New Boiler House chef  Alberto “Beto” Gutierrez is prepared to apply French technique to the flavors of Mexico, Latin America and Italy. Credit: Courtesy Photo / Boiler House

Name: Alberto “Beto” Gutierrez
Job: Corporate Executive Chef of LASCO Enterprises, which helms San Antonio’s Boiler House Texas Grill & Wine Garden
Birthplace: Laredo, Texas
Industry Experience: Gutierrez has spent years training in cuisines from Latin America and beyond. His professional resume includes leading kitchens in well-known establishments including La Posada in Laredo and The Driskill Hotel in Austin, as well as Añejo and The Tasting Room in Houston. He’s worked with LASCO Enterprises since 2015.

Gutierrez comes to Boiler House with 22 years of experience, including owning and operating his own restaurant, and he’s prepared to apply his own brand of classic French technique to the flavors of Mexico, Latin America and Italy. We chatted with Gutierrez to find out more about the motivation behind making the move from Houston to San Antonio, his taco cravings and what he hopes to bring to the Pearl eatery.

Let’s start with what brings you to San Antonio.

I’ve been living in Houston for the past eight years, but I’ve always liked San Antonio, always liked the northern part, the Texas Hill Country area. We’ve always thought of ourselves living in that area. An opportunity came through the company, and they asked if I would be interested in being transferred to San Antonio, and I said, “Yes, let’s do it.” Houston, you know, there’s this joke in Houston, that it’s two hours away from Houston. Traffic is insane there, getting anywhere takes an hour. So we were ready to get to a smaller town.

Is there anything that you’re experimenting with flavor- or ingredient-wise?

I love big, bold flavors. Growing up in a family that was always cooking and always celebrating with food, I think creating those memories for guests — using memorable flavors and ingredients — is so important. Of course, the Mexican culture is huge here … San Antonio is very proud of the Mexican and Spanish heritage, and the German influence of the city as well. So, we are experimenting with those types of flavors, kind of bringing them together.

You said you were still settling in. Can you tell me, so far, what your favorite place to eat has been?

We’re still technically moving, but I’m not new to San Antonio. Ironically, one of our favorite restaurants we would visit when we were in San Antonio is Sea Island Shrimp House. The fried shrimp, it’s so good. We’ve also been exploring some of the classics, if you will. We recently were at Mama’s Cafe, which was really good. And all the little mom-and-pop Mexican cafes! Now, I’m not putting down Houston, but San Antonio’s taco scene is pretty unmatched, especially when it’s around the corner — it’s everywhere. It makes sating those taco cravings much easier.

Coming soon: SA Current Daily newsletter. We’ll send you a handful of interesting San Antonio stories every morning. Subscribe now to not miss a thing.

Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Related Stories

This article appears in Apr 5-18, 2023.

Nina Rangel uses nearly 20 years of experience in the foodservice industry to tell the stories of movers and shakers in the food scene in San Antonio. As the Food + Nightlife Editor for the San Antonio...