Chef and Owner Steve Haug opened Magnolia Cajun Comfort in Pearland in September 2020 after working for more than two decades as an executive chef at high-end restaurants in Dallas and Houston.

The transition from corporate chef to independent restaurant owner was driven by the desire to have more control and create a unique dining experience, he said.

“I love putting a smile on people’s face when they leave my restaurant, I love knowing that I provided for them and I made their evening through my food,” Haug said. “I put a smile on their face and I made their stomach happy—that’s what keeps me going.”
Owning his own restaurant gives Haug license to create more recipes, such as gumbo pot pie, he said. (Courtesy Magnolia Cajun Comfort)
Owning his own restaurant gives Haug license to create more recipes, such as gumbo pot pie, he said. (Courtesy Magnolia Cajun Comfort)
Main course

With experience culminated in steakhouses, burger joints, Italian eateries and seafood restaurants, Haug said he quickly decided to do Cajun and comfort food at Magnolia because of its popularity and versatility.

“I’ve worked in enough places to where I knew I could come up with some really good food,” Haug said. “It didnt take me long to know that here in Texas, everybody wants Cajun. And with comfort food, there’s a lot I could do with that. It just speaks southern hospitality.”
The restaurants bread pudding rotates flavors weekly. (Courtesy Magnolia Cajun Comfort)
The restaurants bread pudding ($10) rotates flavors weekly. (Courtesy Magnolia Cajun Comfort)
Popular dishes include meatloaf, chicken pot pie, chicken fried steak and fried green tomatoes, Haug said. He said Magnolia is also known for its shrimp and grits and bread pudding, which rotates flavors including bourbon peach, blueberry and chocolate chip.


“One of my favorite things to cook is our jumbo scallops with our poblano cheddar grits and lemon butter sauce,” Haug said. “There’s things you get here at our restaurant that you don't find too many places ... in Pearland.”
The 12-ounce black angus ribeye ($28) is served 'Cajun style' with mashed potatoes and chipotle lime butter. (Courtesy Magnolia Cajun Comfort)
The 12-ounce black angus ribeye ($28) is served 'Cajun style' with mashed potatoes and chipotle lime butter. (Courtesy Magnolia Cajun Comfort)
The inspiration

Working in the restaurant business comes with high stress, Haug said.

He knew the owners of two restaurants that both shuttered in September—following a trend of six others in the area which have closed in 2024 due to higher food costs and decreased traffic since 2020.

To endure such tough industry conditions, Haug said one has to have a passion for this work.


“There’s a sense of pride and happiness [in owning my own restaurant],” Haug said. “I have about 25 employees who are feeding their families and that are able to pay their bills, and that’s through our restaurant.”