Chef Don Bowie: From His Mother’s Kitchen to Building Taste

Chef Don Bowie grew up with full, home-cooked meals that his mother prepared even after long days of

work. He joins CJ Moneyway to explain how that experience shaped the welcome he wanted guests to

feel at Taste Kitchen + Bar in Houston.

Don reflects on initially resisting a culinary career, learning the front of the house at Red Cat Jazz Cafe,

working with the Sweetie Pie’s brand in Houston and studying Flower Child’s operating systems before opening Taste in 2019. The work behind what others called a quick success took years of starts, setbacks and preparation.

CJ and Don discuss accountability, the difference between a good dish and a complete dining experience,

and the challenge of delivering personal hospitality through a growing team. Their conversation asks what it takes to preserve the feeling of home as a restaurant grows.