Houston – Houston foodies, meet Chef Trinidad “Machete” Gonzalez, the self-taught culinary force behind Gordo Niños and a standout on Next Level Chef. Known for his viral Purple Lean Sauce™ and bold Hou-Mex flavors, every week, he takes his Houston hustle all the way to national television.
His nickname, “Machete,” comes from a combination of his precision skills and a nod to the popular movie series, reflecting his sharp, fearless approach in the kitchen.
Born and raised in Galveston, Chef Machete grew up learning from both sides of the kitchen: his mother cooked inside, his father outside. That foundation fueled a lifelong passion for cooking, which he honed while working in a variety of California restaurants and eventually aboard maritime vessels. After eight years at sea, family became his priority, inspiring him to step off the barges and start his own culinary venture.
That culinary venture started with selling tacos in front of his father’s mechanic shop for just one dollar! Now, he runs Gordo Niños from inside of the Motu Convenience Store in the Clear Lake Area.
Don’t let the location fool you, the restaurant already has a cult following with it’s classic “Hou-Mex” fare and over-the-top secret menu.
Chef Machete tells Houston Life’s Derrick Shore and Lauren Kelly that cooking is more than flavor but showing the world who he is. “Right now, I just want people to take away the real me,” he says. And with 10 years of experience and a growing following, Houston’s got his back.
We invited Chef into our kitchen, where he walked Derrick and Lauren through a super simple scallop crudo dish using a Mountain Dew Ponzu sauce. But, it was anything but basic. We can’t wait to have Chef back in Studio B!