Houston chef Justin Yu dishes on reopening his downtown restaurant
Chef Justin Yu.
Theodore Rex will once again welcome diners beginning this Sunday, May 23.
The restaurant has been on hiatus since February, when chef-owner Justin Yu stepped aside to allow Theodore Rex chef de cuisine Kaitlin Steets to take center stage with her Littlefoot pop-up. Steets, a 2020 James Beard Award semifinalist in the Rising Star Chef of the Year category, earned raves for her French-inspired menu that focused on classic culinary techniques.
Reopening Theodore Rex provides a good opportunity to catch up with Yu. During a phone call, the chef, who won a James Beard Best Chef: Southwest award in 2016 for his work at Oxheart, touched on a range of topics, including the changes he’s made to both the restaurant’s space and its menu ahead of the reopening, what he thought about Littlefoot, and why Theodore Rex charges $27 for a plate of dumplings.