You work as a culinary team at The Vintage House, the restaurant located on the Messina Hof estate. What is unique about your team and how they work together?
Messina Hof's culinary team represents the best of what "join the family" really means at Messina Hof. Each team member contributes suggestions for creating menus and developing recipes, as well as innovative food and wine pairings. Though each member of the team has a primary role, every member works in whatever position is needed. Kelley, Ron, Ken, JC, Cameron, Amanda, Maria and Estuardo... they are the ones that make vineyard cuisine come to life!

Describe the fresh vineyard cuisine. How does being located within a winery contribute to the dishes you create?
Messina Hof's vineyard cuisine is the expression of the fresh vegetables and herbs grown on the vineyard estate and harvested daily, and the Messina Hof wines that are used in every dish. Each dish is created to perfectly complement a style of wine. The Vintage House is situated in the vineyard. Diners enjoy hand-cut meats, estate-grown vegetables and dishes perfectly paired with wine and a vineyard view. Wine is the inspiration for every recipe, and the vineyard provides an ever-changing panorama of the seasons.

What on your menu is Texas-grown or produced? 
Each dish is created to highlight the Messina Hof wine as well as producers and growers in the Brazos Valley area and Texas. The Vintage House proudly features Nolan Ryan Beef, Monterey Mushrooms, Wateroak Farms cheeses, Valison Cheeses, Royalty Pecan Farms, Slovacek Sausage, Gulf Coast seafood, locally grown produce and handmade crafted chocolates. Messina Hof produces seasonally grown vegetables and fresh herbs from its gardens that are used in each dish.

What would you consider to be your signature dish? 
Since the menu changes seasonally, each season highlights a different signature dish. Each year at our Harvest Festival, which goes from the third weekend of July to the third weekend of August, The Vintage House highlights our treberwurst dish. This is a Swiss/German dish with handmade sausages marinated and baked in the must, or juice, of the newly picked grapes and fermented wine. Guests are welcome to join the family in our traditional harvest festivities of picking and stomping the grapes, a harvest feast, and wine and food pairing parties.

Describe the dining experience at The Vintage House. How do the Bryan and College Station communities contribute to that?
The Vintage House offers a unique dining experience for each guest. From rustic Sicilian pizza to finely-carved Chat for two to tableside flambé desserts, there is a food style for every guest. Guests can choose to dine in the Barrel Room, a room surrounded with oak barrels filled with wine or in the Vineyard Room to enjoy a vineyard view. In addition, private dining is available for special events in the Art Gallery or on the balcony above The Vintage House. The Vintage House offers personalized menus for weddings, corporate retreats, and specialty events such as Murder Mystery Dinners, Winemaker's Dinners and Cooking Parties with the Chef.

The Vintage House is an A&M tradition for graduations and other activities. Every October, The Vintage House supports the Brazos Valley Food Bank by participating in the GO TEXAN Restaurant Round-Up. During the event, restaurants highlight locally grown and produced ingredients in featured dishes. Through Messina Hof's and The Vintage House's commitment to the community and the next generation, we have developed a Train the Trainer program for local teachers to assist them in teaching viticulture to junior high and high school students. Messina Hof has enjoyed 33 years of growth in the Bryan/College Station area due to the support and encouragement of the neighbors and the local community.

Carmelo Mauro, chef and owner of the Carmelo's restaurants in Houston and Austin, celebrates his passion and love for local products in this month's table Talk.  

Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in cooking?
I have to say my mother has been my greatest inspiration. Watching her cook, mixing and adding ingredients for three starving boys and a husband who came home ravenous from the fields, always fascinated me. I had so much fun wiping the delicious flavors from the pots with a piece of bread!
 
How does your heritage and family contribute to the dishes you create?
Growing up in Sicily, every family cooked. All of my female relatives were, and to this day are, passionate and great cooks. Each family, though they did not own land, grew herbs such as basil, parsley, rosemary, sage and fennel in pots. So, from an early age, the aroma of simmering fresh foods surrounded me.

What on your menu is Texas-grown or produced?
We serve wines from Pheasant Ridge and McPherson wineries. We also serve Texas tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, fennel and onions. We are considering introducing locally-raised chicken.

What would you consider to be your signature dish?
Fettuccine Luisa, named after our eldest daughter, is a dish with crabmeat, clams, shrimp, garlic and a hint of Orvietto Secco.

Describe the dining experience at Carmelo's. How do the downtown city atmospheres of Houston and Austin contribute to that?
To dine in either location is an Italian experience, without the airport lines! It is fun, casual, eclectic, and for those looking for romance, we have it! In Houston, we are out west in the Energy Corridor, and with our menu covering everything from spaghetti to fish, meat and vegetarian, we have families enjoying the restaurant, as well as oil company employees and executives. Our menu attracts local businesses, University of Texas faculty and students, and tourists. Due to our proximity to the convention center and hotels, our private rooms provide privacy for our elected officials as well.

For more information about Carmelo's, go here.

Chef Mike Atwood at Zeste Café and Gourmet Market in South Padre Island completes diners' sensory experiences by adding Texas flavor and spice to the South Padre sun and sand in this month's Table Talk.

You offer gluten-free menu items and vegan options. Why do you think it is important to give your diners these choices? 
We are "foodies" and feel eating should be an enjoyable experience, not just a necessity.  We have found more and more people have dietary restrictions due to sensitivities and allergies ranging from gluten to garlic. Eating out for these customers is a challenge, and we get a great deal of satisfaction from having a customer experience a meal they really enjoy and not feel they have to sacrifice or be wary. Since we prepare food in-house from quality ingredients, we know everything that is in our dishes and can direct customers to menu items that are free of the offending item or can be modified to their needs. Seeing the look of satisfaction and appreciation on a person's face is the highlight of my day. We love veggies and can't believe so many food establishments make veggies so boring and bland. We have always had a multitude of vegetable options highlighted with interesting herbs, spices and oils. Being a vegetarian or vegan is usually a choice made for health or moral reasons, and we respect this. Whatever the reason, these customers deserve an enjoyable dining experience so they don't feel they have to sacrifice taste or the pleasure of eating for their beliefs or needs.

Describe the dining experience at Zeste Café and Gourmet Market. How does the beach community contribute to that atmosphere?
During the day, we offer casual dining in house or to-go for lunch, coffee and desserts. We also serve beer and wine. Our menu includes sandwiches, soups, café plates and quiche, to mention a few, in an informal, café-style environment. For tapas and fine dining evenings, we offer special menus in a more formal, yet relaxed setting (it is the island, after all), including white table clothes, candles, dimmed lighting and soft music with full table service. We offer attractive, appealing dishes with an extensive wine selection at package store prices. Our clients come for the food, wine and socialization. Funky, fried food places abound on the island. Our restaurant and market focus on one thing: good food and drink. The beach and bay are both one block away, either direction. The island is a sensory experience:  sand, salt air, warm waves, sun, beautiful water and skies, not to mention sunrises and sunsets that take your breath away. Our establishment satisfies the other senses with the taste and smell of fine cuisine, hopefully adding to a client's total gratification.

What on your menu is Texas-grown or produced?
We carry an assortment of Texas wines. We use locally grown produce whenever possible. Our game supplier hunts exclusively in Texas, and we request Texas grown/produced products from our wholesalers. As we are both native Texans, we love the flavors of Texas and the southwest.

What would you consider to be your signature dish?
Our customers cannot agree and neither can we. Some of their favorites are garlic creamed spinach, chicken fried antelope steak with herbed mushroom cream gravy, venison osso buco, tequila coconut curry shrimp, gambas al ajillo, sesame ginger chicken salad and our spiced carrot cake.

Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in cooking?
Julia Child's TV series on PBS; a mom who was a good cook and shared her expertise; and a wife who shares my passion and love for all kinds of food, especially global cuisines and seasonings. My wife, Lisa, and I had a mid-life career change and decided that it must be in food service.

in Longview highlights the history and hospitality of one of the oldest steak houses in East Texas in this month's Table Talk.

What makes your New Orleans-style Creole cuisine unique?
Our Creole recipes are our family recipes passed on from generation to generation. Johnny's parents were Croatian. They came over to Louisiana in the early 1900s and settled in Plaquemine's Parish. They fished for oysters. Most of the recipes are from his parents. Johnny married Valerie Savony, who was of French and Belgium descent, and together they created wonderful Creole and European recipes. Our gumbo is made with a thick roux. We do not use okra, but we use filet. We make our gumbo, our crabmeat dressing, and all of our sauces and Creole specialties from scratch here at the restaurant. 

Although we continue to use these long-time family recipes, my husband, Gerard and I are always on the lookout for and experimenting with new ideas in Creole cooking. Recently, I even branched out and made Italian Caponata and my mother's Chicken Tetrazinni for a special catering request. Another way I believe that we are unique is that we continue to hand-bread all of our fried items in our kitchen. We have several special breading recipes that we use on our shrimp, oysters, fish, etc.

Describe the dining experience at Johnny Cace's. How do the Longview community and historic Hwy. 80 contribute to that atmosphere?
Our Cace family tradition includes top quality food and friendly, courteous Southern hospitality for all ages. With our six different dining rooms, we have a lot of versatility. Each dining room has its own New Orleans atmosphere. Our Oyster Bar is our most casual dining room, with wood-top tables and booths and fresh certified oysters being shucked all day. In the other dining rooms - the Creole, the Showboat, the New Orleans, the Colonial and the Garden - we use white tablecloths in the evening (vinyl ones during the day). Black linen napkins are used day and night in all dining rooms. Whether you are looking for an intimate romantic dinner, an enjoyable lunch or dinner with family and friends, a room for a meeting or party, or a catered special occasion for up to 1,000, we can provide it. Our varied menu includes our famous Creole Seafood Gumbo, signature appetizers, salads and entrees, including our famous Shrimp in Shorts and our newest popular item - Charbroiled Oysters. Since Johnny Cace's opened 61 years ago, we have had, and still have, a treasure chest for the children. Each child dining at the restaurant may choose one toy from the treasure chest. And, we have complimentary birthday and anniversary cakes that we make in our kitchen. Johnny Cace's is noted for the warm, friendly hospitality of the Old South where you can relax and enjoy attentive service, pleasant dining and delicious cuisine. 

Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in cooking?
First, for the record, I am not a certified chef, but I grew up in a home with my parents, Katy and Paul Painter, who loved to entertain by preparing and serving food. My mother much preferred to cook for a large group rather than for three or four people, and she was an excellent cook and party hostess. My father was also a great host, making sure everyone was taken care of. I learned so much from them, and I truly enjoy cooking and entertaining. I still use many of my mother's recipes whenever the occasion calls for it, and I learned many helpful tips from her, too. I became involved with cooking in a restaurant when I married Gerard, whose father, Johnny Cace, opened our restaurant in 1949 when he brought a "taste of New Orleans Creole cooking" to Longview (East Texas). Johnny Cace came from Shreveport, Louisiana in 1949 to see if this would be a good place for him to branch out on his own and open his own restaurant (his parents had been in the oyster fishing business and restaurant business in Louisiana for many years). Johnny came to mass on Sunday (we only had one Catholic church in Longview at that time) and asked some folks if they thought Longview would be a good spot for a New Orleans Creole-style restaurant. As fate would have it, the first person Johnny talked to that day was my father, Paul Painter. Johnny did open the restaurant in 1949, and he and my father became very good friends. My father was an attorney, and he did all of Johnny's corporate legal work, and he and Johnny were backbones of St. Anthony's Catholic Church. Well, little did they (or any of us) know, that approximately 30 years after they met, their children would marry each other! So, that is how I became involved in a career in the restaurant business and cooking in a restaurant. I was born and raised in Longview, and I grew up eating at Johnny Cace's at least once a week with my parents until I went off to college. Anytime I was back home in Longview to visit my parents, we always had at least one meal at Johnny Cace's. It was the first place we went to when I got home. I graduated from Texas Christian University in 1972 with a bachelor's degree in Communications. Several years later I married Gerard and moved back to Longview.

What are some ways that Johnny Cace's goes Texan?  What on your menu is Texan-grown or produced?
We joined the GO TEXAN program in 2009 and participated in the GO TEXAN Restaurant Round-Up in the fall, and we look forward to participating again this year. We were very excited that Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples had a luncheon here at our restaurant during the Restaurant Round-Up week, and it was a great time of year to be able to serve locally-grown produce. We try to use as much Texas produce as possible, but some of the items are seasonal. During the spring, summer and fall we use Texas-grown fresh fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, melons, berries, squash, beans, peas, new potatoes, yams and more. It involves a little traveling around our area, but we purchase some of these products from local growers when we can. Much of our beef and poultry products are also Texas-grown such as our Angus beef steaks and buffalo chopped steaks; much of our shrimp comes from the Gulf in the Port Arthur area, and we sell Blue Bell Ice Cream. We offer several Texas wines on our menu. Currently, we offer Texas wines from Enoch Stomp, Los Pinos, Messina Hof and Cap Rock wineries. And, we always serve our Texas wines in the great GO TEXAN wine glasses! 

How has Johnny Cace's changed since opening in 1949?
Oh my goodness, there have been quite a few changes over the last 61 years, but much has also remained the same, like our values and recipe traditions. Johnny opened Johnny Cace's Seafood & Steak House on March 10, 1949, in a rented location in downtown Longview with seating for 37 guests. Several years later that location was expanded to accommodate 200 guests. In 1964, Johnny moved the restaurant to our current Hwy. 80 location with seating for 300 which grew to today's capacity of 450. By 1980, Johnny had turned over daily restaurant operations and management to my husband, Gerard. Gerard and I have worked as a team with my involvement increasing to co-owner/co-operator as our two daughters got older. Johnny passed away in November of 2000. 

Our long-time family recipes have remained the same, but we have added new items such as Traditional New Orleans Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce and White Chocolate Bread Pudding just to mention a couple. About 15 years ago we added a Gift Shop Corner, custom-made gift baskets and began shipping our specialty items all over the country.  Also, because of customer request, we added a Sunday brunch and breakfast menu to our regular menu on Sunday, and Gerard and I cook the brunch and breakfast items on Sunday, while our regular kitchen line prepares the other menu items. A couple of years ago we started a Happy Hour in the afternoon on Monday through Thursday. 

The different rooms have been redecorated numerous times. We just completed redoing our Colonial Room and our ladies' room, and currently have plans for redesigning our Casual Oyster Bar area (and including a big-screen TV and more Jimmy Buffet memorabilia). In the 1970s and early 1980s we only sold liquor in our bar where private membership was required. This has been a huge change over the years. In the 1980s we expanded our private club all over the house. Then, about three years ago, Gerard and I spearheaded the local option election to change the law in Longview so Private Club Membership was not required, and now we can sell alcohol without having to first get a membership for the guest. This has been great! 

We recently launched a new Web site, which includes a calendar of events we update to keep folks informed on what is happening here at Johnny Cace's. We also have a Facebook page. We added a vegetable option to the menu in the place of a baked potato with entrees, and we added vegetarian options. We just launched a new kid's menu with more options for healthier eating, as well as the standard kid's fare. We also have several Tuesday evening fundraisers for different organizations. These different organizations help bring business to our restaurant, and we donate a portion of the proceeds from their Tuesday evening event back to them. This has been a great way to partner with others in our community. We continue to be family-owned and operated (by choice) with one of our daughters recently joining us as our third generation.

Mary Stanley, co-owner of The Turtle Restaurant and Gelateria in Brownwood, encourages diners to slow down and enjoy the tradition and culture of eating fresh, locally grown foods.

You call your cuisine "slow, fresh food." What exactly does that mean?
The Slow Food Movement was started in Italy. It is a "nonprofit, eco-gastronomic member-supported organization that was founded in 1989 to counteract fast food and fast life. The concern was the disappearance of local food traditions and people's dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world. To foster a reconnection, the Slow Food Movement brings together pleasure and responsibility, and makes them inseparable. Today, Slow Food has more than 100,000 members in 132 countries." I have been a member for six years. The philosophy believes that everyone has a fundamental right to pleasure and, consequently, the responsibility to protect the heritage of food and the tradition and culture that make this pleasure possible. The movement is founded upon this concept of eco-gastronomy - recognition of the strong connections between plate and planet.

I am against utility eating. Eating should be pleasurable and a communal endeavor. We do not have a TV in the restaurant or bar. We want patrons to pay attention to the food and their friends. I find it offensive to eat while watching the images one normally sees on TV.

We do not rush people in and out. We make our breads and our sauces from scratch so they are unique to us and fresh, and so we have control over what goes into them. "Slow Food is good, clean and fair food. We believe that the food we eat should taste good; that it should be produced in a clean way that does not harm the environment, animal welfare or our health; and that food producers should receive fair compensation for their work. We consider ourselves co-producers, not consumers, because by being informed about how our food is produced and actively supporting those who produce it, we become a part of and a partner in the production process."

What are your favorite Texas ingredients to work with?
Eggs - there are so many uses for eggs. A free-range egg is a different color than a commercial egg. It has a creamier taste. One of my favorite dishes is Eggs Benedict, which we have on our Sunday Brunch menu. We use eggs in our breads, crème brulée, bread pudding, quiche, hollandaise sauce, Caesar salad, gelato and so much more.

Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in cooking?
I learned to cook in self-defense. My mother was a terrible cook. When I was in fifth grade, my father took me to Germany where my taste buds were awakened by all the wonderful bakeries and German foods. That food experience just took my breath away. When we returned home, I convinced my father to buy me a cookbook. It was a McCall's Big Cookbook. Then, I convinced my mother to let me cook, if she would wash the dishes; that was the start. My primary interest is in baking. I got into the restaurant business by accident. My husband is an architect, and we bought several run-down buildings in downtown Brownwood. We restored one for a restaurant tenant. It closed within a few months. We rented to another restaurateur, but he closed within a year. I finally decided to just do it myself because I wanted somewhere to eat that had good food--or else I was going to have to move back to Austin.

How were you able to grow connections with local producers to get more Texas ingredients on your menu?

We go to farmers markets. We have several growers who provide us with ground beef, lamb and eggs. I have a grower who raises most of our salad greens. We have Texas wine, beer and liquor on our menu. We also have the GO TEXAN CD. Fortunately, for us, there are several cheese makers within 150 miles. We offer two cheese plates using cheese from Pure Luck Dairy and Veldhuizen. Word of mouth brings producers to us, as well.

What is the ambience at The Turtle and Gelateria, and how does the Brownwood community contribute to that atmosphere?

The ambience is calm and relaxing. In the beginning I felt I was at war with this community. Some did not appreciate that we were restoring buildings. Some said what we wanted to accomplish was impossible. Some said Brownwood didn't deserve a nice restaurant, while some said we were being elitist in presenting good food at a fair price.

We had to overcome a lot of local self-defeating attitudes. It took a lot of education to get this community to accept the idea of "slow" and to try new foods. Many still do not understand why we ask for reservations on Friday and Saturday nights. For example, if there is an empty table at 6:30 p.m., people don't understand that someone has reserved it for 7 p.m. This means that table is being held for the reservation so that reservation may enjoy the food and their friends for the duration of the evening.

Being slow also means planning ahead and thinking about the future. It takes generations to change eating habits, so I don't expect things to change overnight. That said, we have a core group of customers who are very supportive because they think good food is a cultural necessity.

For more information about The Turtle Restaurant, go here.

What do you mean when you say, "a good chef thinks outside the box?"
utside the box is the thought process of not thinking that your food is great, but that it can always be better. It is also looking for the next technique or great new food trend. A great chef that is outside the box doesn't just think about the food, but thinks about how it is presented and served for an overall great experience for the guest.

Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in cooking?
As a child I loved food, and my grandparents and mother always cooked. I was always watching and growing up in the kitchen. I always said I wanted to have my own restaurant, but was going to college for engineering. I was always talking about food, and someone told me to do what I love and everything else will take care of itself. So, I changed my major and got a job in a kitchen, and the rest is history.

Your cuisine is prepared daily from scratch. What ingredients are Texas-grown or produced?
For me, I love Texas-grown food, and I am always trying to get more and more. Produce used throughout the year includes blueberries, pecans, mushrooms, new potatoes, peaches, tomatoes, onions, chicken, shrimp and cheeses.

What are your favorite Texas ingredients to work with?
My favorites are the ones you can only get at certain times of the year. You hear people always say, "When I was a kid, my grandma made meals so good; they tasted better." Yes, it did because it was local, and it was in season. You can go to stores now and get anything year-round, but where was it grown? When was it picked? In Texas, when you can get peaches or blackberries, or my favorite vine-ripened beefsteak tomatoes, in season, they are second to none.

Describe the dining experience at Spindletop Steakhouse. How does the Beaumont community contribute to that atmosphere?
The experience at the restaurant is casual upscale, meaning you can get the best in food and wine in a casual dining experience. With reservations, we can pour on the class with all the bells and whistles and give you the tablecloths and flowers. The Beaumont community is great. They have not been exposed to many outside the box chef-run or chef-owned restaurants. As an example, I have a tasting menu where I will not tell them what they are going to get. They can choose a five- or seven-course meal. This is very common in every big city, but here a lot of people freak out. People who get it love it, and then I have a customer for life.

You say that Royers is a place to "bread break." How does this description contribute to the atmosphere and ambiance of Royers Round Top Cafe?
When I think of the café, my memory is flooded with the many, many relationships that have been built as folks walk through the café's doors and sit at one of our 10 tables enjoying the meal and loving the loud ‘60s music. The conversations that have ensued from these experiences have become a meaningful memory for each of us. We must never forget that we are in the relationship business (yes, marketing) not the food business. The food and the service bring us together out of which this relationship is birthed. It is at the table that the breaking of bread happens; it is pretty simple, but very real and meaningful, especially in this fast-paced, uncaring world we rush through today. We all long for authenticity and for someone to sincerely care for us. It is so much more than someone walking up to your table and telling you what their name is. People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.

How did you get the name, Bud the Pie Man?
Although it sure looks like it was from eating pie, it was from making pies for the past 22 plus years.

What on your menu is Texas-grown or produced?
Our Ann's Pecan Pie is made with Texas pecans (Ann Criswell, the food editor for the Houston Chronicle for more than 36 years, gave me this recipe). Of course, the Texas wines, as well as Amy's Ice Cream, are also Texas produced. We use several of Case Fischer's products in our recipes. We love Case! And we can't forget Sheila Partin's sourdough bread, a true Texas product as well!  

What are your favorite Texas ingredients and why?  
For the most part, the items mentioned on the Texas products list have a story about a relationship that we have with the purveyor. I could tell many, many stories on Case Fischer, stories that we have shared over these past 22 years. We love working with Amy and Steve Simmons of Amy's Ice Cream. They are such fun and generous souls who work hard with and for us!  

What is Royers Round Top Café's signature dish?  

Our patrons call our signature dishes OMG! (Oh My God!). From the Grilled Shrimp BLT with a quarter pound of grilled shrimp on Shelia Partin's Jalapeno Sourdough Hoagie with Case Fischer's Smokin' Mesquite Mustard to our Grilled Rack of Lamb with a Lemon-Basil Dipping Sauce to The Great Steak, which is a center cut fillet that we don't cook beyond medium and you can cut with a fork! And of course, our handmade pies! I am often asked what my favorite one is, to which I usually answer, "What is the one that I have the most of?" Actually, Bud's Chocolate Chip with pecans is one of the best. It is like a thick warm chocolate chip cookie. But, my true favorite is "Not My Mom's Apple Pie" which is made with five Granny Smith apples and smothered with a brown sugar and pecan topping! To die for!

Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in cooking?

I started waiting on tables at Steak and Ale on Anderson Lane in Austin on Thanksgiving weekend 40 years ago in 1969. Roy Nunis hired me as a waiter. You should have seen me in my red leather belt wearing black leggings and buckles on my shoes! It would not be a pretty sight today! I then went on to work with Mama Ninfa on Navigation in Houston when it was the only store. I had to learn kitchen Spanish to order my food! It was such an awesome experience to be a part of Ninfa's at that time. While at Ninfa's, I defined a "service philosophy" which I learned from Jack Laurenzo and Tony Mandola. I also learned sets of leadership skills from working with Roland Laurenzo, as I was able to build their catering department and purchasing departments in the late ‘70s. It was through these years that I came to appreciate the importance of defining one's palate along with an understanding that the level of service is just as important as the quality of the food. These are a given, never to be compromised, and are equal in importance. As the late Danny Roy Young, of Austin's legendary Texicalli Grill, used to say, "The food turns to you-know-what in 24 hours." I added, "but the relationships last a lifetime!" It is the relationships that the food and service businesses bring to us that make this business so worthwhile.

For more information about Royers Round Top Café, go here.

Award-winning chef and creator of a gourmet line of cooking products, Chef Gorji brings a new Mediterranean style of cooking to Texas dishes at the Canary Café Mediterranean Steak and Seafood in Addison.

What on your menu is Texas-grown or locally produced?
I use Gulf shrimp, quail, citrus, honey, fresh herbs, garlic, spinach, Texas wines, bread from local bakeries and, of course, my Gorji Gourmet® products.

What are your favorite Texas ingredients and why?
I like Texas quail because they are not small and don't overcook easily. Texas quail grill and sauté nicely. We serve the medallions and legs, as well as the whole bird. I am partial to Gulf shrimp, as well. They are plump and juicy. I handpick wines from Alamosa Cellars and Texas Hills Vineyard because they grow their own grapes and yield a Mediterranean style that complements my food.

What is Canary Café's signature dish?
Our signature dish is the rib eye steak with pomegranate cream sauce that I won the Texas Steak Cook-Off Championship with two years in a row (2004 and 2005) in Hico, even though Canary Café is not a steakhouse. I have always cooked with pomegranates and have them on my menu all year. I also serve salmon and beef anar, feta and fresh pomegranates, as well as a homemade puree. 

Describe the atmosphere and ambiance of Canary Café. How does the Dallas metroplex community contribute to this feel?

Canary Café is a small 14-table restaurant with a personal touch and presence. Our goal is for diners to have a wonderful dining experience. I take pride in preparing meals personally and per order. If I am not there, we do not open that evening. In Dallas, there seems to be a growing interest in the smaller, more intimate atmosphere. Our attention to detail, our serving of adventurous flavors and our boutique, handpicked wine lists contribute to a more pleasurable dining experience.

Tell me a little bit about your Gorji Gourmet® line. What would you say is the overall theme of the line?
I wanted to capture and bring the fresh tastes of my new Mediterranean style food to my customer's home. My products provide a gourmet base to pasta, pizza, chicken, veal, seafood, steaks, salads, spreads and dips. The Gorji Gourmet® product line includes: pomodoro and puttanesca sauces; primer for meat; vegetables and seafood for grilling and sautéing; pomegranate champagne vinaigrette and Caesar dressing for salads; and hummus and remoulade for sandwiches and dipping.

You were recently given the highest recognition members of the Texas Restaurant Association can achieve by earning a spot in the TRA Hall of Honor. What does this honor mean to you as a Texas restaurant owner and chef?
I am overwhelmed and humbled to receive such an honor and to be among the industry's leaders and visionaries. This rank is beyond anything I could have ever imagined. It is a wonderful experience to be recognized by your peers. I have to add that I received this on behalf of my parents, who spent endless hours in a hot kitchen paving the road for my future.

Your father, John Zentner, owned a restaurant in Lowake, and the Zentner name has become a famous name in regards to quality steaks. How has being Zentner's daughter influenced your restaurant and the dishes you serve?

First, let me say it was a challenge at times to be the daughter of John Zentner. He was not always sure I could take over the family business. I worked hard to convince him that I could do this. My dad was from the old country with old country rules. He was my mentor, and I stayed by his side and listened to his every word. He knew just how to choose his words so they would have the desired effect. But he wasn't afraid to speak his mind either! Dad had strong opinions and freely shared them, but he knew how to be winsome. From this I found my desire to continue in his footsteps. My father always stressed that if you offer good food at a good price, you will keep your customers and your bank manager happy for a long time to come.

What on your menu is Texas-grown or produced?
One of our restaurant's favorite items is our onion rings. We buy large colossal onions from the Valley and a local farm in San Angelo. We also purchase tomatoes from a local farmer, Brotherton Produce. Whenever we can, we buy local. After touring Fall Creek Winery in Tow we decided that this wine was perfect for our steaks. I try to introduce Texas in our menu.

What are your favorite Texas ingredients and why? 
You have heard it a million times-- "It's what inside that counts." Our favorite Texas ingredient is the garlic we season our steaks with. The special garlic seasoning has been used for the past 62 years. My father started using it in Lowake in 1947, and we continue to use Decoty's garlic today, which is produced right here in San Angelo. Through the years we have perfected the flavor of the steak with just the right amount of seasoning.

What is Zentner's Daughter Steak House's signature dish?
I am not sure we have a single signature dish. All of our dishes are our own creations and encapsulate Zentner's Daughter's philosophy. From our Onion Ring Bales to the Chicken Fried Steaks to our Family Style Kansas City Steak or the one-of-a-kind Steak Tenders, we pride ourselves in serving the best cuts. 

Describe the atmosphere and ambiance of Zentner's Daughter Steak House.

Our clientele is from all walks of life. We have farmers, plumbers, bankers, ranchers, teachers, families, oil field workers, etc. After a fire destroyed the restaurant in 1997, we added more booths, lots of windows and light, cool colors. We now have a sophisticated, yet unpretentious dining experience in traditional surroundings. There's something special about seeing your business attract all walks of life.

How does the San Angelo community contribute to this feel?
We want our customers to feel warm and comfortable in here. This is the essence of a family business, and we feel so fortunate to have the local support and repeat customers who have kept us going through the 35 years that we have been at this location. It's really awesome the way the community has embraced us. 

For more information on Zentner's Daughter Steak House, go here.

Executive Chef James Renshaw takes special dining requests and adds a personal twist at The Chandelier Room in the Golden Palms Health and Retirement Center in Harlingen.

The Chandelier Room is located inside the Golden Palms Health and Retirement Center in Harlingen. How does that contribute to the feel and atmosphere of the restaurant?

I think the people here really add to the ambiance of the restaurant, and, ironically, the food here is one of the No. 1 reasons people choose to reside at Golden Palms. Over 75 percent of our menu items are simply guests' suggestions with a slight twist.

What on your menu is Texas-grown or produced?
We have numerous menu items that feature Texas grown/produced products, although one of most popular dishes is our fresh Gulf Shrimp Seafood Crepes. In this dish, we utilize Texas-caught Gulf shrimp and locally made heavy cream and butter.

What are your favorite Texas ingredients and why?
My favorite Texas ingredients are by far our citrus products. Here in the Rio Grande Valley there is an abundance of excellent grapefruit, oranges, limes and lemons. Being in the healthcare industry, we are always looking for healthier choices that add extreme flavors. As a result, our local citrus products are vital components of many dishes we have on our menu in the form of marinades, sauces, vinaigrettes, fruit salsas and numerous desserts.

What is The Chandelier Room's signature dish?
I would have to say our signature dish is our Southwestern Chicken Pasta, which is penne pasta tossed with sautéed chicken, tomatoes, bacon, Texas sweet onion, jalapeños, our house-made alfredo sauce, garnished with crispy tortilla strips and cilantro.

For more information about The Chandelier Room, go here.

Giuliana Cristina Leardini, chef at El Paso's Trattoria Bella Sera, hosts diners and families looking for an international fare with the comforts of home.

Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in cooking?
I was inspired by my mother and aunt; they were always in the kitchen. The Sunday get-togethers were wonderful and unforgettable because of them and the food that was served. Those are vivid memories that stay with me and have made me who I am now. I like to do the same thing at the restaurant and not only provide good food, but also help make good memories for all of my guests.

How would you describe the Trattoria Bella Sera dining experience? What makes it a unique Italian restaurant?

We like for our guests to feel like they are in an Italian home being hosted by Italian friends. We want it to feel like a little escape not so far away from home.

What on your menu is Texas-grown or produced?
We use a variety of items from local GO TEXAN businesses like meat for our meat sauce, Bolognese that is used in our homemade lasagna, pork meat that we use to make sausage from scratch like my father use to do for almost 80 years, vegetables and our local wine from Zin Valle Winery.

What are you favorite Texas ingredients and why?
I like organic vegetables and Texas wine. No pesticides are used in the growing process of organic vegetables, so when I serve a salad I do not have to worry about chemical residue. I like Texas wine because so very few people know how good it is.

What is Trattoria Bella Sera's signature dish?
Our signature dish is the homemade lasagna, made from scratch with homemade pasta, filled with meat sauce, cheese and beshamella sauce. I also make homemade sausage like my father has made for 80 years.

How does your community and surroundings contribute to the feel and atmosphere of Trattoria Bella Sera?
My husband and I choose to have Trattoria Bella Sera in a more established community. We also have Fort Bliss very close, with thousands of soldiers and their families that come from all over the world. We have had the German forces that are trained at Fort Bliss for decades so we have an international community that is familiar with the Italian dining experience; something so many crave when so far from their country or state of origin.

For this month's Table Talk, David Warren, owner and chef at Fiddle Creek Steakhouse in Stephenville, details the unique down-home country dining experience he offers to diners in a GO TEXAN rural community.

 How would you describe the Fiddle Creek Steakhouse dining experience? What makes it a unique steakhouse?
When you enter Fiddle Creek through our old-time parlor entrance, you will feel like you have entered your grandmother's house. Our dining room has familiar antiques from days gone by and our bar has an old-time saloon feeling. We offer space for formal gatherings, business meetings or just a good home-cooked meal. I want everyone who comes to Fiddle Creek to feel at home. Each item on our menu is freshly prepared in our kitchen and not out of a freezer. We have great food, a friendly atmosphere and outstanding service.

How does your rural community and surroundings contribute to the feel and atmosphere of Fiddle Creek?
Stephenville is known as the Cowboy Capital of Texas. At Fiddle Creek, we have a cowboy atmosphere and strive to make everyone feel welcome. The restaurant is decorated with old relics from the past and pictures and antiques from our rural community. When you walk through the restaurant and bar and see the antiques, they are reminiscent of what your parents or grandparents, or maybe even you, used during a lifetime.

What on your menu is Texas-grown or produced?
We use pecans from Stephenville that are grown just up the road. We use as many Texas-grown vegetables as possible and we use Texas beef and shrimp. We also have Texas wines available at our bar.

What are you favorite Texas ingredients and why?
We use Texas jalapenos in several of our dishes. The universal appeal of the zest of jalapenos is the reason we use them in so many dishes. Also, we use pecans grown right here in our area. We strive to keep as much of the products we use from Texas. We are very committed to our local and state producers.

Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in cooking?
I have always had a sincere appreciation for really good food. When I was a kid, dinner time was enjoyable because the food was good home cooking. I want my customers to be able to enjoy that feeling at Fiddle Creek.

What is Fiddle Creek's signature dish?
For steak lovers, it's our prime rib or ribeye steak. For fish, it's our grilled salmon or seared tilapia with shrimp and crawfish in a wine cream sauce. For chicken, it's our chicken fried steak or the grilled chicken breast with fettuccini and sundried tomato alfredo sauce. You also don't want to skip our "snappin' turtles", which are jumbo Texas shrimp with mozzarella in a fresh jalapeno, deep-fried with a golden crust.

How does Fiddle Creek compare to steakhouses in bigger cities like Dallas and Houston?Our food, service and prices are comparable to any steakhouse in a larger city. Our down-home atmosphere and friendly service far exceeds most large city restaurants. Fiddle Creek is warm and friendly and uses fresh ingredients to make customers feel at home and appreciated.

Chef Mark Holley of Pesce in Houston mixes a full cup of passion for great food with a smidge of classical training, then adds a kick of Texas ingredients to spice up in this month's Table Talk.

What or who inspired you to pursue a career in cooking?
I was working as a busboy in my hometown of Dayton, Ohio. One day I picked up a restaurant business magazine and read an article that featured top African American chefs. From that day forward, I looked at the industry in a different way - I fell in love with the business and its energy. Shortly thereafter, I started working in the kitchen. The rest is history.

What are your favorite Texas ingredients and why? 
Spunky Amelia Sweethardt Pure Luck Goat's Feta Cheese: its flavor is light and subtle, it has a salty finish and the goat's milk gives it an unusual kick.

• Van Weldon's Wood Duck Farms Cilantro and Arugula Micro Greens: they are uniquely interesting, crisp, and finish off a dish well.
• Gulf Seafood: I like getting day-boat quality fish. There are some great unusual catches like Onaga, Long Tail Bass and even African Pompano. I also like Arnold oysters from Matagorda Bay. They are the best oysters in the world in prime season.  
• Farm-Raised Redfish from Palacios: fry some with Texas cornmeal. Wow! Life doesn't get any better!

In your bio, you speak of learning from your mother. What important lessons did you learn from helping your mom in the kitchen?
As a boy watching my mom in the kitchen, I marveled at her love of cooking for our family. She took her craft seriously and cooked with such passion. I suppose I could not resist following her example. Specifically, I learned to season everything to perfection, to clean as I go, to wash my hands (a lot), how to use leftovers and how everything in the kitchen has its place. My favorite dishes that she taught me to cook are spoon bread and sweet potato soufflé.

Since many of your dishes are seafood-based, how would you rate Texas shrimp?
It is the only shrimp I use because it has the best flavor and texture, and it is plump and tender. I also like to support local Gulf Coast fishermen.

What on your menu is Texas-grown or produced?

• Fish and seafood: blue crab, tuna, snapper, shrimp, redfish, oysters
• Produce: microgreens, tomatoes and, when in season, peaches, figs, blueberries, grapefruit, blackberries
• Array of cheeses and wines
• Mesquite wood

What are your signature dishes or standout menu items?

• Seafood martini: shrimp, lobster, gulf crabmeat and avocado atop Napa cabbage, hearts of palm and kimchee slaw served in a martini glass
• Southern shrimp and grits: grilled Texas honey-glazed shrimp with stone-ground golden grits and tasso saffron butter sauce
• Potato-crusted farm-raised Redfish: pan-seared and served with jicama, cilantro microgreen salad and finished with a Jack Daniels sweet corn salsa

How would you describe the Pesce dining experience?
Our cuisine is upscale, new American seafood with a melting pot of flavors, including Asian, Creole, Southern and Mediterranean. We provide exemplary personalized service with a touch of Southern hospitality in a contemporary setting. 

What makes a great chef?
A great chef should have classical (French) training, excellent leadership, teaching, communication and mentoring skills, an eye for detail and a passion for creating great tasting food!

  

Jeffrey Blank, owner, chef, author

What or who inspired you to pursue a career in cooking?
I went to hotel/restaurant school in Oklahoma and met a German chef named Gert Rausch. He introduced me to classically prepared European-style sauces and that got me really excited about cooking. Prior to that, my exposure to food and cooking was more regional. Gert's cooking got me excited about being in the kitchen.

What is your signature dish?
Our best-known dish is our mixed grill because it gives
people a variety of wild game. It features venison, rabbit,
quail  and other wild game.

What seasonings offer the most potential for enhancing a dish?
My personal preferences are the varieties of chilies from the southwest. You've got habaneros, hatch chilies, ancho chilies, chipotles. Some are spicy and some are not. Southwestern chilies can greatly enhance a dish. I also like the proper amount of sea salt. A lot of people tend to shy away from salt in their diets, but I find it important in order to make the flavors really burst.

What tool in your kitchen would you describe as your secret weapon?
The pecan-fire grill. It adds huge flavor. Ninety five percent of the grills in Austin are propane; they give you great grill lines, but they don't give you the same natural smoky flavor as a live fire. It may not sound like much, but that live-fire flavor is indicative of Hudson's flavor. You know it immediately when you taste it.

What makes a great chef?
Personally, I think it's the ability to think creatively. You need to be fearless in how you season the food. You may stub your toes a few times, but you will eventually find the flavor combinations that work well together.

Do you rely heavily on Texas-grown ingredients when you cook?
Oh definitely. Lettuce from Dripping Springs is far fresher than lettuce shipped in from California, and it doesn't have to be trucked or shipped. Besides being fresher, that same lettuce doesn't require as much fuel to get it here. The cost of getting raspberries from Chile is insane. Local, sustainable products are always going to be fresher. Also, when you're cooking seasonally based on what's available locally, you have to get more creative with what's grown here. The other great thing about Texas, and especially Central Texas, is there are a lot of microclimates that are conducive to growing things like lettuce and other delicate crops. I'm also partial to grass-fed tenderloin beef from Bandera.

Texas is also known as a wine region. How do you think Texas wine has changed over the years?
Fifteen years ago I would not say this, but Texas wines have really come of age. Texas grape growers and wine makers are now using grapes that are conducive to our climate. We're seeing grapes that are heartier to the heat. Texas has a great heritage of wine making that is even older than the Napa Valley. Texas is also now producing world-class grape blends.

Pair a Texas wine with one of your entrees. What makes a great dinner?
I would say our mixed grill with a Fall Creek Meritus. That would make a great meal.

What's the nicest compliment your cooking has received?
The best compliment is seeing people come back time after time. Imitation is also a great form of flattery. Our hot and crunchy trout has been on the menu for 20 years, and now you see it at other restaurants.

Have you ever been so impressed with another chef's cooking that you asked for the recipe or secretly tried to recreate it?
I love Tyson Cole's cooking at Uchi. I've asked him about his lemon flavoring. His food is so different than what we do here, and I love it. We go after seasonings and flavors that lean toward sweet, sour and salty. Uchi goes after a lemony umahi flavor that hits the taste buds under the tongue.

Is cooking a lost art in our fast-paced world?
Not at all. It's actually more popular in recent years than ever before. We offer cooking classes, and I'm amazed at the number of people who attend. The Food Network is more popular than ever, too. I even get kids in the classes who can talk very intelligently about food. If anything, it's actually harder to set yourself apart these days because good cooking has become so popular. The thing that sets us apart is the quality of the products we use and also the use of the freshest and best ingredients. It makes a big difference.

I understand you breathe fire on occasion to entertain your guests. Any accidents?
No accidents so far (knocking on wood.) It's an old fraternity trick. You can do it with lighter fluid or 151 rum. The rum is definitely kinder to the taste buds.

Cheryl Cuzco Bangert, owner and executive chef of Cheryl's by the Bay in Rockport, combines local ingredients with her signature presentation to give diners a true taste of Texas in this month's Table Talk.

Since many of your dishes are seafood-based, how would you rate Texas shrimp? Texas beef? 
I feel badly for those who have never tasted shrimp fresh out of Texas waters. I rate Texas shrimp right up there with lobster from Maine. And, I think the cattlemen of Texas take an artisan's pride when raising their beef cattle. It definitely shows in the quality and taste, which is why I serve only Texas-raised beef.

What are your favorite Texas ingredients and why? 
Besides shrimp and beef, I enjoy oysters from Aransas Bay when in season, fresh-gigged flounder, Texas 1015 sweet onions, Valley lemons, Ruby Red grapefruit, pecans, goat cheese, Texas Star potatoes, Tivoli tomatoes and TAM jalapenos. I like anything that comes from a backyard garden, including the spineless okra I grew this summer. Yum!

As a promoter of Texas wine, what would be a nice entrée/wine pairing from your menu?
 I would pair a spicy Gewürztraminer from Becker Vineyards in Stonewall with any dish I serve. It is hands down a perfect pairing, as they mutually complement each other.

What or who inspired you to pursue a career in cooking?
I don't think what I do would be considered having a "career" in cooking.  Since my business and creative interests are so varied, they seem to take many shapes, and as a result, I have several enterprises. For me, to cook is to play and for that I would have to give credit to my mother. She never gave the worn-out admonishment "don't play with your food" most mothers give their children. She encouraged it and was an offender herself. The act of dining at her table was all about fun and taste. My business acumen comes directly from my paternal great-grandmother, Cora L. McKinney. She owned and operated several restaurants in mining towns and cities in Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas during the Wild West days and was quite astute at seizing business opportunities. Her restaurants served the upscale clientele that came along with the money made in a boom. 

Are Texas wines a preferred choice from your customers? 
Texas wines are becoming more and more popular. A Malbec from Becker Vineyards is outstanding in price and quality, and I would put it head to head with a Malbec from Argentina.

What is your signature dish or standout menu item?
The signature is in the presentation. I try to incorporate the six tastes of food: salty, sweet, pungent, bitter, astringent and sour onto every plate. By doing so, one gets a completely balanced meal. Many of my regular clientele tell me they come in again and again because they begin to have an intense craving for my food. I have jokingly been accused of spiking it with addictive substances. 

What is the most rewarding compliment you've received for your cooking or your restaurant? 
It's the unspoken compliment that I take to heart the most-- plate that comes back to the kitchen devoid of a crumb or line of sauce, or the diner that gives you a near bull's-eye stab to the hand for presumption when removing their seemingly finished plate are both examples of great compliments.

Have you ever been so impressed with another chef's cooking that you asked for the recipe or secretly tried to recreate it?
The women behind the Pyrex or Tupperware dish of a heirloom family recipe brought to a local pot-luck meal are the ones I will saddle up to and try to get recipes from. That's how I got my cornbread salad recipe I serve. If you haven't had cornbread salad when the Tivoli tomatoes are in season, you are missing a huge slice of Americana at its best.

How would you describe the Cheryl's by the Bay dining experience?
It all depends on one's comfort zone in art, music and food. I seem to especially delight the jaded diner who thinks they have seen and eaten it all. In the words of the Greek philosopher Epicurus, "I have never wished to cater to the crowd; for what I know they do not approve, and what they approve I do not know."

Recipe: Scottish Jane's Minty Peas

What was the greatest challenge in transitioning the Perini family ranch into an acclaimed steakhouse? 

We actually started catering with the ranch chuck wagon in 1973. We opened the steakhouse in 1983. At this time, the term "steakhouse" wasn't a popular concept and restaurants weren't cooking over mesquite. Also, our location on the ranch in Buffalo Gap certainly didn't attract drive-by business.

What's the farthest distance someone has traveled to dine at Perini Ranch?
 Now, 25 years later, we are a true destination restaurant, and have guests from all over the U.S., and sometimes internationally. It's very exciting to read the guest book and see the license plates in the parking lot. 

How would you characterize the dining atmosphere at Perini Ranch?
I have always referred to the steakhouse as a "nice joint" that serves real Texas food. The atmosphere is rustic and casual, but in a very unique setting because of the ranch and the beauty of Buffalo Gap.

Have you ever cooked for a celebrity?
Over the years, we've had some great opportunities to work with both celebrities and politicians. The steakhouse has attracted many famous people over the years, including Clint Eastwood, Billy Bob Thornton, and our friend and regular customer, Robert Duvall. We have also had the opportunity to cater for President and Mrs. George W. Bush, while hosting the presidents of Russia and China.

What are your favorite Texas ingredients and why?
Of course, it's beef. I believe in going home with the one that brought you to the dance.

How did Texas wines come to be on your menu?
We believe in promoting Texas products, and Texas wines have come a long way. Our wine list consists of both Texas and California wines, and the Texas wines are great sellers.

When/how did you first become interested in cooking?
I really learned to cook on the wagon and I've always loved it. I never went to culinary school, I just learned by experimenting.

What on the Perini menu makes you most proud?
What makes me most proud is that the steakhouse has stayed the course featuring simple, Texas food. Twenty-five years later, it's even more popular than ever. We're still cooking beef, seasoned with our dry rub, cooked over mesquite coals. It's still good!

What is your favorite/signature dish to prepare and why?
Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce - it's a great finish to the meal, and some of our customers drive in just for the bread pudding.

What dish is the most challenging to prepare and why?
We feature simple food - we try not to make it too challenging!

What makes a great chef?
Of course, I'm not a chef, I'm a chuck wagon cook, but I think a great chef understands flavors and doesn't overcomplicate a dish. 

Perini Steak Ranchhouse