Culinary Couples in San Antonio You Should Already Know About
By San Antonio Current Staff
Local restaurants drive San Antonio's underrated food scene, but have you ever wondered about the folks who run our favorite restaurants, bars, bakeries and more? While we do our due diligence in spotlighting esteemed chefs that have helped put the Alamo City on the map, this Valentine's Day we're giving a shoutout to the couples that hustle together to run beloved dining and drinking spots.
While both badass bakers individually, Nacho Aguirre and Susana Mijares are one unstoppable team together. Susana actually taught Nacho a lot of what he knows in the kitchen, which must be a lot since the two have both appeared on baking competitions on the Food Network. Nacho even won in 2018! If you need to rightfully congratulate them on their skills, the couple owns Délice Chocolatier and Patisserie.
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John and Elise Russ have a whirlwind romance – especially in the kitchen. The two met while working together at The Inn at Perry Cabin in Maryland, and absolutely hated each other! The one-time frenemies eventually buried the hate between the two of them and eventually got married. In early 2018, the couple opened the highly-popular Clementine in Castle Hills where John heads the kitchen and Elise is all about desserts.
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Cornelius and Lattoia Massey
Photo by Jessica Elizararras
After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America-San Antonio, Lattoia Massey decided to pay tribute to her native Jamaica, and we’re sure glad she did. Along with her husband Cornelius, the Masseys have brought San Antonio its first artisan Caribbean restaurant. Yes, you can thank the Masseys for The Jerk Shack.
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After meeting while working together at a bakery in California, the sweet couple worked in various bakeries around San Francisco before deciding to head to the Alamo City. Good thing they did, ‘cause that led to the 2011 opening of Bakery Lorraine at the Pearl. The beloved bakery has since opened additional locations in San Antonio and even one in Austin.
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PJ and Lindsey Edwards
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After years at Bin 555 under Chef Jason Dady and later serving in various management position under Dady’s Restaurant Group, PJ Edwards returned to the former Bin 555 to open Meadow Neighborhood Eatery and Bar alongside wife Lindsey, who runs the front of the house. Together, the two bring their take on Southern fare with a focus on Texan ingredients.
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Akeem and Tara Best
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SA’s vegan scene continues to grow, partially thanks to Akeem and Tara Best. The couple opened Go Vegan San Antonio food truck after they, along with their five children, converted to a vegan lifestyle. Their goal is to make vegan eats more affordable, convenient and accessible to local residents.
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Jeff and Jenn White
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Having previously held a stake in Tucker’s Kozy Korner, Jeff and Jenn White have a long history in SA’s food scene. Jenn owns Brindles Awesome Ice Cream on the city’s Northwest side while Jeff has previously been tied to Boiler House. Eastside Kitchenette is their first joint venture together, and we sure as hell love it.
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Billy and Frances Lee
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College sweethearts Billy and Frances Lee have been sharing their love for teas since the 2017 opening of Brew’s Lee Tea Station. The two spent time in Taiwan, Billy’s native land, to learn everything there is about bubble tea. Researching brewing techniques and talking to tea experts obviously paid off, as the couple’s tea shop is a hit among fans of Asian treats and Instagrammers alike.
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Pieter and Susan Sypesteyn
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With the success of Where Yat Food Truck came three local favorites: The Cookhouse, NOLA Brunch & Beignets and Bud’s Rotisserie. You can thank Chef Pieter and his wife Susan for such tasty goodness. The couple also hosts fun events like the Mardi Gras block party.
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We all know about the highly-esteemed Chef Jason Dady, but did you know he has a badass lady by his side? While Jason heads the kitchens at Shuck Shack, Tre Trattoria, Range, Two Bros. BBQ Market, B&D Ice House and Alamo BBQ, Crystal covers the business portion of
all of the restaurants. The Dadys are definitely a power couple.
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After years in the local food business, Lucas and Tina Kent decided to pursue their own venture – The Bread Box. Since its 2015 opening, the bread-only bakery turned café is all about natural ingredients and Texan flours with the Kents at the helm.
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José and Tiffany Cruz
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Since 2014, José and Tiffany Cruz have let San Antonians enjoy a vegan twist to Tex-Mex fare. With Señor Veggie, locals can enjoy the cuisine we know and love but a completely vegan-friendly menu. There’s also inspiration from other cuisines like Thai, Spanish and Mediterranean, so you can thank this husband-and-wife team for going big with their vegan venture (which actually started out of a farmers market).
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Though not necessarily a team working out of a joint operation at the moment, Damien Watel and Lisa Astorga-Watel have both made their mark on SA’s culinary scene. Lisa owns the local favorite Bite over in Southtown while Damien has been tied to a number of different ventures. Most recently, he rebranded his long-running Chez Vatel Bistro as Bistro9.
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Steve and Jody Newman obviously know what they’re doing. Take their ownership of The Friendly Spot, Hills & Dales Ice House and B&D Ice House as proof. Though the dynamic duo has since closed its popular Alamo Street Eat Bar, more projects are in the works for the Newmans, who are a planning a second Friendly Spot location on the South Side.
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Bronson Holbrook and Natalie Nazarewicz
Photo courtesy of PRESS Coffee
Husband-and-wife team Bronson Holbrook and Natalie Nazarewicz didn’t let a rent spike and subsequent closure stop them from shutting down PRESS Coffee for good. After almost a year, the couple was able to reopen the beloved neighborhood coffee spot in a new location on Broadway.
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Tags: culinary couples, husband wife team, Delice, Clementine, Jerk Shack, Bakery Lorraine, Meadow, Go Vegan, Eastside Kitchenette, Brew's Lee, The Cookhouse, NOLA, Bud's Rotisserie, Shuck Shack, Range, Alamo BBQ, Two Bros. BBQ, Tre Trattoria, Bread Box, Senor Veggie, Bite, The Friendly Spot, Hills & Dales Ice House, B&D Ice House, PRESS Coffee
