Beatriz Martines

The Climb

Formal study at Art Institute of Houston added structure to skills built in home kitchens. In Houston, Martines spent 2005–2013 moving between cafeteria service at Cy-Fair ISD in Willbern Elementary and Moore Elementary and running Taquizas as a catering business owner. That combination of school kitchens and private catering demanded speed, consistency, and practical judgment, the daily work of feeding people well at scale. By 2013, the work shifted into a restaurant setting with a sous chef role at Aquiles Chavez. From there, the scope widened: as Culinary Director at H Town Restaurant Group (2015–2017) and later Corporate Chef at H Town Restaurant Group (2017–2022), Martines worked at the level where standards, teams, and menus have to hold together under pressure. Her path is built from repetition and responsibility, not shortcuts.

Today

Since 2023, Martines has been chef and co-founder of Xalisko Cocina Mexicana in The Woodlands, Texas. The role brings together the settings that shaped her work: family cooking from Guadalajara, formal training in Houston, cafeteria service, catering, sous chef duties, and restaurant-group leadership. Her approach keeps traditional methods in play without freezing them in place. She treats them as working knowledge, not display. That gives the food a direct line to memory while leaving room for adjustment, which is where the craft stays alive.

Signature

Beatriz's signature dishes include Trompito.

In Their Words “The love I feel for cooking comes from my mom and grandma. All my best memories are surrounded by food and family. For us, cooking is a way to show our love.” “I was 7 when I started flipping tortillas standing on top of a chair while my mom made them. To me, that was so fun.”

Recognition

Beatriz's honors include graduated with Honors.