Introduction to Riel Restaurant
An already difficult year for Houston restaurant closings will get a little worse at the end of this month. Montrose restaurant Riel will close after service on Saturday, August 30, chef-owner Ryan Lachine announced. Open since January 2017, Riel’s cuisine reflects Lachaine’s Ukrainian heritage and Canadian upbringing, filtered through his experiences creating modern Gulf Coast cuisine.
The Reason Behind the Closure
Lachaine tells CultureMap that, after considering the restaurant’s business and the overall economic environment, he and his business partners chose not to renew the restaurant’s lease, which will expire in December. When another party approached Riel about opening a new business in the space at 1927 Fairview, they decided to close earlier than expected. “I had to make a business decision,” he says. “I’m not happy. It’s my baby. I love it, and we did good things. It’s over.”
A New Chapter for Lachaine
For Lachaine, closing Riel will provide him with the opportunity to spend more time with his sons. “I don’t want to sound selfish. My kids are 14. I’ve missed a lot of their lives. I sign [another] 10 year lease, they’ll be 24, graduated from college, and I won’t know what’s going on,” he says.
Achievements and Legacy
As Lachaine says, the restaurant did a lot of good things during its run, including earning significant local and regional acclaim. Texas Monthly ranked it as the state’s eighth best new restaurant of 2018. CultureMap named it Houston’s No. 1 restaurant in 2019. Lachaine and his crew have earned multiple CultureMap Tastemaker Award nominations for Bartender of the Year, Rising Star Chef of the Year, Chef of the Year, and Restaurant of the Year.
Training Ground for Staff
While the accolades are nice, Lachaine says he takes particular pride in Riel’s status as a training ground for staff members who would go on to lead their own places. That includes former general manager Nick Nguyen, who’s a partner at Padre’s Wine Shop + Bar in the Heights, and chef E.J. Miller, executive chef at recently-opened French restaurant Chardon. Former chef de cuisine Peter Nguyen is earning raves as the executive chef of Lê Madeline in Boston.
Final Days
By announcing the closing a month in advance, Riel regulars have plenty of time to make another visit or two. Rest assured, Lachaine and his team will be cooking with the same intensity they have throughout Riel’s run. “I’m going to work every day the same as I have for 10 years,” he says. “This isn’t going to be a boo hoo session. We’re going to push and do what we have to until August 30. We hope everyone comes to hang out with us for a drink or some butter burgers.”
Conclusion
Riel’s closure marks the end of an era for Houston’s dining scene. Despite the challenges, Lachaine remains proud of what he and his team have accomplished. As the restaurant prepares to close its doors for the final time, fans of Riel can take comfort in knowing that its legacy will live on through the many chefs and staff members who got their start there. With its unique blend of Ukrainian, Canadian, and Gulf Coast cuisine, Riel will be deeply missed, but its impact on the Houston food scene will be felt for years to come.
