What would you say makes Liberty Kitchen Treehouse different from any other restaurant?
In addition to our dedication to serving up the finest Gulf and East Coast oysters in Houston alongside modern comfort food, the restaurant is equipped with a handmade 15-foot Argentinian-style wood and charcoal grill, allowing us to produce seafood and meat that is rich in flavor and texture.
What would you say is the key to running such a successful restaurant business like yours?
In my opinion, there are a few keys to running successful restaurants. It’s important to have a culture of “yes” mentality, and always be working toward excellence. Having a positive, consistent working relationship with team-members and 100% trust in the ownership group are also key.
If you hadn’t decided to open a restaurant business, what other type of business would
you open?
If F.E.E.D. TX Restaurant Group and our three Liberty Kitchen locations did not exist, I would open up a little surf shop and board shaping place somewhere in Bali or Indonesia.
What was your favorite food as a child?
And now as an adult?
I’ve always loved my mom’s spaghetti and clams.
Where is your favorite hang-out spot in Houston when you’re with your family and why?
Almost every Tuesday, we have family dinner at Liberty Kitchen & Oyster Bar, because it feels like home. We also enjoy Juice Girl and Rita’s Italian Ice in the Heights.
I live in Galveston and find myself at The Spot frequently. They have great salads, a nice view of the beach and an awesome owner, Dennis Byrd. I also love to go The San Luis Resort pool and restaurants, as it’s obvious that Tilman Fertitta has true commitment to his customers and employees.
What would you say was your ideal job/work when you were a teenager?
Being a dishwasher was my ideal job, for sure. It began the process of learning work ethic and also gave me the chance to watch the cooks and study before I had the chance to move up.
What advice would you give to someone who had big dreams to own a successful business like you?
Live and work every day with integrity—true integrity. Show compassion for everyone that your encounter, and yourself. When the moments come to do right or wrong, always choose right—even if it means you lose or suffer. When you lose your integrity and conscious, it’s over; the ride down-hill comes real fast.
Success isn’t measured by numbers, but rather how we walk and how we bring our best self to the table every day. I don’t look at our business as success or failure. In my perception, my business creates opportunities for me to be better as a person. It gives me so many chances to do the right thing, to live and work with integrity and to display that to my peers and employees. I was careless at times with myself and others, but I see where I almost had to do that so that I could find the other side. I have failed in so many ways and in so many parts of my life, but I am still here in the restaurant industry. I am blessed with the visibility of a chef with a long tenure in the city and I look at that now as a serious responsibility.
Do you have any suggestions on the menu for someone who has not eaten at Liberty Kitchen Treehouse?
I encourage diners to taste through our always-rotating oyster selection. Also, go for the Hot Smoked Seattle Salmon Slab, served with our signature Bacon Jam. It’s a taste of Liberty Kitchen in one bite!
Tell our Memorial readers what is your normal morning routine is like?
I wake up at 4:17 every morning. Then, I mindfully make my bed, place my teapot on low flame and sit on my meditation mat. I say my 5 minutes of Buddhist prayers out loud, meditate for 15-20 minutes, stretch, steep my tea, read a book for 15 minutes, practice my Spanish for 15 minutes, do 200 push-ups and then walk to the beach and do a surf check. If it’s a good day for surfing, I do that. If not, I run for 30 minutes on the beach and then go home for oatmeal with mango and maple syrup. Finally, I tackle emails and get ready to make the drive into Houston to start the work day.
