Issue link: https://tmcpulse.uberflip.com/i/1152989
t m c » p u l s e | a u g u s t 2 0 1 9 12 Q | In addition to the restau- rants you have opened as part of H Town Restaurant Group, your wife co-operates Third Coast Restaurant at the Texas Medical Center and co-owns Prego Restaurant in Rice Village. Each year, all these restaurants participate in Houston Restaurant Weeks, during which proceeds from specially priced lunch, brunch and dinner menus benefit the Houston Food Bank. What makes this fundraiser so important to you? A | Being here, you're always in a position to give back. I truly believe in that. There are people that need more than me today, and any way I can help, I want to do that, to contribute to my society. And a cook is always welcome. We can feed the world, right? I feel blessed to be able to contribute back to this wonderful city. Hugo Ortega was interviewed by Pulse senior writer Alexandra Becker. The conversation was edited for clarity and length. Spotlight Q | As a chef and business owner, do you have any regrets about your career? A | I think we've taken a long time to develop new concepts. For exam- ple, we opened Hugo's in 2002, after Tracy owned Backstreet Cafe since the early eighties. And then six years ago we opened Caracol, which is coastal Mexican cuisine, and then three years ago we opened Xochi, where we serve Oaxacan food, which is where my grandmother was born. So, I wish I had been a little more aggressive and opened restaurants more frequently. But that's easier to say than to have the money to do it. There's always that competitive drive to challenge yourself and create a new concept. Q | What are your hobbies outside of cooking? A | I love cycling. It's a dangerous sport, but that's my passion. I go into George Bush Park and I cycle there with friends. I've had some really bad accidents; one time I broke my clavicle. You have to concentrate when you're riding your bike, but it's a wonderful thing to do—it's just you and the bicycle. is proud to participate in Houston Restaurant Weeks benefiting the Houston Food Bank Make your lunch or dinner reservations today 713.749.0400 thirdcoasthouston.com THIRD COAST RESTAURANT John P. McGovern Commons 6550 Bertner Ave., 6th Floor Houston, TX 77030 August 1 – September 2, 2019