Exec chef De La Garza returns to Texas with adventuresome tastes in tow

HOUSTON, Texas – Native Texan Edward De La Garza has returned to his boyhood roots as the new executive chef in charge of food and beverage service at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

The 38-year-old De La Garza, who hails from San Antonio, arrives with luggage packed with recipes honed over the years and influenced by various appointments on the culinary trail. His cooking philosophy is simple.

“I like to have fun in the kitchen,” De La Garza said. “Hopefully, that is reflected in my food. I also like to put a little bit of Texas into as many dishes as I can.”

Some of his favorite recipes include chimichurri skirt steak, lobster truffle, seared tuna tostada (see attached recipe) and Southwestern fruit strudel.

De La Garza comes to Houston from Florida, where he held a similar post at the Miami Beach Convention Center and Jackie Gleason Theater for four years. Previous stints included chef positions at convention centers and hotels in San Antonio, Albuquerque, Washington D.C., Fort Lauderdale and Del Ray Beach, Fla. He is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.

The chef knows what convention visitors want when they come to Texas.

"They expect gourmet barbecue – something really over the top,” De La Garza said. “So from time to time we’ll give them something like blueberry salsa or different kinds of cornbread."

Appointed to his post in December by Aramark, the Convention & Entertainment Facilities Department’s exclusive food and beverage provider, De La Garza will direct a team capable of serving seated meals for up to 2,000 people at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

He will also oversee food and beverage operations at Jones Hall and Wortham Center.

Contact:

Pete Radowick
713-853-8077
peter.radowick@cityofhouston.net

Anna Hawley
713-853-8287
anna.hawley@cityofhouston.net