Wrapped up August on a high note with my @cnn debut 🙏🏾. Sat down with @pamelabrowncnn on “The Situation Room” to talk about how the food from back home has shaped me and how Creole culture keeps pushing me forward.
Grateful for the chance to share a glimpse of @augustineshtx opening later this year. Sit tight … the wait won’t be much longer…. #ChefLife #ProfessionalChef #CulinaryArts #Foodways #GlobalCuisine
#NewOrleansFood #CreoleCuisine #CajunCooking #SouthernFood #GumboCulture #SoulOfNOLA
#FoodMigration #CulinaryDiaspora #CultureThroughFood #DisplacementStories #FoodAsHistory
#EdibleHistory #FoodNarratives #CulturalFoodways #CookingWithHeritage #FoodAndIdentity
#FoodLovers #FoodHistory #EatWithPurpose #TasteTheCulture #FromNOLAToTheWorld
Thank you for this article @kateakassin and @bonappetitmag it’s just a humbling reminder that no matter what happens as long as you stay true and genuine to the craft and service people will be hype for what your willing to bring.
Grateful to the team @seanalanroberts@dathree@jailynmarcel who have worked day in and day out to keep us on the forefront as we finish our construction of @augustineshtx to provide something the community has never seen.
Building excellence is never easy but our mistakes prepare us for what to come. Can’t wait to see yall in our dining room.
“Creole cuisine developed from the true blending of European Cultures (Spanish, Italian, French German), African Slaves, and Indigenous People. The nuances of the cuisine eventually began to plateau, and the typical food New Orleans is known for is all we kept creating. My life’s work has been to understand my city’s past and how the culture has developed. The term that I’ve coined — Progressive Creole — creates a new history and new recipes that celebrate the idea of this original melting pot.” - @chefdomlee
Rooted in the unique tapestry of Creole culture, Chef Dominick Lee’s culinary journey pays heartfelt homage to his New Orleans heritage. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Lee’s passion for cooking led him to The Art Institute of Houston’s Culinary School, where he received the inaugural “Underbelly Scholarship” from James Beard award-winning chef Chris Shepherd. His journey to his Bachelors in Culinary Management included stages at some of the most highly acclaimed restaurants in the country, including Alinea (3 Michelin Stars), Next (1 Michelin Star), and Blue Hill at Stone Barns (2 Michelin Stars) as well as roles as sous chef at Bay Oaks Country Club and Executive Sous Chef under James Beard semifinalist Chef Kiran Verma at Kiran’s.
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At 29, Lee became one of the youngest executive chefs in Houston, taking the helm at Poitín Bar & Kitchen where he earned accolades such as Texas Monthly’s 2019 Best New Restaurants and a number of “Rising Star Chef” distinctions.
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In 2021, Lee relocated to Europe to study Creole food derivatives and served as head chef at Villa Lena in Tuscany. Two years later, he returned back to The States, opening Alligator Pear in New York City, which showcased a New American menu inspired by New Orleans. Now, Lee returns to Houston to open Augustine’s, a progressive Creole restaurant exploring the many dimensions of his Creole heritage. | 📷: @shawnmccarney
Johnston, Frances Benjamin. Street at downtown river corner St. Peter Street, French Quarter, New Orleans. 1937 or 1938. Photograph. Library of Congress
Augustine’s is a progressive Creole restaurant showcasing a narrative of migration, culture, and evolution.
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The brainchild of @chefdomlee , the concept delves into the original melting pot of Creole cuisine, blending European, African, and Indigenous influences to create new recipes that honor and expand upon traditional Creole dishes—further drawing from Lee’s rich New Orleans heritage and his extensive culinary journey.
