Today we’d like to introduce you to Vlado Kolenic
Hi Vlado, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Giga Leszayova an avid skier and manager of three restaurants in Manhattan, NY was spending her weekends at Hunter, the ski resort two hours from the city. On one of those weekends she meets Slovak Rockstar Vlado Kolenic who is also a great chef. Together they buy one of the restaurant she manages and it becomes a-popular neighborhood hangout for artists, celebrities and musicians. Four years everything is wonderful then Covid happens and it all crashes down. The city and the state is making it hard to do business so in 2023 they decide to move. After researching and visiting a few states they choose Houston because of it’s diversity and friendliness toward business.
After familiarizing with the city they settled in the Heights where they took over the historical Harold’s space. Vlado got an idea of combining European dishes with Texas flair thus creating an unique cuisine he calls Euro-Tex. They named the restaurant Blue Tuba after experiences in NYC. Their restaurant had a musical theme with lots of different instruments hanging on the wall. One of the customers brought them old tuba. There was no place for it until the Covid lockdown happened. The city let restaurants build street structures so Vlado painted the tuba blue and hung it out on the street and people began addressing their place as; “You know the Blue Tuba place”. So they decided that the next restaurant they will name Blue Tuba
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
We did not get a few spaces. Can’t blame the landlords. It is easier for them to lease it to big groups than take a chance on mom and pops business. Luckily we had David Littwitz a great broker who believed in us. He talked to Alli Jarrett an owner of Harold’s who gave us a chance. So far it has been a challenge because since we opened on May 1st, we went through tornado and a hurricane. Also getting to know suppliers and finding the right people for the restaurant it is not easy.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Giga
Came to US in 2001 with $200 in her pocket. She attended city college where she studied business. To pay for the college she took job as a waitress at Isola, an Italian restaurant on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. She work hard, always on time, never complained and it paid off. The owner promoted her to the management position, and after five years she became his right hand and managed three restaurants for him until 2016 when she bought one of them from him. Girl from the small town in Slovakia made it in New York City and now she is an owner of Houston’s first EuroTex Restaurant! True American success story.
Vlado
Professional musician, composer, songwriter and self taught chef. His musical career includes #1 songs, movie soundtracks, children musical, countless recording credits ,TV appearances. Even though music is his life, he loves to cook. His motto is Albert Einstein quote;; Imagination is more important than knowledge.
He cooks like he plays – improvises, trying things that are unconventional. It can be seen in his creations like
Deep Fried Strudel, Couscousotto or Slovak Mac and Cheese
Blue Tuba is really unique. We are trying to introduced Houstonians to a different cuisines, from the familiar like Italian, French or German to less known like Slovak, Croatian, Czech, Hungarian, Bulgarian, etc. If that’s not enough to set us apart from others then where else you can find a true rockstar turned chef cooking and performing for the guest? :))
Houston is the perfect place for us because we love people and we love food and we love Texas!
What makes you happy?
Giga
I’m happy when I’m surrounded by my friends, nature and dogs because those little things in life are worth of living
Vlado
I’m happy to be alive and enjoy everything life offers, Good friends, good food, glass of wine, music, laughter, conversation because one day I won’t be here
Pricing:
- Huge Pork Tenderloin Schnitzel $32
- Hungarian Goulash Half $16/ Full $28
- Escargot Taco $18
- Texas Paella $36
- Real Czech Kolache Two for $8
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bluetubatx.com
- Instagram: bluetubatx
- Facebook: bluetubatx
Image Credits
Photos by Zuzana Leckova
