FEAST FOR THE SENSES

Star chef hits high note with San Antonio Philharmonic collaboration

Johnny Hernandez, chef, La Fruteria, Mexican restaurant, February 2013

Johnny Hernandez is taking over the food and beverage at Scottish Rite Cathedral.

Johnny Hernandez Facebook

Famous Alamo City chef Johnny Hernandez’s career is hitting a high note thanks to a new partnership with the San Antonio Philharmonic. The local celebrity is creating a fresh food and beverage experience at downtown’s iconic Scottish Rite Cathedral.

According to a release, the collaboration is meant to complement performances in the classic revival temple. Although nothing is entirely set in stone, the joint venture will likely include dinner and show pairings, a Sunday brunch service, and foyer receptions.

Hernandez is also considering opening a gift shop filled with “gourmet items, curated wines, and culinary souvenirs inspired by the symphony and San Antonio culture,” according to the news alert. A cellar cocktail lounge might be open on nights without performances.

Speaking of drinks, Hernandez will up the ante on the venue’s beverage service with ultra-premium single-malt Scotch and a wine bar stocked with unexpected vintages. The original libations will be inspired by classical compositions.

The cocktails will be inspired by classical compositions.Photo courtesy of San Antonio Philharmonic.

“Food is a form of storytelling, just like music,” said San Antonio Philharmonic Executive Director Roberto Treviño in the release. “We are creating a space where both mediums can speak to the soul, celebrate heritage, and bring people together in meaningful ways.”

Hernandez has been busy recently, introducing a number of new projects. In April, he announced a collaboration between his Burgerteca brand and Blue Moon Mexican Restaurant. A food hall featuring Burgerteca, The Fruteria, and Southtown Coffee will open in 2026.

Hernandez will share details on the Philharmonic partnership during performances of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, Resurrection, taking place on Friday and Saturday, May 23 and 24. A few tickets, starting at $30.50, are still available.

“This partnership is about honoring the cultural spirit of San Antonio,” said Hernandez. “We’re not just serving food; we’re enhancing the way people experience music, architecture, and community.”

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Homegrown cinema

Buzzy new indie flick shines spotlight on San Antonio movie scene

San Antonio, filmmaker, Justin Rodriguez, Only Here a Little Longer, Kruz Malonado, Grace Haydn, film, movie

Courtesy Brave Pictures

San Antonio native Kruz Malonado and Grace Haydn star in “Only Here a Little Longer,” a newly debuted short feature movie written and directed by another San Antonian, Justin Rodriguez.

A San Antonio native has debuted a new feature movie that puts the Alamo City and lots of local talent in front of the camera. Justin Rodriguez wrote and directed Only Here a Little Longer, a locally produced drama that premiered in late May at Brick at Blue Star Arts.

The movie explores themes of identity, sacrifice, and home as it follows a young man, 18-year-old Sam Palacios, who is preparing to ship out to Vietnam. Kruz Malonado, another San Antonio native who is now starring as Peter Pan on Broadway, leads the cast.

This is the fourth short movie that has been written and directed by Rodriguez through his film production company, Brave Pictures. Rodriguez developed an early love for cinema during a childhood filled with visiting the neighborhood video rental store and watching movies on HBO with his mother.

"They were films I didn't really understand, but I loved," Rodriguez says.

Still, music was Rodriguez's gateway into filmmaking.

"I loved making music in my teenage years, and I eventually married the two ideas together," he explains. "I started making scores for other people's projects, then I eventually had the bright idea of writing my own films. The rest was history."

The filmmaker's fascination with the late '60s inspired Only Here a Little Longer's exploration of the impact of the Vietnam War draft.

"That's the part of history that has always interested me the most growing up. I always paid attention to that part in any classroom, so it's a dream to create characters of that era," Rodriguez says.

All of Rodriguez's movies have been shot and produced in San Antonio. While Rodriguez paid out of pocket to fund his first film, 2018's Lush, he applied for and landed grants that helped to fund his three other movies. Only Here a Little Longer was made possible in part through support from a grant awarded by the San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture.

"I love shooting in San Antonio, and I always have," Rodriguez says. "It's filled with amazing locations. Also, there's an incredible amount of talent here, and the pride everyone brings to the set is unmatched. There's a growing film movement in San Antonio, and this cast and crew are proof of that."

Moviemaker Magazine has noticed San Antonio's cinematic appeal. The city earlier this year announced that San Antonio, for a seventh straight year, made the magazine's "Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker" list.

As he sends off Only Here a Little Longer to the film festival circuit, Rodriguez said filmmaking, to him, remains hugely rewarding in different ways.

"Every single one of my projects, I am constantly learning more and more," he says. "Like a human on this earth, I will always be open to learning as I grow older and never think I have it all figured out. The same goes for filmmaking."

Film buffs can follow Brave Pictures' Instagram a ccount for news of Only Here a Little Longer's release.

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