The Team.
Four resident chefs. A banquet and bar crew that reads the room before you do. All of them chose to be here.
Your Event. Your Chef. Your Menu.
Every event begins with a conversation — not a catalog. Here's how we build something that's actually yours.
The Conversation
You tell us about your event — the vibe, the guest count, the dietary needs, the things that matter to you. No forms. No packages. A real conversation.
Choose Your Chef
Based on your vision, we recommend a Chef in Residence whose cuisine and style align with your event. You choose. They're yours for the night.
The Collaboration
Your Chef in Residence sits down with your Event Captain. Together — with your input — they design a menu that's yours. Not a package. Not a preset. Yours.
The Full Picture
Our Beverage Director builds a bar program to complement the menu. Your Event Captain maps the service flow. Every detail, choreographed.
Each chef brings a distinct culinary voice. When you book an event, you're not hiring a caterer — you're choosing the person who designs your menu from scratch.
Marco Reyes
Chef in Residence
Coastal Mexican · Live-Fire
Born in Veracruz, trained in Mexico City. Marco's ceviches are legendary, his whole-roasted fish is transcendent, and his mole negro takes three days because some things refuse to be rushed. He doesn't cook for events — he builds feasts.
Signature
Wood-fired whole snapper with Oaxacan mole verde, charred lime, and hand-pressed tortillas.
"The fire doesn't lie. It shows you exactly who you are as a cook."
Mei-Lin Chen
Chef in Residence
Sichuan · Cantonese · Dim Sum
A protégé of Kristina Zhao and graduate of the Ciao & Zen Collective. Mei-Lin has spent a decade mastering Chinese banquet cuisine. Her hand-pulled noodles are a performance. Her mapo tofu is a revelation. Her dim sum service has brought grown men to tears.
Signature
Twelve-course dim sum banquet with hand-folded har gow, xiao long bao, and char siu bao.
"In Chinese cooking, every ingredient has a purpose. Nothing is wasted, nothing is accidental."
Diego Salazar
Chef in Residence
Texas-Latin · Wood-Smoked · Heritage
Diego grew up in his grandmother's kitchen on San Antonio's West Side. After culinary school and stints in Austin and Houston, he came home to honor those recipes while pushing them forward. His birria tacos have a cult following. His smoked brisket empanadas are a Texas-Latin love letter.
Signature
12-hour smoked brisket empanadas with salsa macha, pickled red onion, and crema.
"My abuela's recipes are the foundation. Everything I build starts there."
Yuki Tanaka
Chef in Residence
Japanese Kaiseki · Modern Asian
Trained in Kyoto's kaiseki tradition before moving to the States. Every plate Yuki creates is a composition — balanced in flavor, color, texture, and meaning. Her omakase-style banquet menus are the most requested for intimate luxury events. She doesn't cook food — she curates experiences.
Signature
Seven-course kaiseki progression with seasonal ingredients, presented as edible art.
"Kaiseki taught me that a meal should feel like a journey through the seasons."
The event captains, bartenders, and service leads who run the room. They don't just pour drinks and clear plates — they set the tempo for your entire night.
Sofia Garza
Event Captain
Event Flow & Guest Experience
Sofia doesn't manage service — she choreographs it. Hospitality management from UTSA, event production background, and an almost supernatural ability to anticipate what a room needs before anyone asks. She's the reason your wedding reception transitions from dinner to dancing without a single awkward pause.
Signature
A perfectly timed champagne toast — every glass full, every eye on the couple.
Jordan Williams
Beverage Director & Lead Bartender
Craft Cocktails & Sake Program
Five years behind the bar at Austin's most acclaimed cocktail bars before joining LYLT. Jordan brings deep spirits knowledge, an obsession with fresh ingredients, and an uncanny ability to read a room. Their signature move: asking what mood you're in, then building a cocktail to match.
Signature
The Long Time — aged rum, lychee, lime, Sichuan peppercorn tincture, champagne float.
Alejandro Vega
Sommelier & Lead Bartender
Wine Program & Classic Cocktails
Certified sommelier with a passion for natural wines and a gift for making the intimidating feel approachable. Alejandro curates our wine list the same way we do everything: quality over pretension. He'll pair your entrée with a wine you've never heard of — and you'll thank him for it.
Signature
Dragon's Breath Old Fashioned — Japanese whisky, demerara, smoked cinnamon.
Grown From Within.
Many of our team came up through the Ciao & Zen Collective — our sister nonprofit's mentorship program. They trained here. They grew here. They stayed here. Not because they had to, but because this place invested in them before anyone else would.
When you celebrate with us, you're supporting a model that proves hospitality can be both excellent and equitable. That's not a marketing line. It's the whole point.
Ready to meet your chef?
Tell us about your event. We'll match you with the right Chef in Residence and Event Captain to bring it to life.
Start the Conversation