Adrian Hembree, owner of Grazia Italian Kitchen Pearland, welcomes back Chef Steve Haug to the popular Pearland restaurant, 9415 Broadway Street. Haug known locally as “Chef Steve” returns to Grazia after a nearly two-year hiatus when he worked with other Houston-area notable restaurants.
Chef Steve first arrived in Pearland in late 2015 after a 15-year stint with Del Friscos. Shortly after his arrival, Adrian and Chef Steve master-minded the idea to enter the 2016 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s Roundup and Best Bites Competition. The team walked away with a Rookie Award, People’s Choice Reserve Grand Champion and the Lone Star Entrée Award Grand Champion for their smoked beef short rib creation. The excitement from the win resonated within Pearland and diners from across the Houston area who flocked to Grazia to experience the winning dish.
The duo plan to recapture the synergy of that era by returning to the core of what Adrian envisioned for Grazia which is to serve the community and offer an authentic experience with a personal touch.
“Steve’s strength is his creativity with the discipline of steaks and seafood that are brilliant. He takes simple ingredients that are delivered very well that tastes very well. When he’s on the floor greeting guests, the excitement people feel is real,” says Adrian.
Original Pearland location
The original Pearland location holds a special meaning for Adrian as it signified a new beginning for the entrepreneur. At a crossroads in his career in 2014, Adrian sold all of his businesses to have a fresh start in Pearland. With borrowed money and a reaffirmation back to his faith, Adrian launched a new beginning at the Grazia location in Pearland with lots of heart and soul.
“We’re here to serve the community. What makes Pearland different is the people – we have a special bond here. It’s a very tight knit small town feel with big city structure and some of the best roads for cycling in Brazoria county,” Adrian says.
“What I like most about coming back to Grazia is serving the community through great food and making Grazia great again. We offer really great Italian food from the past 25 years blended with the Texas Gulf coast style of steak, fresh fish and seafood dishes,” added Steve.
Upcoming Events
Although Adrian opened additional locations in Clear Lake in August 2016 and Katy in March 2018, you’ll find him at the flagship Pearland location 75% of the time. He is currently working on big plans to celebrate the 5-year anniversary of the original Grazia location in September of this year.
Chef Steve and Adrian recently held a kid’s cooking class which sold out in less than an hour. Having fun and creating a genuine experience are the essence of what the future holds for the restaurant under Adrian’s leadership style.
By popular demand, an adult’s cooking class will be held on Tuesday, July 23rd at Grazia in Pearland. A beef and bourbon dinner will be held on Wednesday, July 31st and another kid’s cooking class will be held at a date TBA before school starts.
Stay tuned for all of the exciting updates at the Grazia Italian Kitchen in Pearland on their facebook page Facebook.com and VisitPearland.com