Jose Vela, Chef de Cuisine
Chef de Cuisine Jose Vela was recently named Up-and-Coming Chef of the Year at the prestigious Houston Culinary Awards, sponsored by My Table magazine. Chef Vela has been working in the kitchens of John Sheely's award-winning restaurant ventures since the original Riviera Grill opened in Houston in 1995. The Mexico City native first ventured to Houston as a drummer with his rock band in that same year. To supplement his living expenses, he decided to look for work in a commercial kitchen.
Growing up in a traditional Mexican family, boys stayed out of the kitchen, but Vela was interested in learning more about cooking. As a young engineering student in Mexico, he lived in an apartment with a small kitchen. Away from family for the first time, he had to prepare his own meals.
Vela started at Riviera Grill as a dishwasher, staying after his shift, volunteering to help on the prep line so that he could learn. Vela quickly impressed Sheely and within a few months put the budding chef on the line, and he has remained a fixture in Sheely's kitchens since. Vela was part of the menu development team for Mockingbird, adding his considerable ideas to the concept, which opened in 2002.
Vela likes “being in the weeds,” referring to the near-panic atmosphere in a restaurant kitchen when the chefs are slammed with orders from a full house. He attributes his aptitude for engineering for his proficiency in the busy Mockingbird kitchen. “You just have to stay focused, concentrate on each ingredient, one at a time, and carefully build each plate…and then rush to the next order and keep on going,” he laughs.
Niki Newman, Manager/Sommelier
Manager/Sommelier Niki Newman, a native Houstonian and University of Houston graduate, has been studying wine for the past 12 years. She began her culinary adventures as a waiter at Orlando’s Seafood Shack, while putting herself through school. She also worked at high- end and award-winning restaurants such as Two Chefs Bistro, Bistro Vino, Tony Mandola’s Gulf Coast Kitchen and Backstreet Cafe.
Newman has swirled and tasted her way through Spain, Portugal, Germany, France, Italy, Hungary and Austria to train and educate her palate. She trained under Monsterville Horton IV, a certified wine educator and Houston wine guru, for more than two years while helping to open and build Cova Hand Selected Wines. During this time she worked behind the scenes as an office manager, in the public eye as the events coordinator, and on the restaurant floor as a manager. She has been thoroughly trained in all aspects of the wine and food industry, and is known for her impeccable palate, down-to-earth demeanor and drive for success.
Newman is a certified Sommelier through the International Court of Sommeliers and working towards becoming a Certified Wine Specialist from the Society of Wine Educators. Her passion for wine and food shine through her abilities to bring wine to the forefront of every dining experience.
“Wine is an experience meant to be shared amongst family and friends,” says Newman. “When all the elements come together perfectly, that’s when the magic happens. My responsibility, my passion and my pleasure, is bringing these experiences to you.”
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