CHEF ROBERT DEL GRANDE
In addition to crafting The Grove’s American Rustic menu with Chef Ryan Perra, Robert Del Grande is executive chef and partner of Houston’s nationally acclaimed Cafe Annie, widely regarded as the city’s premier fine dining establishment. Self taught in his profession, Del Grande received his B.S. in Chemistry and Biology from the University of San Francisco and his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of California at Riverside.
In 1981, while courting Mimi Kinsman (now Mimi Del Grande), Del Grande ventured to Houston and took a summer position in the kitchen at the newly opened Cafe Annie, a restaurant owned by Candice (Mimi’s sister) and Lonnie Schiller. Initially planned as a hiatus until finding a more permanent biochemistry job, the position grew into a long-term partnership and, ultimately, a family operation that included Mimi Del Grande joining the restaurant as General Manager.
During the ensuing years, Cafe Annie rose to the forefront of fine cooking in the Southwest, garnering many top honors and awards. Del Grande’s experimentation in the kitchen has made him a prominent figure in the historical revision of American cooking, indelibly changing the culinary landscape with his expertise in tastes and flavors indigenous to the region. After nearly twenty-five years, the restaurant has remained devoted to regional cooking in Texas and to the importance of the resonant pairing of wine and food.
Robert and Mimi Del Grande and Candice and Lonnie Schiller are also the founders and partners in several other successful ventures - under the umbrella of Schiller Del Grande Restaurant Group - including Bar Annie, Houston’s first restaurant-within-a-restaurant at a fine dining establishment; Taco Milagro, where fresh, hand-made Mexican food is enjoyed in a tropical and festive setting; the sporty, yet sophisticated, Cafe Express, an early pioneer of fast casual dining; and The Lakehouse, a family focused burger and hot dog restaurant located in the heart of Discovery Green a mere stone’s throw from The Grove.
