From family recipes to Latuli, chef Bryan Caswell is back on the Houston dining scene

Houston – Houston’s dining scene has a new addition, and it comes from a familiar and celebrated name. Chef Bryan Caswell, a James Beard Award finalist behind beloved restaurants like Reef, Stella Sola, and El Real Tex-Mex Cafe, is back with Latuli, a coastal-inspired neighborhood restaurant rooted in family, art, and tradition.

After closing his previous restaurants and stepping away from the kitchen just before the pandemic, Caswell found himself with something he had not had in decades: time. Time spent fishing with his father and son, reconnecting with nature, and reflecting on what mattered most. That pause, he says, helped him reset creatively and personally, ultimately leading him back to the work he loves.

According to Caswell, Latuli is aimed at reflecting the evolution of his cooking and his identity as a chef. The menu draws inspiration from coastal cuisine, shaped by Gulf influences and global techniques, and anchored by deeply personal recipes passed down through generations.

One of the most meaningful dishes is his grandmother’s chicken and dumplings. Caswell learned the recipe as a teenager out of necessity, determined to preserve it before it disappeared. That commitment to honoring culinary heritage still defines his cooking today, from soulful comfort dishes to refined coastal plates.

Chef Bryan Caswell recently appeared on an episode of Eat Like a Local with Chris Shepherd.

Birdie-Bea’s Chicken & Dumplings

Dumplings

• 2 cups flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 ½ c buttermilk
• 6 tbl bacon fat
• Blk Pepper
• 1 ½ tsp salt

1. On a clean surface, cut the fat into the flour until uniformly lumpy.
2. Using the well method, mix buttermilk and work it into the flour softly.
3. Don’t overwork and don’t add too much flour.
4. Roll out and cut into ½ inch by 3-inch strips.

Chicken

• 10 chicken thighs (skin on)
• 2 qt onions, med dice
• 3 poblano peppers
• 1 qt celery, med dice
• 3 qt carrots, med dice
• 12 garlic cloves, sliced

Sachet

• 1 tbsp. Fennel seed
• 2 tbsp. coriander
• 1 bundle thyme
• 8 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp. black pepper corns
• 1 bottle Riesling
• chicken stock

1. Sweat onions, garlic, jalapenos, sachet. Deglaze with wine & reduce by ½ . Add all other veg and chicken, stock to cover. Bring to a simmer and braise till tender.
2. Clean skin off of thighs and brine
3. Braise
4. Dress with
5. Parsley and lemon juice