Culture Map
If the news that five time James Beard Award finalist Hugo Ortega is opening a restaurant at downtown’s 30-story Marriott Marquis highlighted last week’s announcement about the new restaurants coming to downtown’s Avenida Houston, then the claim for the most mysterious newcomer concerned Bud’s Pitmaster BBQ.
Although the restaurant only merited a brief mention in the press release, the idea of adding barbecue to the George R. Brown Convention Center certainly intrigues. But who is this mysterious “Bud?” What is his history with barbecue? What will he serve? Those answers have begun to emerge.
Theldon “Bud” Branch, III traces his heritage to south Texas where his grandfather T.R. Branch became the first African American to receive a package store liquor license in that part of the the state. Branch’s father, known as “Little Bud” learned barbecue techniques during his time working at the legendary King Ranch. [READ FULL ARTICLE]