish tacos on a regular basis,” he says. “We want an awesome place to do this. Tony is already making unimaginable tortillas. We have now nice relationships with Frixos (Chrisinis of Blue Horizon Wholesale Seafood) and different seafood distributors. Let’s get all these individuals collectively to personal that house a bit of bit.”
Whereas the chef’s each day involvement with Southern Smoke has come to an finish, he says he’ll all the time stay affiliated with the group. In direction of that finish, Eau Tour will serve a crispy pork rillette with champagne cane vinegar discount all through November; the restaurant will donate 100-percent of the dish’s proceeds to Southern Smoke. He’ll additionally proceed to take part in fundraiser reminiscent of one this week at Riel.
Eau Tour will serve these pork rilettes in November.Picture by Kent Domas
“Every time they want me, they know to select up the neon yellow Southern Smoke bat cellphone. I’ll all the time reply,” he says.
