Leal has worked for a number of restaurants, done corporate recipe development and had side gigs with professionals like David Welch of FireCraft BBQ.įor Leal, the new position is the culmination of his culinary journey. Eventually he landed the executive sous chef position at the Hotel Galvez in Galveston which earned Leal and his team numerous awards. He graduated with a Culinary Arts degree from Art Institute of Houston then worked his way up through jobs as a line cook, butcher and a lead cook position at the Wolfgang Puck Express in Houston. She also instilled a strong work ethic in him as he pursued a culinary career professionally. His mother sparked his interest in cooking as he watched her prepare meals for the family. He came to Houston as a child, settling with his family in the Bayou City. Leal was born in Monterey, Mexico, though he considers himself a native Texan. Last week Hai Hospitality, the restaurant group behind Loro and Uchi, announced that chef Marcos Leal will take on the role of chef de cuisine when Loro opens in Houston. It has locations in Austin and Dallas, serving a mix of bold Asian flavors with Texas barbecue techniques. This will be the third location for the concept from pitmaster Aaron Franklin and chef Tyson Cole, both James Beard Award-winning chefs. Voted best Italian Restaurant in the valley. 11th, is expected to open this fall in the Heights. Tomasos, located in the Camelback Corridor in Central Phoenix, embraces the lifestyle of Italian cuisine. Photo by Hai Hospitality Loro Asian Smokehouse and Bar, 1001 W. The new location will also have an art installation made up of 27,805 hanging keys crowd-sourced from Postino guests. Other show-stopping lighting includes hand-blown opal glass sconces and a large vintage Murano glass chandelier that hangs over a community table. Taking its cue from the early days of Town & Country, the walls will feature decoupaged 60s-era vintage shopping ad campaigns to go with the newly restored mid-century modern lounge chairs and cozy booths with overhanging vintage glass and brass pendants. True to the Postino brand, the new location has a unique design with a decor that pays homage to the neighborhood in which it is located.
Postino Town & Country will offer 4,500 square feet of space with an open-air layout plus rollaway glass walls and a spacious patio. The all-day wine bar and cafe joins the burgeoning west side along with other Houston brands like Dish Society and State Fare Kitchen and Bar. The first opened in the Heights Mercantile in 2017, followed by the Montrose location a little over a year later. This is the third Houston location for the brand, based in Phoenix, Arizona. Postino Wine Cafe, 791 Town and Country Boulevard, will open August 9.