Web Extra: A Cook's Tour

In the April 2012 Taste department, we show you the new Houston diner’s guide by the editors of My Table magazine, The Ultimate Food Lover’s Guide to Houston, and give you a teaser to the city’s popular “Where the Chefs Eat” Culinary Tours.

The tours, which are hosted by some of the city’s most sought-after chefs, don’t visit the chef’s own restaurants. Instead, tour participants discover the mom-and-pop restaurants frequented by the chefs on their days off. Trust us—the tours are great fun and really open your eyes to the varied influences of Houston’s rich culinary scene.

As food writer and restaurateur Robb Walsh puts it: “The state of fusion cuisine in Houston is absolutely fascinating. We have places where you’ll find croissants stuffed with goat curry, pizza made with Indian tikka masala—Houston’s food scene is unique because of the many cultures that rub up against each other here.”

Tours are limited to 16 people each and cost $180. The price, which benefits the Houston Food Bank, includes plentiful tastings at each stop, luxury bus transportation, complimentary beverages by St. Arnold’s Brewing Company, and a gift bag. Tours sell out quickly, so if you see one you like, don’t hesitate. Jump on www.houstonculinarytours.com to sign up.

Upcoming tours include forays to Hong Kong City Mall, explorations of Long Point Road, excursions to some of the city’s top Indian restaurants and foods serving Southern comfort foods, a fall tour dedicated to Day of the Day festivities, a dessert trek, and an adventure in Vietnamese cuisine.

Next up on the schedule:

On April 22, “Crawfish with Chefs Mark Holley and Jonathan Jones.” Pesce’s Chef Mark Holley and Beaver’s Chef Jonathan Jones spotlight crawfish at two of the chefs’ favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurants, followed by a market trek to pick up supplies for a classic crawfish boil–and a cooking lesson.

On May 13, “Street Food with Chefs Jonathan Jones and Rebecca Masson.” The duo will showcase the places driving Houston’s food-truck trend, including a burger bus, a mobile Vietnamese pho truck, and a chef-driven, cartoon-covered van known for its globally inspired food and menu that changes daily.

On May 20, “Chef’s Day Off with Chefs Terrence Gallivan and Seth Siegel-Gardner.” You’ll visit the oldest ice house swing by a neighborhood grocer for supplies for a backyard-pig roast, and then see how the revelry unfolds.

—Lori Moffatt

From the June 2012 issue.

Order back issues