Astros Special Events

Catering

Minute Maid Park and the Houston Astros Hospitality Group are proud to feature Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs "Award of Excellence" winner Randall Cox as their executive chef.

Chef Cox has extensive experience in the world of culinary arts, having recently served as executive chef at the Renaissance Tulsa Hotel & Convention Center as well as corporate executive chef for Cherokee Nation Enterprises overseeing all culinary operations.

Originally from Dearborn, Mich., Chef Cox began his illustrious career at the tender age of 15 working at a local family-owned restaurant. He has spent over a quarter of a century honing his vast culinary prowess working with culinary titans such as: Zagat "Triple Crown" winner Gunther Seeger, James Beard award winner Gary Danko, French Culinary Association "Chef of the Year" Christian Rassinoux, James Beard nominee William Koval, and native Texan and Master Chef Amy Ferguson-Ota.

"Google Randall Cox and you will find his name linked to other well-known and esteemed chefs including celebrity chef and television personality Emeril Lagasse," Joy Hampton of the Owasso Progress said.

Chef Cox, one of the pioneers of the farm-to-table movement, has a resume that reads like a "who's who" tour of the hotel and casino worlds, with stops at the Fairmont, Starwood, Ritz Carlton and Pinnacle Entertainment. Cox prides himself on designing elegant dishes that allow the ingredients to shine on their own, dazzling the pallet in their simplicity. McFarland Farms' Pheasant Consume and Roasted Garlic & Lavender Crusted Rack of Heartland Lamb are just a couple of dishes with which he wowed more than 100 food editors, journalists and critics who gathered on the Fairmont Tulsa rooftop.

A native Houstonian, nationally acclaimed Bryan Caswell is considered one of the most valuable and visible players in the city's culinary scene. Chef Caswell is known for his excellence and creativity at his string of successful local restaurants -- REEF, Little Bigs and El Real Tex Mex. Chef Caswell's influences come from working with some of the world's greatest chefs in the Bahamas, Bangkok, Thailand, Barcelona, Spain, Hong Kong and New York, as well as a lifetime spent entrenched in the food cultures of South Texas and Louisiana.

Chef Caswell's accomplishments and numerous awards emphasize that he is one of the country's top rising chefs.

• 2009 Best New Chef Award from Food & Wine magazine
• 2010 James Beard Award semifinalist as Best Chef of the Southwest
• REEF as Bon Appétit magazine's #1 Seafood Restaurant in the U.S.
• REEF as one of Travel + Leisure magazine's 50 Best New Restaurants in the U.S.

Locally, Chef Caswell is an award winner as Restaurateur of the Year and Chef of the Year by My Table Magazine. The Houston Press has also awarded him with Best Restaurant, Best Seafood Restaurant and Best Milkshake, to name a few.

In 2010 Bryan earned a spot on the Food Network show "The Next Iron Chef" and was put to the test as he persevered through an impressive six out of eight rounds of elimination. In the kitchen, he is intense and moves quickly, despite his 6-foot-4, 240-pound stature. During an interview, "The Next Iron Chef" judge Simon Majumdar spoke about Bryan, saying, "Chef Caswell confounds me. He looks like a linebacker and cooks like a ballerina," referencing his artistic skills and exceptional style. In addition to being a chef and restaurateur, Caswell was recently appointed to the Continental Airlines "Congress of Chefs" to lend his expertise in developing the menu for its first class in-flight food service. He also co-hosts a weekly radio program called "Southbound Food" on Houston's "1560 The Game" AM radio and is now proud to share his talents in "the big leagues" at Minute Maid Park.

"I've been a diehard Astros fan all my life. It's like I've been called up from the Minors to play for the home team. I am excited to be part of the Astros and ARAMARK team. It is an incredible opportunity, and I'm humbled. I look forward to doing my part to make the food at Minute Maid the best in Major League Baseball."

Located in the heart of beautiful downtown Houston, Minute Maid Park is home to the Houston Astros and hosts a variety of meetings, conventions, conferences, weddings and other special events year-round. Chefs Cox and Caswell look forward to the opportunity to impress you and your guests. Bon appétit!