HOUSTON – 🔑 Key Points
- Chef Omar Pereney’s French bistro, Petite Lucie, is set to open in Market Square Park, Downtown Houston
- The concept will serve from morning coffee to evening cocktails, with plans to open in time for World Cup matches
- Pereney previously served as private chef to President George H.W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush
- The restaurant will feature his famous Love Croissants, which currently sell at 70+ Houston coffee shops
From TV Star to Presidential Chef
When Omar Pereney started cooking at age 12 in Venezuela, he never imagined his culinary journey would lead him to cooking for a U.S. president.
“My dad seemed to think that I was charismatic. And so he was like, you should do a TV show. And I said, absolutely not. I’m a cook. I’m not an actor,” Pereney recalled about his early days hosting five seasons of a cooking show on Latin America’s equivalent to the Food Network. “I was very serious. I really wanted to have this like chef persona. And they didn’t let me wear a chef coat.”
Pereney worked at a seafood restaurant in Mexico City before coming to Houston when the business expanded.
It was his work at that Galleria-area restaurant that led to an unexpected opportunity: becoming the private chef at age 23 for President George H.W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush in their final months.
They always ordered from his restaurant on Sundays, Pereney said, and when a medical emergency happened with their old chef, Pereney found out he was high on the list to work for them.
“For me, it was humbling because I’m not a U.S. Citizen, and so I was learning about them as I was taking care of them,” Pereney shares, noting with a smile that he “made way too many onion soups” for the former first couple.
The Croissant That Started It All
After his high-profile role with the Bush family, and despite a successful job consulting to open other restaurants, Pereney took an unexpected turn – perfecting a croissant recipe.
“It wasn’t meant to make any money or anything because I had a job,” he said.
But when he started selling at farmer’s markets, something clicked.
“We would sell out. And that’s just so much dopamine man,” Pereney said.
That success led to his Love Croissants brand, which has a bakery in Midtown, will open a storefront in the Heights, and also serves to dozens of coffee shops around Houston.
What’s Coming to Market Square Park
The Space
- Designed by Gensler architects
- Features shaded outdoor seating beneath live oaks
- Includes an open kitchen and modern bistro interior
- Located steps from the emerging Main Street Promenade
The Concept
- An all-day French-inspired café and bistro, as Pereney explains: “it’s a French bistro seen through the eyes of a little girl, so it is a fun but also elegant French bistro at a park”
- Menu spans from breakfast to dinner
- Features seasonal ingredients and flavors from Provence, Normandy, and the Mediterranean coast
- Includes a curated wine and beer program
- Will offer catering services for downtown offices and residential buildings
“This entire park is going to smell like butter and almonds and chocolate and cardamom,” Pereney promised as he showed off the construction zone that will become Petite Lucie.
Community Impact
The restaurant represents more than just another dining option for downtown Houston.
“I love Houston,” Pereney said. "When you cook for a community that feeds you back, you can never go. I’m never gonna go."
Earlier this year, Pereney also took over Weights and Measures, a popular spot for brunch in Midtown.
Timeline and Details
- Location: 301 Milam St, Houston (Market Square Park)
- Opening: Spring 2026
- Hours: All-day service, from morning pastries to evening drinks
- Special programming planned for Market Square Park events, including movie nights and community gatherings