After 18 years working his way up in the restaurant industry—from dishwashing, serving and bartending to managing high-end establishments in Houston—Cristian Lopez Mbratt opened a neighborhood eatery in his own community of Cypress.
Having worked at Tango & Malbec in the Galleria area and Costa Brava Bistro in Bellaire, the Cypress Creek Lakes resident said he was ready for a shorter commute. Mbratt said he wanted to bring a fast- casual concept to the suburbs that was also healthy.
“I said, ‘This is my neighborhood, so why don’t I bring something fresh here?’” Mbratt said. “The main idea is to bring the [city] to the suburbs with a full bar, nice atmosphere, trendy music.”
Gourmand Kitchen opened last fall serving traditional American recipes with European touches, incorporating Mbratt’s culinary experiences in Italian, Spanish, French and Argentinian cultures.
