Chef Adrian Torres has had the kind of year most chefs spend their entire career striving for, winning the James Beard Foundation Emerging Chef award this spring. Since then, the Maximo chef found out he’s going to be a father, closed on a house, and started planning the next chapter for his West University restaurant. Somewhere in between all that excitement, he also debuted an entire new menu.
Maximo’s tasting menu recently shifted from seasonality and the flavors he wanted to cook with to focus on a single Mexican state for 10 weeks before moving on to the next. “I think this gives a bit of structure to what we offer,” he says. “We can hone in on that specific state and do a bunch of research to make a great menu.”
They’re also planning further ahead. “We started with San Luis Potosi, where my family is from, but we already know what the next three states are,” Torres says. “As soon as one drops, we are already thinking about the next one.” He gave a sneak peek so diners can make their reservations early: Oaxaca is next, arriving the first week of November, along with a Día de los Muertos-themed menu tied to the season.
These days, Torres runs on a sense of forward momentum. The James Beard win followed a series of recognitions including a 2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand Award, a Rising Star nod from StarChefs, and a runner-up finish at The Truffle Masters Competition, but he isn’t resting on his laurels. “To me, success is my team being happy and my family being happy,” he says. “It’s more about the legacy, prestige, and honor, especially among other chefs.”
Asked if he feels more pressure, the answer was an immediate yes. "People are coming into our restaurant with an expectation, and we need to make sure that we're meeting those expectations, with every single dish that we put out." He's also learned to live with the fact that not every dish will be a favorite. "If a hundred people are telling me this is the best dish they’ve had, and one person tells me they hate it, I don't get caught up in that one opinion," he says. "But I do follow through. Did we drop the ball?"
While Torres might downplay his recent accomplishments less than two years after taking over Maximo, what he is incredibly proud of is the reaction to his James Beard acceptance speech, which went viral after he spoke openly about being a DACA recipient. "I knew there was going to be an impact, but I didn't think how big it would get," he says. Torres has been open about his story since early in his career, and he remembers wondering if he should tone it down. A friend, Fiel co-founder César Rodriguez, encouraged him to keep speaking. “You have a platform, you have a voice, use it,” he recalls. “That’s something that has stuck with me ever since.” He treats that as part of his job now. "Any chance I get, I make sure that people know where their food is coming from, who's in the kitchen cooking their meals," he says. "I believe food can change people. It's a powerful tool. It's about culture, who we are, and what we represent."
As for what’s next, Torres isn’t chasing a Michelin star outloud, even though it is clearly on his mind. “Not saying that we’re going for a star, I don’t like saying that,” he says, “but that’s the next big thing we’d love to accomplish.” For now, he is focused on growing Maximo itself, whether that means finding a bigger space or expanding the current one. He is also looking forward to a possible new concept with Local Foods Group down the line.
He and his fiancée are expecting a baby early next year, and the wedding date has been pushed back to accommodate their little one. “So much has happened in the past year, but I feel good about where we are and where we are headed.” Between the restaurant’s next chapter and his own, Torres sounds like a man with a lot coming and no plans to slow down for any of it. maximo-htx.com
"I believe food can change people. It's a powerful tool, and it's conducive to culture."
“Any chance I get, I, I make sure that people know where their food is coming from, and who's in the kitchen cooking their food.”