Brennan’s of Houston, Houston, TX (Southern)
Chef: Carl Walker
Chef Carl Walker, or Chef Carl as he prefers, always had a passion for cooking while growing up in Missouri. At the age of 17, Carl enrolled in the Marine Corps and proceeded to cook for over 7,000 Marines during his service. His time in the Corps instilled the confidence in himself that he needed to truly pursue the culinary arts. His time working under restaurateur Ella Brennan in New Orleans allowed him to soak up the knowledge and skills needed to create delicious Creole dishes. In 1989 he was named Executive Chef of Brennan’s where he combines Cajun-Creole cuisine blended with local Texan Chilies and other flavors. The result is a perfect marriage of flavors that create delicious and unique dishes.
Opened in 1967 as the sister restaurant to the Commander’s Palace in New Orleans, Brennan’s of Houston has been serving up Texan variations of classic Cajun-Creole dishes since its doors opened. Brennan’s uses the finest, local ingredients to achieve their goal, creating a memorable experience for each guest. When you walk into Brennan’s, you are immediately transported to classic New Orleans, complete with crisp white table linens. Though fine dining, Brennan’s remains unpretentious in their impeccable service and strives to make each guest feel comfortable and at ease in the environment. Live Jazz can even be heard playing on the weekends. The menu is A La Carte and features New Orleans classics as well as new signature dishes that Brennan’s has become known for. For a starter, you can elect to indulge in the Oxtails and Dumplings with Collard Greens which pay homage to traditional Southern Cuisine. The Seafood Gumbo has a delightful texture and is decadent without being overpowering. For your main course, choose between options like classic Shrimp and Grits which will leave your plate clean, Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes made with fresh crab and vegetables, but no fillers. The Creole Spiced Filet Mignon is a Brennan’s original that will please any meat lover! For dessert, make sure that you save room for Brennan’s Banana Foster with Caribbean Rum and Cinnamon over Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. As the most iconic dessert at Brennan’s, it is flambeed at the table and provides enough dessert for a party of two to share. Guests can choose to order from a vast wine list, or from a cocktail menu of hand-crafted classics such as The Texas Two Step Whiskey based drink and the Traditional French cocktail made with Cognac and Bitters.
- Wine Spectator Award, 2018
Website: www.brennansofhouston.com
Phone: (713) 522-9711
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Tony Lagana
Chef Tony is a 42-year veteran of the food industry and is often known by his peers as “The New Product Guru.” Throughout his illustrious culinary career, he’s earned several notable titles and positions including Acquisition International’s “Most Influential Product Development Expert, U.S.” in 2019.
In 1997, Tony also founded Culinary Systems Inc., a group of culinary consultants that assist with culinary training, restaurant start-ups, concept development, and more. Since then, Tony and his team have generated over two billion dollars in sales for their clients in restaurants, retail, and manufacturing.
The strategic, technical, and culinary skills of Tony and his team can be seen on the menus of national chains, in the portfolio of national food manufacturers, and on the grocery shelves of products produced by major retail companies.