Today we’d like to introduce you to Jess DeSham Timmons.
Jess, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I began my career in the restaurant industry waiting tables at 16 years old, and I’ve never done anything other than this crazy business!
I had a 15-year career with Landry’s, Inc, and during that time I learned all aspects of the business as a whole – food research + development, marketing, IT, human resources, event planning. More than I can begin to list. I went on from there to open The RCC, a live music venue in Stafford, TX. We hosted most of the greatest country artists there are, including Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Tracy Byrd, Bellamy Brothers, and many more. Feeding those guys and their crew was always a true pleasure. They were always gracious and thankful for a thoughtful meal.
We are now right at the cusp of opening Cherry Block Craft Butcher + Kitchen inside Bravery Chef Hall. Felix Florez, partner and I are very excited to offer some fantastic plates that are approachable for everyone. Our focus on locally and ethically raised meat will be evident in what we’re serving, and we are very proud to be Texans Feeding Texans.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
If this business is anything, it’s challenging to say the least. It’s long hours, nights, weekends, not to mention the physical work. But we wouldn’t do this is if it were just for fun!
Being a female in the restaurant industry is the elephant in the room that folks always ask me about. Is it difficult? Sure. Did I make sacrifices? Absolutely. But I also taught my sons that it’s important to do what you love, not just do work. I know that they will be better for learning that firsthand by watching both of their parents do just that.
Please tell us about Cherry Block Craft Butcher + Kitchen.
Cherry Block Craft Butcher + Kitchen is a steakhouse inside of Bravery Chef Hall. We are taking down the stigma of the formal steakhouse meal and bringing honest, straightforward meals to our guests. Felix and I worked very hard to create a menu that balances capturing the interest of the ultimate food lover with both creative and responsibly sourced food but is approachable to anyone that comes to our counter in search of a tasty meal.
Black Hill Meats, owned by Felix Florez, is where we source most of our proteins. Being able to butcher animals to our specifications allows us to introduce various cuts of pork and beef that many restaurants don’t have a lot of access to. In turn, we are able to keep our price point at a level that will give our guests a meal like they’d get at a fine dining restaurant without breaking the bank.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I am the oldest of five kids, and my parents took in over 25 foster children over the course of ten years. They were busy with us, to say the least, but it was always a focus for the entire family to eat dinner together at the table. This is something that I have made an effort to recreate in my home. We may not eat dinner until 8 pm because the four of us are in different parts of the city for work, school, and baseball, but we eat together at my table more often than not.
Contact Info:
- Address: 409 Travis St
Houston, TX 77002
Inside Bravery Chef Hall - Website: www.cherryblockbutcher.com
- Email: jess@cherryblockbutcher.com
- Instagram: @cherryblockhou
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cherryblockhtx/
Image Credit:
Robert Jacob Lerma, Ben Sassani, Huge Galdones
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