by Virginia B. Wood
It
would be difficult to
name a more exciting year for the food business in Austin than 1995. A record
number of restaurants, many of them excellent, opened and found enthusiastic
local audiences, while several others saw anniversaries of 10, 15, and 20 years
and are still going strong. Cookbook sales were up and cooking classes became a
popular form of entertainment at several venues. Locally produced food products
received recognition in national competitions and continue to develop healthy
sales at home, while the coffee-bar explosion looks to carry on far into the
coming year. Austin restaurant patrons have been the beneficiaries of the
talent competition created by so many good chefs doing their best work. But
love it or hate it, there is no denying that Coyote Cafe generated the most
conversation in 1995. It may just be that proprietor Mark Miller’s greatest
talent is for creating controversy, because restaurant professionals and
patrons alike spent the entire year speculating about the pink restaurant on
West Sixth (look for our review next issue).
You’ll find my picks for the top ten restaurant/food happenings of 1995 listed
below, followed by the top ten lists of some of our other food writers: Patrick
Earvolino, Rebecca Chastenet de Gery, Pableaux Johnson, and Greg Beets.
Top Ten Food Events
1. Coyote Cafe opens an Austin location: The nationally known restaurant chainheaded up by Southwestern celebrity chef Mark Miller brought with it a national
spotlight that will also eventually illuminate some of the other talented and
hardworking restaurant professionals in Austin. End-of-the-year gossip
notwithstanding, it now seems that the reports of Coyote’s demise were somewhat
premature. For the moment, they’ll be closing for lunch, and spring plans
include a roof-top cantina much like the one at their original Santa Fe
location.
2. Restaurant openings revitalize inner city areas: Two homegrown Austin
restaurants, Bertram’s and G�ero’s, managed to build successful
businesses, restore local landmark buildings, create jobs, and help to renew
their inner-city neighborhoods all at the same time and with little fanfare.
3. Two Austin chefs made impressive presentations at the James Beard Foundation
House in New York City: Chef/owner Miguel Ravago of Fonda San Miguel and
Executive chef David Garrido of Jeffrey’s both made stellar splashes in the Big
Apple. Ravago presented his restaurant’s famous Fiesta Sunday brunch and
Garrido prepared the beef dishes that won him the recognition of the Beef
Industry Council. Bringing national attention to native Austin restaurants was
a great way for both companies to celebrate 20 successful years in business.
4. Local cookbook authors get great showing in national markets in 1995 and
there will be more in the coming year: Local authors Lucinda Hutson, Angela
Shelf Medearis, and the team of Robb Walsh and San Antonio chef Jay McCarthy
were busy promoting cookbooks nationwide. In 1996, look for another book from
Walsh, a Threadgill’s Cookbook from Eddie Wilson, a low-fat, interior Mexican
cookbook from Chronicle food writer Patrick Earvolino, and a regional
Mexican cookbook from Fonda San Miguel’s Mike Ravago.
5. Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival brought Chefs Collaborative 2000
representatives to Austin: There was just something perfect about Republican
Agriculture Commissioner Rick Perry hosting a $125 a plate dinner where the hot
topic of conversation was sustainable agriculture. Whole Foods Market’s LaDonna
Higdon gets the credit for bringing the national Chefs Collaborative lineup to
Austin and she is busy with corporate fundraising for the growing
organization.
6. Food products developed in Austin take a bite out of national markets. From
sauces (Timpone’s) to nuts (Austinuts), homegrown Austin foods made a big
national splash in 1995. And the word is that several small local food
companies may pool their creative resources to work out better distribution
deals for all concerned in 1996.
7. Cooking school phenomenon flourishes: Fueled partly by the booming cookbook
publishing business, cooking classes featuring cookbook authors and celebrity
chefs became a popular form of entertainment in Austin this past year. On any
given night, patrons could enjoy a great meal complete with recipes and an
opportunity to kibitz with the chef while sipping a pleasant bottle of wine at
Central Market, Breed & Co., Blanco River Cooking School, Cooking with
Marie Claire, or restaurants such as Hudson’s on the Bend.
8. Central Texas growers and Austin chefs formed bonds that brought more fresh,
local produce to the restaurant table. With the encouragement of events like
the Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival and What’s Cooking in the Park?,
local growers and chefs had the chance to get acquainted and began to do some
serious business. Hopefully, this trend will grow and strengthen to everyone’s
benefit in the years to come.
9. Austin restaurateurs recognize their power to raise funds for deserving
organizations. Whether the recipient was AIDS Services of Austin or Share Our
Strength Hunger Relief, talented local chefs and caring restaurateurs were
ready, willing, and able to put themselves on the line to raise money.
10. Homegrown Austin bakeries experience a renaissance. Local bakeries indeed
experienced a landmark year with Sweetish Hill celebrating 20 years in
business, Texas French Bread reaching the 15-year landmark, and both Upper
Crust and Whole Foods Bakehouse closing in on 10 years. All of them seem to be
at the top of their form with hearty artisan breads and excellent pastries.
Look for the new Schlotzsky’s/Bread Alone Bakery and the upstart New World
Bakery to join the top ranks in 1996.
n
This article appears in January 5 • 1996 and January 5 • 1996 (Cover).