Eunice is on Buffalo Speedway. (Image credit: Eunice Facebook)
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Eunice is a popular Louisiana-inspired restaurant in the Greenway Plaza-Upper Kirby area that Chef Drake Leonards founded and has led since its inception. Named after his hometown, the New Orleans-trained chef has since acquired full ownership of the restaurant and raw bar at 3737 Buffalo Speedway, Suite 100, according to the Houston Business Journal.
Coinciding with its eighth-anniversary milestone, Chef Leonards purchased full ownership of Eunice from BRG Hospitality, making the restaurant independently owned for the first time.
Eunice’s new sole owner: Chef Drake Leonards (Image Credit: Eunice Facebook)
What Now Houston reached out to Chef Leonards for more details about this momentous event. Unfortunately, we did not hear back by the time of this publication.
“As a Louisiana native, Drake’s culinary journey began in New Orleans, where he developed a deep appreciation for the local food-ways before advancing his training at Manhattan’s Michelin-starred Café Boulud,” the Eunice website says of the new owner’s journey.
“Eager to further refine his passion, he spent two years in Germany’s Black Forest under the mentorship of Chef Karl-Joseph Fuchs. During this time, he cooked and dined extensively through the French, Italian, and English countrysides, drawing inspiration from diverse culinary traditions and regional specialties.”
Named after the “prairie Cajun capital” in Acadiana and Chef Leonard’s hometown, Eunice was originally planned around 2016–2017 as an expansion project by New Orleans-based BRG Hospitality (formerly Besh Restaurant Group). The 2017 launch was delayed after workplace misconduct allegations led John Besh to step down from the restaurant group. Led by Chef Drake Leonards, Eunice officially opened in September 2018 at 3737 Buffalo Speedway in a light-filled, blue-toned space designed by Gin Design Group.
Eunice is known for its contemporary Cajun-Creole food, including gumbo. (Image Credit: Eunice Facebook)
“Today, he resides in Houston with his wife and two children,” the brand’s website reads.
“Here, he remains dedicated to supporting local farmers, fishermen and ranchers, ensuring he contributes to the city’s vibrant and evolving culinary scene and continuing his passion for cooking and bringing warm hospitality to the table.”
And he continues to do just that!
Eunice quickly gained recognition, earning a Best New Restaurant nomination and a positive review from critic Alison Cook.
Try out Eunice for yourself now under Chef Drake Leonards‘ full ownership, at 3737 Buffalo Speedway, Suite100.
(This is a developing story. As more information is made available, we will update this article. Stay tuned!)
Eunice can be found in Upper Kirby. (Image Credit: Eunice Facebook)
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Candese Charles first fell in love with journalism in the second grade, when she started the Charles Gazette. Since then, her career as a journalist has taken her to TV screens in New Orleans, the Bay Area, and Las Vegas. She believes that a good story has the power to change the world or at least change the way you think about food. Food is a love language for her, as both her father and brother are chefs. Originally from Los Angeles, after a trek across the country for her career as a TV news reporter, she's happy to call North Las Vegas home. When she's not writing about the hottest and newest restaurants, she's spending time with her family, catching concerts and music festivals, or brunching with her besties. She's excited to bring you a delicious bite of the next big restaurant.
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