Top Dallas Chef Brings Her Masa Madness to James Beard House — and a Woodlands Chef Also Makes the Exclusive Cut

Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman serves as executive chef at Jose in Dallas. She got a big invite recently. Quiñones-Pittman is slated to prepare a modern Mexican feast when she takes the center stage March 13 at The James Beard House in New York City.

Her meal will be a part of this year’s Dinners at James Beard House. The chef, who goes by “AQ” locally, is only one of two Texas-based chefs who have received the call so far in 2020. The other being Austin Simmons of Tris restaurant, which is located in The Woodlands. Simmons will serve his “Heart of Texas” menu on March 31.

If the chef’s hyphenated last name, “Pittman” sounds familiar. . . she is not the only famous Chef Pittman in Dallas. Her husband Daniel Pittman was the founding chef and former co-owner of LUCK (Local Urban Craft Kitchen) in Dallas. The couple have been married a little over a year.

“I’ve been at Jose since December 2018,” Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman tells PaperCity Dallas.

“It’s beyond exciting and overwhelming to be cooking at the James Beard House again. I first attended while working at Komali with Chef Abraham Salum.  This time, I will be creating my own menu with my crew.  It’s an honor I can’t even begin to describe.”

Jose, is described as a “Guadalajaran inspired restaurant. . . serving contemporary Mexican-inspired cuisine, with a focus on Jalisco style dishes.”

When you hear Jalisco ― think coastal, because the Mexican state of Jalisco is most famous for its beaches like Puerto Vallarta, along with its interior city of Guadalajara. So, seasonal ceviches and fresh fish feature prominently on the menu at Jose, along with plenty of fresh tortillas and tequila.

The restaurant’s bar serves The Squozen, which is touted as “Dallas’ first freshly-squeezed lime juice frozen margarita with super-premium tequila.”

Jose is named after José Noé Suro, who is known as the “Ceramics King” of Mexico. Chef AQ’s impeccably designed plates take inspiration from Suor’s hand-painted tiles, plates, light fixtures and furniture, which embellish the restaurant.

In March, she’ll take her colorful and seasonal Mexican dishes on the road to delight The James Beard House as well. “It will be centered around Masa. Whether it is mole or tortillas, each dish will have some form of corn flour or masa in it,” Quiñones-Pittman says.

Her just revealed menu is titled “Masa Madness.” Her hors d’oeuvre presentations will include: miniature chorizo–potato gorditas with habanero crema, corn esquites, oysters with michelada granité and chicken potato flautitas with salsa macha.

The five course dinner will feature:

— Primero ― Aguachile de fresa with strawberry–riesling Hawaiian kanpachi, elderflower, red jalapeño and black pepper–corn tuille.

— Segundo ― Taco de pancita with Heritage Farms pork belly, salsa macha, orange supreme, serrano chiles and coffee tortilla.

— Tercero ― Salmon con mole de vegetales with poached Skuna Bay salmon, green vegetable mole, pea tendrils and chorizo powder.

— Quarto ― Birria de Res with beef short rib birria, cilantro, Cambray onions and tortillas ceremonials.

— Quinto ― Mango panna cotta with Hoja Santa meringue, corn sponge cake, carrot mole caramel and olive oil dust.

“We are all looking forward to being in New York together representing Dallas and Jose,” Quiñones-Pittman says. “I am very proud of this team and I can’t wait to create some beautiful dishes together.”

For more on Austin Simmons — who is also cooking at The James Beard House — read PaperCity’s exclusive profile.