Meet Jeff Samoska | Executive Chef / Owner / Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jeff Samoska and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jeff, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
Crafted Culinary Experience delivers luxury restaurant-style hospitality, food, and memories to our clients in the comfort of their own environment. No dress code, no valet, no stress!

My passion is creating ultra-high-quality cuisine and top-notch southern hospitality for our discerning guests around the greater Houston area.

We create value for our clients through our personalized service, innovative food, and attention to each detail of execution throughout the entire process.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
During high school and my undergrad years at UM-St. Louis, I worked in multiple restaurants as a cook, server and bartender. After graduating cum laude with bachelor’s degrees in criminology and psychology, I chose culinary school over grad school and moved to Austin, TX. Upon graduating from Le Cordon Bleu Austin, I took a position as culinary corporate management trainee at Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport.

I worked with 5 Hyatt properties over 10 years including corporate trainee, sous chef, chef de cuisine, banquet chef, and executive chef (Orlando, FL, Greenville, SC, Houston, TX, The Woodlands, TX, Denver, CO).

I left the Grand Hyatt Denver in early 2018 and returned to Houston as the opening executive restaurant chef of The Post Oak Hotel in Uptown. In late 2019 I left The Post Oak Hotel to open Local Group Brewing Co in Hardy Yards as executive chef.

During the pandemic shutdowns of 2020 I began doing private jobs for clients all around Houston. It was then, I realized that my skills and experiences were in high demand on a more personal level. In late 2020 I formed Crafted Culinary Experience which has allowed me to focus on my culinary passion, creativity and most importantly my family.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
In a city like Houston these lists could go on for days and still not cover everything. However, I would take my friends to hit up the following spots in no particular order:

For food:

Xin Chao- Heights for some tasty Viet-style Gulf Coast dishes
Crawfish and Noodles for some crab, mudbugs and viet-cajun delights
Caracol-Post Oak for Chef Hugo’s coastal Mexican
Lucille’s- Museum District for the southern soul food “the pork shank and beans”
Brennan’s- Montrose to get the Bayou City feel and some 25 cent martinis
1751 – The Heights for some creative seafood dishes and more gin cocktails than I ever thought existed
Nancy’s Hustle- Eado to try out some creative new American dishes
Mariscos Zambada Food Truck for Sinaloan ceviche and micheladas
Truth BBQ- Heights for tasty brisket and sausages
Ninfa’s or El Tiempo on Navigation for tacos al carbon and giant margaritas

For drinks:

Lei low for the chill tiki vibe
Johnny’s Gold Brick for that late night gangsta rap, old fashions and mezcal anything
Rabbit’s Got the Gun to visit my boy Ian on the North Side and see what they are creating daily
Anvil for some classic Houston mixology
Winnie’s for a refreshing day drinking cocktail and sandwich
Houston Brewery crawl–Spindletap, 8th Wonder, Urban South, Eureka Heights, Holler, Local Group Brewing, St. Arnold’s to name a few…

For fun:

Bike ride on Buffalo Bayou or Lake Houston Wilderness-Kingwood (I live in the burbs!)
Astros game with afterparty at 1820 Lounge
Rodeo or Texans game to support my favorite players (clients)
Visit The Post for the sights, drinks and food variety
The Mullet area to view sick local graffiti artists at work
Chill by the pool at The Post Oak Hotel, say hello to my old chef friends and possibly test drive a Bugatti

Depending on the weather and time of year, I would say golf or a Galveston beach trip

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Family sparked my interest in culinary arts at a young age. They were very supportive through my culinary training and 20 + years of experience in the hospitality industry. The many talented chefs, cooks, restauranteurs, and hotel managers I have worked with over the years have honed my skills, abilities and decision making as an industry leader.

My wife Michelle and daughter Amia have taught me patience and also the need for work-life balance. Even though I was on a successful career path, they inspired me to take the leap of faith and form my own business.

Website: www.craftedculinaryexperience.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefjeffsamoska/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-samoska/

Twitter: @chefjeffsamoska

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/craftedculinaryexperience