{"id":366358,"date":"2025-11-09T07:27:23","date_gmt":"2025-11-09T07:27:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/366358\/"},"modified":"2025-11-09T07:27:23","modified_gmt":"2025-11-09T07:27:23","slug":"michelin-star-nyt-recognition-ignites-isidore-at-pullman-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/366358\/","title":{"rendered":"Michelin star, NYT recognition ignites Isidore at Pullman Market"},"content":{"rendered":"

Behind the prestigious star at San Antonio\u2019s hottest new restaurant, Isidore<\/a>, are three amigos in Michelin jackets: one chef who started as a dishwasher, one who began as a busboy and a third who graduated from Central Catholic High School, half a mile from Pullman Market<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In two months, Ian Lanphear (dishwasher), Danny Parada (busboy) and Jorge Hernandez (Central Catholic) have completed a culinary trifecta.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In September, their craft in the kitchen led the New York Times to name Isidore one of America\u2019s 50 Best Restaurants<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In October, the Isidore chefs celebrated a Michelin star and a Green star at the Michelin Guide\u00a0ceremony in Houston.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The recognition prompted a sudden spike in business. Within three hours after the Michelin announcement, Isidore received more than 200 new reservations, said Alicynn Fink, partner with Emmer & Rye Hospitality.<\/p>\n

A Halloween visit from guests three days later crystallized the impact.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese two gentlemen came in and said, \u2018We\u2019re so proud to be here,\u2019\u201d said Parada, a corporate chef who also works at Michelin-starred Nicosi Dessert Bar <\/a>next door. <\/p>\n

\u201cThey grew up in San Antonio. They said, \u2018This is awesome. First there was Mixtli<\/a>. Now we have three Michelin star restaurants. It\u2019s good to see San Antonio recognized as a culinary destination.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

These are heady times at Isidore, a high-end chophouse that opened in August 2024. Want a table for two at 7 p.m.? Nothing is available before Nov. 23. Try an earlier or later time instead. But do it quickly. Demand is booming for a stylish spot that features Blackjack Point oysters, a dry-aged Berkshire pork chop and a 12-ounce, Wagyu steak butcher\u2019s cut.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Isidore won its first Michelin star on Oct. 28, 2025. Credit: Courtesy \/ Dan Padgett<\/p>\n

\u201cBut the real prize,\u201d the New York Times wrote<\/a>, \u201cis an elegant dish of yuba made of milk from a nearby farm that\u2019s stuffed with fresh cheese and cooked in cream \u2014 it looks like ethereal ravioli and tastes like heaven.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been an other-worldly ascent for Parada and Lanphear, the chef de cuisine. Parada started as a busboy at age 14 in Kemah and worked his way up. \u201cI fell in love with the speed and pace of the kitchen and went to culinary school in Austin,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Lanphear grew up in Pittsburgh with a love for painting the outdoors. He moved to San Antonio, planned to attend art school and took a job as a dishwasher at Fig Tree<\/a>. The fine dining kitchen changed his ambition.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI decided that was going to be my trajectory instead of art school,\u201d Lanphear said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Hernandez aspired for world-class training in his youth. He studied at the Culinary Institute of America <\/a>in Hyde Park, New York, where he met renowned chef Jos\u00e9 Andr\u00e9s<\/a>. The connection led to work at minibar by Jos\u00e9 Andr\u00e9s<\/a>, a Michelin two-star restaurant in Washington, D.C.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He returned to Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic and became corporate chef for creativity for Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group<\/a>. Hernandez came home as a corporate chef last year when Emmer and Rye opened Pullman Market. \u201cIsidore and Nicosi were the two big projects we tackled together,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In San Antonio, Hernandez divides his time between Isidore and Nicosi, collaborating with chefs and creating new menu items. He spends roughly half his time in Austin, working with Emmer & Rye Hospitality, a powerhouse collective that includes three Michelin one-star, two Green stars and three Bib Gourmand restaurants.<\/p>\n

\u201cHardly a day goes by that chefs from different restaurants don\u2019t spend time together, bouncing ideas off one another,\u201d Hernandez said. \u201cIt\u2019s a lot of fun.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Hernandez, Parada and Lanphear bring distinct expertise to Isidore\u2019s vibrant menu. Hernandez has CIA training and Michelin two-star experience. Parada learned in kitchens from Chicago to Sydney, Australia. Lanphear\u2019s fine-dining pedigree includes work at Fig Tree and Restaurant Gwendolyn in San Antonio. As Lanphear puts it, \u201cI got paid for my experience rather than paying for my experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

The trio\u2019s collaboration earned a Michelin Green star for sustainable and eco-friendly practices. Fourteen months after opening, their work at Isidore earned a coveted Michelin star for \u201chigh quality cooking.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Kevin Fink, Danny Parada, Ian Lamphear, Jorge Hernandez and others on stage for Isidore\u2019s Michelin star win on Oct. 28. Credit: Courtesy \/ Marc Patrick with BFA.com<\/p>\n

From the Michelin Guide: \u201cNamed for the patron saint of farmers and laborers, there is a clear focus on Texas ingredients and local traditions, even incorporating Native American elements into the bread service. The menu is large, with items intended for sharing and a section dedicated to steak. Narrowing down your snack selection isn\u2019t easy, but the popcorn chicken, crispy fried with popcorn aioli and velout\u00e9, is a good bet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Isidore also offers a curated beverage program that focuses on Texas wines and contemporary takes on classic cocktails, such as the Bread & Butter Old-Fashioned and a Maravilla Margarita.<\/p>\n

How does it feel to have a Michelin star?\u00a0<\/p>\n

In Houston, a one-time busboy and a former dishwasher slipped into white Michelin jackets and soaked in the moment of a Super Bowl-like triumph. \u201cTo get the recognition from a brand as big as Michelin,\u201d Parada said, \u201cwas super rewarding.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hernandez stood nearby, clad in his own Michelin jacket, heart pounding, memories swirling. He\u2019d left home to get an elite education and worked at a Michelin two-star on the East Coast. But he\u2019d always planned to return and share his gift back home.<\/p>\n

Hernandez never imagined he\u2019d split time between two kitchens separated by a single wall. Or that both kitchens would win a Michelin star on the same day.<\/p>\n

One week later, the hometown chef remained on a culinary high.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is,\u201d he said, \u201cabsolutely amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Behind the prestigious star at San Antonio\u2019s hottest new restaurant, Isidore, are three amigos in Michelin jackets: one…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":366359,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5133],"tags":[5229,44810,177183,177184,177185,101552,177186,177187,83453,15605,6985,177188,24546,101556,7202,7203,358,7453,3187,7593,67,586,132,5230,68,2969,20705],"class_list":{"0":"post-366358","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-san-antonio","8":"tag-america","9":"tag-culinary-institute-of-america","10":"tag-danny-parada","11":"tag-emmer-rye-hospitality-group","12":"tag-ian-lanphear","13":"tag-isadore","14":"tag-jorge-hernandez","15":"tag-jose-andres","16":"tag-michelin-guide","17":"tag-michelin-star","18":"tag-new-york-times","19":"tag-nicosi-dessert-bar","20":"tag-pearl","21":"tag-pullman-market","22":"tag-san-antonio","23":"tag-sanantonio","24":"tag-texas","25":"tag-top-story","26":"tag-tx","27":"tag-typefeature","28":"tag-united-states","29":"tag-united-states-of-america","30":"tag-unitedstates","31":"tag-unitedstatesofamerica","32":"tag-us","33":"tag-usa","34":"tag-wc-750-1000"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115518560873225453","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/366358","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=366358"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/366358\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/366359"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=366358"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=366358"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=366358"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}