Executive Chef Russel Cunningham knows his way around the kitchen – from every angle. Cunningham first fell in love with cuisine while watching his mother instruct cooking classes for disadvantaged women. Inspired, Cunningham earned his culinary arts diploma from the Texas Culinary Academy in 1994, and then purposefully set out to perform literally every job in the kitchen in order to fully understand the methods of a successful chef.
"Working every job in the kitchen has given me the valuable perspective that it's not just the cooks who run the place," says Cunningham. "I know what everyone goes through and in that way I can keep the kitchen running smoothly."
Cunningham's dedication to synergy is evident in his cooking. With experience in several culinary styles – including Nuevo Latino, traditional French, traditional Mexican, Irish pub fare, Tex-Mex and upscale seafood and tapas – Cunningham considers continental American cuisine his specialty. His focus on combining simple preparations with fresh, interesting ingredients from reliable sources is the perfect complement to Agraria's dedication to serving exciting, Field-to-Table American cuisine.
Chef Cunningham's impressive resume includes posts as Sous chef at La Reserve in the five-diamond Omni Houston Hotel, executive chef at Dean & Deluca in Washington DC, executive chef of the upscale Northgate Country Club in Houston, and executive chef of DuPont Grille in the Jurys Washington Hotel.
