Honor roll

5 San Antonio superstars named among restaurant industry best

Pieter Sypesteyn from The Cookhouse was among the lauded.

Photo courtesy of StarChefs

We all know the Austin and San Antonio culinary scenes are among the most exciting in the nation, but far too seldom do industry professionals have the opportunity to honor their own.

That’s why the StarChefs Rising Stars Awards are held in such esteem. The restaurant industry magazine selected the winners after meeting with over 100 chefs, pastry chefs, bartenders, artisans, and sommeliers in both cities before deciding who got the nod.

On Thursday, November 9, the magazine announced the honorees for this year's class of Rising Stars — a group of chefs and other hospitality pros who are at the forefront of our nation's dining culture.

The winners will be celebrated at a lavish, open-to-the-public ceremony and tasting to be held December 13 at Fair Market, featuring signature bites and sips from their restaurants. Considering it's the first time StarChefs has made a stop in the region since 2012, this is definitely a party food obsessives will not want to miss — especially the VIP private reception with Sturia Caviar.

Buried in the announcement was another food news tidbit: Chef Damien Brockway, who left Counter 3. Five. VII at the end of October, is listed as working with P6, one of the restaurants that will be opening when the downtown Radisson reopens as The Line ATX.

The list of winners and the featured dishes and drinks they will be serving at the gala includes:

Chefs
Tatsu Aikawa (Kemuri Tatsu-Ya — Austin)
Featured dish: BBQ Tsukemen Ramen: smoked brisket, pork broth, black garlic, smoked jalapeño, soft egg
Adam Brick (Vino Vino — Austin)
Featured dish: James Brown's heirloom corn crepe, hominy, sweet corn, Jimmy Red grits, sweet corn butter, roasted farm chile, epazote, hoja santa, black garlic-huitlacoche puree, and shaved serranos
Damien Brockway (P6 at the Line ATX — Austin)
Featured dish: Kanpachi, lemon, koji, native sunflower
Kevin Fink and Page Pressley (Emmer & Rye — Austin)
Featured dish: White Sonora gondolini, ricotta, tomato water, basil
Michael Fojtasek (Olamaie — Austin)
Featured dish: Boiled peanuts, benne oil honey mustard, buttermilk, Austrian green pea hummus
Max Snyder (Pitchfork Pretty — Austin)
Featured dish: Yucca dumpling, Oaxaca cheese, red radish escabeche, coconut oil

Pastry Chefs
Tavel Bristol-Joseph (Emmer & Rye — Austin)
Featured dish: Chocolate-cheddar tart, orange marmalade, candied pecans, dried berries
Daniela Herrera (Counter 3. Five. VII. — Austin)
Featured dish: Popcorn ice cream, caramel, cheddar snow, Sturia caviar, black lime

Artisans
Bryan Butler and Ben Runkle (Salt & Time — Austin)
Featured dish: Salumi board featuring desert oregano salami
Joe Mohrfield (Pinthouse Pizza — Austin)
Featured beer: Electric Jellyfish IPA
Clancy Rose (Wild Gift — Austin)
Featured drinks: Ethiopian natural process coffee and a coffee cocktail featuring Grey Goose vodka
Miguel Vidal (Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ — Austin)
Featured dish: The Real Deal Holyfield brisket taco

Bartenders
Madelyn Kay (VOX Table — Austin)
Featured cocktail: Blueberry Yum Yum: Botanist gin, Olorosso sherry, Bols genever, blueberry-rooibos claret syrup, citrus, Bolivar bitters, salt
Benjamin Krick (Juniper Tar — San Antonio)
Featured cocktail: Portuguese gin and tonic: White port, Broker's gin, lime cordial, Fever Tree Indian tonic

Restaurateur
Chad Carey (Empty Stomach Group — San Antonio)
Featured dish: Miso-aged Lone Mountain wagyu, brown rice risotto, roasted mushrooms, sanscho butter

Community Chefs
Pieter Sypesteyn (Cookhouse — San Antonio)
Featured dish: Boudin Balls
Fiore Tedesco (L'Oca d'Oro — Austin)
Featured dish: Parmigiana, mozzarella, pomodoro sauce

Concept
Charlie Biedenharn, Jeremy Mandrell, Anne Ng (Bakery Lorraine — San Antonio)
Featured dish: Strawberry toaster pastry with macaron sprinkles

Sommelier
Steven Dilley (Bufalina — Austin)
Pairings with winners’ dishes

awards

NEWS YOU CAN EAT

Long-awaited sweets shop and boba tea revive San Antonio dining news

It's Boba Time/Instagram

It's Boba Time has filed paperwork for its first San Antonio location.

As San Antonio barrels towards the holiday season, the restaurant scene sets the table with a crop of openings. Fancy an ice cream shop from one of San Antonio's best chefs or the return of a burger icon? How about a sip of Los Angeles boba tea? Gimme, gimme more.

Openings

Max and Louie's New York Diner has finally opened sibling concept Melvin's Homemade Ice Cream and Espresso Bar. Owner Drew Glickfirst teased the sweet shop in July, estimating a November arrival. Then, acclaimed pastry chef Jenn Reismanannounced her involvement days after shuttering Rooster Crow Bakery. Shockingly, the annex to the classic restaurant arrived precisely on schedule.

In October, the popular burger joint Teddy B'sclosed after a decade in business. It cited lower foot traffic and costs it couldn't keep up with, but it appears to have solved the problem for now. On November 20, the team revealed they're open again at the former Burger Haven building at 9903 Fredericksburg Rd.

Tex-Mex joint Sanchos is keeping San Antonio's snack shop tradition alive with a new project. On November 14, the owners introducedCasa Chica, a colorful take on Alamo City's junk food obsession, serving standbys like corn in a cup and ice cream at 628 Jackson St.

Rapidly growing Los Angeles chain It's Boba Time has filed paperwork for its first San Antonio location. The retailer is known for its ever-growing drink menu, now encompassing more than 140 varieties of teas, slushies, and coffees. According to Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation records, construction on the 1201 N. Loop 1604 W. storefront will finish in March 2025.

Huey Magoo's Chicken Tenders is crossing the road to Alamo City as part of an ambitious expansion plan. Via a release, the Florida-based franchise unveiled plans to open 42 new outposts in Arizona, Virginia, and Texas — including 10 new locations in Texas. The restaurant's menu of Buffalo wraps, salads, and crinkle-cut fries doesn't stray too far from the flock but boasts one particular selling point. All tenders are made with true chicken tenderloins. There's no official word yet on where any locations will settle.

Franchise upstart Famous Toastery is popping up in San Antonio. The Charlotte, North Carolina chain revealed that local owner and Army vet Rachell Bonds will open Texas' first location before the end of 2025. While there is no word yet on the address, future guests can expect A.M. favorites like omelets, sandwiches, and huevos rancheros.

Other news and notes

Never read the comments — unless it is Biff Buzby's Burgers making a bold declaration in the San Antonio Restaurants Facebook group. "Attention folks," the post read, "We are no longer affiliated with Biff Buzby's Backyard." Confusion ensued after the Biff Buzzby's bungle with comments ranging from droll to bizarrely political. Owner Brittney Rogers later clarified that she and her husband had merely sold the fledgling location less than a year after its launch. Boffo!

openings burgers bakery ice cream coffee tex-mex chains tea desserts breakfast news you can eat