Alex Henry Montes De Oca

Coming Up

Line work, station work, and service discipline define the early record here. Alex Henry Montes De Oca trained at Forrest Park Community College, then moved into a succession of kitchen roles that built repetition and range: sous-chef at YiaYia's EuroCafe, Brasserie by Niche, Taste by Niche, and Scape. Those posts map the standard progression of a working kitchen career, where timing, prep, and pass discipline are learned by doing the same jobs under pressure. Executive responsibility comes into view with Nixta and Cleveland-Heath. At each stage, the title signals a wider scope than service execution alone: the ability to shape pace, standards, and output across a full kitchen. The shift from sous-chef to Executive Chef is the clearest marker in this record, showing a move from supporting a line to directing one. Ownership introduces a different kind of trade knowledge. As founder / operator at Suresete Mexican in City Foundry Food Hall, Montes De Oca worked within a format that required both kitchen control and concept-level attention. The role ties the practical side of cooking to the broader demands of operating in a public food hall setting, where consistency and speed have to hold together. The present phase centers on co-founding and kitchen leadership. Since 2021, Alex has been co-founder / Executive Chef of Sureste Mexican; since 2023, co-founder / Executive Chef of El Molino del Sureste. The through line is clear: the work now sits at the intersection of authorship, stewardship, and day-to-day production.

Career - Co-founder / Executive Chef — Sureste Mexican, St. Louis (2021–present) - Co-founder / Executive Chef — El Molino del Sureste, St. Louis (2023–present) - Chef — El Molino, Madrigal de la Vera, Spain - Sous-Chef — YiaYia's EuroCafe - Sous-Chef — Brasserie by Niche - Sous-Chef — Taste by Niche - Sous-Chef — Scape - Executive Chef — Nixta - Executive Chef — Cleveland-Heath - Founder / Operator — Suresete Mexican, City Foundry Food Hall Education: Forrest Park Community College

FAQ What is Alex Henry Montes De Oca's current role? Alex Henry Montes De Oca is Co-founder/Executive Chef of Sureste Mexican. Where did Alex Henry Montes De Oca train or study? Alex Henry Montes De Oca trained at Forrest Park Community College. What recognition has Alex Henry Montes De Oca received? James Beard Award Semifinalist, Best Chef: Midwest (2026).