Culinary Star

Canyon Ranch appoints Michelin chef for swanky new Hill Country resort

Well, shucks. Chef Val Cantú is all about masa.

A Central Texas-born chef with Michelin cred will return to his birthplace to head up the forthcoming Canyon Ranch Austin resort: Val Cantú, the chef behind two Michelin-starred San Francisco restaurant Californios, will lead the kitchen at the resort's restaurant, Estella.

Canyon Ranch is a premier wellness destination resort and spa headquartered in Fort Worth, where there's a spa location at the Crescent Hotel. Canyon Ranch Austin is set to open in September 2026 in Spicewood, a Hill Country town just outside Austin.

The original Canyon Ranch, which opened in Tucson, Arizona in 1979, is highly regarded as one of the top health resorts in the world, earning three keys from Michelin — the highest ranking a hotel can get — and the chain lauds the wellness benefits of both modern science and "ancient wisdom."

The Austin restaurant will follow that same ethos, a release says.

“Estella will be light, bright, fresh, and clean,” says Cantú in the release. “It’s a distilled version of what I do that will be focused on seasonality, sourcing, and the kind of delicious food that makes you feel good after you eat it.”

Canyon Ranch operates some of the country's most acclaimed spas. Facebook Canyon Ranch

Cantú is developing the menu with experience from fine dining and his personal Texas heritage; he was raised in Brownwood, about 150 miles northwest of Austin, where his father owned a Mexican restaurant. Tortillas are an important part of what's to come at Estella.

“When I’m making tortillas, I feel connected at a root level,” says Cantú. “It reminds me of making tortillas with my grandmother and my dad.”

Canyon Ranch CEO Mark Rivers emphasized Cantú's well-balanced approach: “Chef Val brings a rare combination of technical mastery, cultural authenticity, and emotional intelligence to his cooking," he says. "His approach aligns perfectly with how we think about wellness as intentional, thoughtful, and rooted in real life.”

Californios dishes If Estella is anything like Californios, presentation will be a huge factor.Photo courtesy of Californios

Although the release does not share how much Estella will have in common with Californios, it's easy to imagine that the artistic plating and education about the indigenous cultures of Mesoamerica will carry over.

“This is a homecoming for me," Cantú says. "Cooking in the Hill Country allows me to return to the flavors, ingredients, and traditions that first shaped who I am."

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Hotel News

Grapevine's Hotel Vin refreshes restaurant with brunch, wine and martinis

Hotel Vin

Share a giant cinnamon roll at Hotel Vin

A boutique hotel in Grapevine is giving its signature restaurant a major refresh: Hotel Vin, which is part of Marriott's Autograph Collection specializing in one-of-a-kind properties, is re-imagining in-house eatery Bacchus Kitchen + Bar with the introduction of a new set of interactive dining experiences that speak to Grapevine’s wine-centric appeal.

That includes a brand-new menu from Culinary Director Joseph Thomas, along with expanded experiential offerings, including new wine programming — all designed to transform the restaurant into a fun destination for friend nights out, date nights, and other social excursions.

New menu
Chef Thomas has created new elevated comfort-driven menus for brunch, lunch, and dinner, with highlights such as a Giant Cinnamon Roll at brunch, alongside updated versions of their Angus meatloaf, sticky ribs, and wine barrel chicken.

Highlights include:

Angus Meatloaf “Au Poivre” with Cognac cracked black pepper cream, pomme purée, and caramelized pearl onion
Bourbon Pimento Dip with lavash crackers and garden herbs
Sauvignon Blanc Mussels in garlic butter broth with preserved lemon and focaccia
Maitake Mushroom Toast with truffled ricotta and pistachio gremolata
Gulf Blue Crab Cake with roasted corn poblano relish and Tajín-lime rémoulade

The brunch menu features both breakfast and lunch items ranging from classics like eggs benedict and huevos rancheros to trendy dishes such as Korean fried chicken sandwich, smashburger, and the very buzzy steak frites.

Brunch highlights include:

French Toast Au Vin, with brûléed brioche, citrus zest custard, and blackberry thyme maple syrup
Burrata & Prosciutto Frittata with Dallas Mozzarella Co. burrata and heirloom tomatoes
Crab Cake Benedict with piquillo pepper hollandaise and Yukon breakfast potatoes

The signature will be the show-stopping Giant Cinnamon Roll finished with cream cheese icing and maple-pecan caramel — big enough for the table to share.

Experiential programming
New programming will emphasize the social nature of the dining experience, including a permanent martini cart offering martinis created tableside, and monthly wine pairing dinners with a more social, approachable format, reinforcing Bacchus Kitchen + Bar as a go-to for wine travelers and locals alike.

Bacchus Kitchen + Bar has always been wine-centric, boasting an extensive wine list with more than 350 selections from the world’s best wine regions.

But new programming will include a rotating wine pairing dinner offering, joining the hotel's popular Riedel glassware tasting experience, showcasing how different wine glasses change the taste of various wines.

Hotel Vin first opened in September 2020, and has always had a wine focus, as befits any restaurant in the city of Grapevine, whose collection of tasting rooms and wineries has earned it the unofficial title of the "wine capital of Texas."

The hotel is now diving more deeply into that realm.

"This next chapter for Bacchus is about creating food that feels familiar but thoughtfully refined, with wine playing a role in how flavors are approached,” Thomas says in a statement.

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