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Reimagined by renowned designer Ken Fulk, this iconic Austin property blends timeless elegance with modern charm, offering a private retreat and social club like no other.
 
Join us for Lunch at Lutie’s, a conversation with four of Austin’s leading culinary voices: Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel of Birdie’s, Sarah Heard of Foreign & Domestic, Ale Kuri of Este, and Amanda Turner of Olamaie. Moderated by Cherry Bombe founder Kerry Diamond, the panel will explore creativity, leadership, and what it means to cook with purpose in today’s food world.
 
Afterward, unwind with croquet and a glass of rosé on the lawn.
 
 
 

 

Summer Tastemaker Tour 2025

Commodore Perry Estate: Austin Talent

 

Sarah Heard

 

Sarah Heard grew up just outside of Houston in Conroe, Texas. Her family lived in Jamaica for a little over a year when she was a child, and they ultimately moved to Lockhart, just outside of Austin, in 2000. Sarah began her hospitality career in San Marcos at Red Lobster in 2005, where she pushed to learn every position in the restaurant, and finally landed on the line where she felt at home. Sarah moved to Austin in 2007, where she began a five-year tenure at the Mansion at Judges Hill. Her final three years at the esteemed hotel & restaurant were spent in her first management position as Executive Sous Chef. Sarah spent the subsequent years learning from other chefs in Austin at lauded restaurants, such as La Condesa and Parkside, where she met her partner in life and business, co-chef Nathan Lemley. The two purchased Foreign & Domestic in 2017 and opened Commerce Cafe in Lockhart in 2020. Since then, they have received numerous awards, and are focused on maintaining sustainable sourcing, cuisine that is inventive, yet restrained, and stellar hospitality.

 

@chef.heard

@fndaustin

@commerce_cafe

 

Ale Kuri 

 
Ale Kuri is a talented chef whose diverse background shapes her unique culinary perspective. As a third-generation Lebanese Mexican, Ale grew up immersed in the vibrant flavors of Mexico City’s seafood markets and her family’s catering business, laying the foundation for her future in food.
 
After spending two years cooking at Suerte, Ale became a part of the opening team at Este, bringing her creative flair to her role as Chef de Cuisine. At Este, Ale crafts Mexican-inspired dishes that reflect her heritage and innovation. Outside the kitchen, she enjoys swimming at the lake, biking, film, exploring new restaurants, and spending time with her husband, friends, and dog, Emma.  

 

@alekurita

@esteatx

 

 

Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel 

 
Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel is the chef and co-owner of Birdie’s, a small restaurant and wine bar in Austin with a fine dining-caliber menu and counter-service format. In homage to Tracy’s longstanding love of fresh ingredients, Birdie’s menu consists of simple, seasonally inspired food that takes heavy cues from French and Italian cooking.
 
Birdie’s was named Food & Wine’s 2023 Restaurant of the Year and most recently, The James Beard Foundation named Tracy a 2024 finalist for Best Chef: Texas. Tracy’s food and Birdie’s reimagined restaurant model that places sustainability and equity at its core has been celebrated in Bon Appétit, Esquire, The New York Times, and Wine Enthusiast.
 
Tracy received formal culinary education from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, and has worked in award-winning restaurants including Lula Café, Blue Hill New York, Del Posto, and Danny Meyer’s Gramercy Tavern, where she worked as sous chef under James Beard Outstanding Chef winner Mike Anthony.
 

@tracymalechek

@birdiesaustin

 

 

Amanda Turner

 

 

Chef Amanda Turner is a Texas native that has spent 15 years cooking and creating in the Austin culinary community. During her tenure, she has worked for many esteemed chefs and restaurants (Uchi/ko, Odd Duck, Juniper, Jester King, Tatsu-Ya) where she has done a bit of everything including pasta, pastry, whole animal butchery, and more. Currently the Chef de Cuisine at Olamaie, Amanda was a James Beard semifinalist for Emerging Chef in 2022, as well as the Rising Star Chef for Star Chefs in 2023 and Tastemaker Chef of the Year for 2023. Most recently, Amanda was a contestant on season 21 of Top Chef. At Olamaie, Amanda integrates her many culinary influences and skills in a whimsical way while seeking to reclaim the concept of “fusion.” Amanda continues to showcase the vibrancy and depths of Austin’s flora and fauna and the versatility of modern Southern Cuisine and through the lens of the African diaspora.

 

@alavda

@olamaieaustin

 

 

 

In collaboration with the Visa Dining Collection by OpenTable x Visa