Breaking Bread: A Conversation hosted by Chris Shepherd: A Michelin Roundtable with Felipe Riccio, Emmanuel Chavez and Mayank Istwal

FELIPE RICCIO 

Felipe Riccio, a native of Mexico, grew up in coastal Veracruz and moved to Houston as a teenager. He comes from a long line of immigrants—his mother is of Spanish heritage, and his father is from Naples, Italy. Felipe began working in the culinary scene in high school and launched his career with Frederic Perrier at Houston’s iconic Aura. He subsequently worked his way through the city’s top restaurants. Felipe achieved his Sommelier Certification under The Court of Master Sommeliers, and was named an Eater Young Gun in 2014.

In 2016, Felipe and his wife Hayley moved to Italy, where he staged at Carlo e Camilla and Erba Brusca in Milan, Osteria Francescana under Massimo Bottura in Modena, and Michelin-starred AGA in the Dolomites. He also took time in the Basque Country stage at Azurmendi and in New York under Dan Barber at Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Before returning to Houston to join Goodnight Hospitality as Chef/Partner, he traveled throughout Italy and the Mediterranean exploring his roots and discovering the bounty of the region.

Felipe runs the food programs at Goodnight Hospitality’s concepts: casual European restaurant Rosie Cannonball, named one of Vogue’s most anticipated restaurants of the year; Montrose Cheese & Wine retail shop; fine dining restaurant MARCH, and lively Mayfair-inspired The Marigold Club. Felipe was named a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Texas in 2022, and MARCH was a James Beard Award nominee for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program. 2024 MARCH was awarded one of Texas’s first Michelin stars, while Rosie Cannonball received a Bib Gourmand in the state’s inaugural Michelin Guide. In 2025, The Marigold Club was added to the Michelin Guide as a recommended restaurant.

Emmanuel Chavez

Chef Emmanuel Chavez is the visionary founder and culinary heart behind Tatemó, a Michelin‑starred tasting‑menu gem in Houston’s Spring Branch. Born in Mexico City and raised in Houston from age 10, Chavez grew up amid the rhythms of the Tex‑Mex restaurant his parents worked at — learning early how to chop, serve, and love food.

After a formative 3-year stint in Seattle, Chavez returned to Houston where he dove deep into the art of nixtamalization and respecting cultural roots, developing a passion for heirloom corn. That dedication drove him to grind 80 lbs of masa weekly, shape tortillas by hand, and build a menu where maize is both canvas and character.

Starting in Farmers Markets in 2020 and then opening a brick and mortar in early 2022, Tatemó quickly gained acclaim: National Finalist for the James Beard Best New Restaurant 2023 and Best Chef: Texas in 2024 and 2025, Food & Wine Best New Chef 2023, and a coveted Michelin star in Texas’ inaugural guide in 2024, as well as 2025. Chef’s praise dishes like Mexico-City style fried quesadilla with caviar and Enmoladas featuring masa-tempura and mole — each plate a celebration of Mexican tradition and Texas terroir.

Chavez sees Tatemó as a cultural conversation starter—“not a Mexican restaurant, but a Houston restaurant” grounded in local Texas produce and immigrant ingenuity. His mission? Revive maize’s legacy, empower farmers, and bring artisanal corn forward—one tortilla at a time.

Mayank Istwal

Chef Mayank Istwal is the Corporate Executive Chef and Culinary Director of Musaafer, the MICHELIN-starred Indian fine dining destination in Houston and its acclaimed sister location in New York City’s TriBeCa neighborhood.

Under his visionary leadership, Musaafer became the first and only Indian restaurant in Texas to earn a MICHELIN Star in both 2024 and 2025. In September 2025, Chef Mayank expanded The Spice Route Co, Inc.’s culinary footprint by opening Musaafer’s second location in the historic Hope Building on Duane Street in TriBeCa.

Born in India into a family with deep roots in catering, Chef Mayank’s passion for food was nurtured from a young age. He completed his Bachelor’s degrees in Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics before pursuing formal culinary education at the prestigious Institute of Hotel Management in Guwahati. This unique scientific foundation continues to shape his precise, thoughtful, and philosophical approach to neoteric Indian cuisine.

Chef Mayank is celebrated for his modern interpretations of regional Indian cooking — artfully weaving together culinary history, storytelling, Ayurveda-inspired spice wisdom, and contemporary techniques. His career spans leadership roles in luxury hotels, international cruise lines, and award-winning restaurants across India and abroad. He has also provided expert culinary direction for large-scale international bespoke catering, transforming high-profile luxury weddings and corporate events into unforgettable gastronomic experiences.

A dedicated food historian and global explorer, Chef Mayank undertook a 100-day journey across all 29 states of India, discovering forgotten recipes, indigenous ingredients, and time-honored traditions that now form the soul of Musaafer’s menus. He previously served as the exclusive chef for the cast of the critically acclaimed film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

His culinary excellence has earned international acclaim from the MICHELIN Guide, TIME Magazine, World Food Day, and numerous global culinary organizations.

https://musaaferrestaurants.com

ABOUT THE BREAKING BREAD SERIES 

Back when Chris Shepherd was running restaurants, he would place uncut loaves of bread on the table for guests to tear apart together, a way to get people talking. He’s always believed the table is one of the last places where community happens naturally. That idea is the heartbeat of this series.