Houston’s culinary scene gets a big boost from Executive Chef Julio Cisneros, a talented international chef who’s been pouring his heart into The Downtown Club at The Met for the past several years. He came to Houston from Nicaragua over four decades ago and has built an amazing career with Invited Clubs, working at some of the city’s top spots. His story of going from dishwasher to executive chef shows what you can do with hard work and a little luck, making him a real inspiration here in Houston.
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Beef and Broccoli
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A Great Lunch
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Shrimp Dish
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Shrimp and Pasta
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Selection of Cheese and Fruits
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Creme Brulee
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Key lime pie and chocolate covered strawberry
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Chocolate Cake
Cisneros first got into cooking as a kid, helping his mom in the kitchen back home. “Ever since I was growing up, I used to help mom at home. I used to get in the kitchen and try to help her to make lunch for dad or dinner for everybody,” he remembers with a smile. Born into a family of watchmakers, he arrived in Houston without knowing English and cooking wasn’t even on his radar. A friend got him a dishwashing job at the Heritage Club in 1983, and that’s where things changed. His mentor, a German MasterChef, saw something special in him. “He told me, ‘You go to school and learn English, I will give you a dollar every time you bring me a certificate and I’ll change you to a different position’,” Cisneros says, a deal that kicked off his rise through the kitchen.
For nine years, he learned from this mentor, picking up skills in French, Italian, German, American, Caribbean, and Asian cuisines. “I like to call myself an international chef. I cook food from all over the world,” he says proudly. His mentor taught him that food is about more than taste. “People don’t eat with their mouth. People eat with their eyes first,” Cisneros explains, a lesson that shapes how he plates every dish. “If I make 100 plates, 100 plates will look exactly the same. Every piece of something will be positioned the same way as the other,” he adds, showing his love for getting it just right. Through his attention to detail comes a creative spark. “I love creating dishes and putting them on a plate. They make it look like a beautiful flower, a beautiful picture,” Cisneros says.
His career has taken him to iconic Houston spots like the Plaza Club, which later became the Houston Club, where he was executive chef for 12 years starting in the early 2000s. He’s filled in as a chef across the company’s clubs, even working at a country club during during the pandemic. But The Downtown Club keeps pulling him back. “I’ve been at that club as a chef three times. They’ve keep me bringing me back,” he laughs. General Manager Thomas Westbrook gave him the freedom to shine, letting him create daily specials that sell out every time. “I kept telling them, you know, we can do better. Just let me do what I want to do,” he says, a turning point that let his creativity take off.
Teaching is where Cisneros really lights up. He’s built a loyal team, including a Sous Chef who’s been with him for 25 years and a pantry cook who started as a dishwasher. “I like teaching. I want to pay forward. A lot of people help me on my way up,” he notes. He taught himself by buying cookbooks with every paycheck and earned his Executive Chefs’ title through the Club Corp of America. “I didn’t go to culinary school, but I have taught so many chefs that came out of culinary school,” he says with pride.
For young people wanting to follow in his footsteps, he has solid advice. “It’s hard work. It’s not easy. Sometimes you get overwhelmed, but if you do it from your heart, you will understand why I’m so picky,” he shares. The best part for him? Hearing from members. “It just filled my heart with happiness when they told me, ‘This is the best fish or the best paella I’ve ever had,’” he says. At The Downtown Club, Cisneros keeps raising the bar for Houston’s dining scene, proving that passion and hard work can create something beautiful. And just like he started by helping his mom cook for the family, he now feeds the hearts of Houstonians with every plate, a remarkable full-circle journey that endures.
