Austin Simmons

Texas-born Chef Austin Simmons, a Le Cordon Bleu graduate, honed his skills at Dallas’s Mansion on Turtle Creek and John Tesar’s Modern Steak & Seafood. Now, at TRIS & The Kitchen in The Woodlands, he crafts unrivaled cuisine, blending global ingredients with finesse. Chef Simmons prioritizes his TRIS team as family, ensuring a special dining experience through upscale offerings and impeccable hospitality.
Adamant in wanting to tell a story through his cooking, Chef Simmons is very simplistic in his delivery with light, but flavorful ingredients that allow the natural flavors of the food to express themselves.
Chef Simmons has pushed the culinary envelope in The Woodlands. In 2018, he was nominated by Eater Houston as “Chef of the Year,” recognized as one of CultureMap Houston’s top 10 chefs of the year, and placed in the top 25 in Houston Chronicle’s top 100 restaurants, curated by James Beard award-winning journalist Alison Cook. Simmons was declared the “Truffle Master” with his truffled grilled cheese in 2018 and also earned the ‘People’s Choice Award’ for his oyster and truffle potage in 2017 at the annual Truffle Masters competition.
Chef Simmons’ accolades continued in 2019 by being recognized in the top 10 of CultureMap Houston’s inaugural top 100 restaurants list, named “chef to watch” by Houstonia Magazine, and placed in the top 20 of Houston Chronicle’s top 100 restaurants, to name a few. Simmons was also selected to participate in the Butcher’s Ball Golden Cleaver competition where he took home third place against 20 other prestigious Texas chefs.
In January 2020, Houston Press named Chef Austin Simmons, ‘Best Chef’ in Houston. While 2020 was off to a successful start for Chef Simmons, it turned into an unconventional year for everybody in the world, and his invitation to cook at the world-renowned James Beard House in New York City in March 2020 was canceled due to the pandemic.
Chef Simmons is currently in charge of culinary for the Woodlands Hospitality Group, overseeing the Black Walnut Cafe concept with nine locations in Texas, and The Kitchen breakfast/lunch/dinner fast-casual concept in The Woodlands.
Chef Simmons is very active in his community and was named a ‘Community Champion’ by The Interfaith of The Woodlands in April 2023. In addition to cooking, Simmons’ passion is to develop younger chefs to discover their own talents in the same way that he was encouraged.
Meet him at Rosé Way where you can bid on his Smokin’ Hot Chef Culinary Experience – an all-inclusive six-course fine-dining tasting experience for four with wine in the comfort of your own home benefiting the Southern Smoke Foundation. He’ll also be on the esteemed Judge’s Panel at the Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting & Chef Showcase.