Kaitlin Steets

The Climb

Kaitlin Steets trained first at The College of Charleston, then at Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, a foundation that shaped the way she approaches the kitchen today: with discipline, curiosity, and a clear sense of purpose. From there, her career unfolded through the lived rhythm of service, beginning as hostess at Husk, where the front-of-house perspective added another layer to her understanding of hospitality and timing. She then worked as line cook at Alto Pizzeria in Houston, taking her place in the concentrated, shoulder-to-shoulder intensity that defines the line, where every motion matters and every plate has to arrive with confidence. That experience eventually carried her into leadership. As she moved into chef de cuisine and Head Chef roles, the arc of her career reflected an increasing command of the kitchen’s tempo, balancing precision with the instinct that comes only from repetition and responsibility. At Theodore Rex in Houston, that progression finds its fullest expression: the same attention that once guided her through individual stations now shapes the entire operation, from the flow of the pass to the final details on the plate. Her climb is not marked by flourish so much as by consistency, each step building on the last.

Today

She now leads the kitchen and carries the same focus into the job. At Theodore Rex in Houston, that means keeping the work sharp, organized, and responsive, with the concentration of someone who understands both the pressure and the pleasure of service. The role asks for authority, but also for restraint, and Kaitlin Steets brings both: the clarity to guide a team and the calm to stay present in the moment when the kitchen is moving fastest. Her approach suggests a chef who is most engaged when cooking demands full attention, when technique, timing, and intuition have to meet in real time.

Signature

Kaitlin's signature dishes include Smoked Lamb Tartare and Littlefoot. The names alone suggest the range of her cooking: one rooted in smoke and precision, the other distinct enough to stand as a marker of her kitchen’s identity. These are the dishes that help define her voice at Theodore Rex in Houston, and they reflect the kind of cooking she is drawn to—focused, confident, and attentive to the textures and contrasts that make a plate memorable. They sit comfortably within the larger story of her career, which has been shaped by hands-on experience and a steady move toward leadership.

In Their Words “To me, those are the most exciting parts of cooking.”

Recognition

Kaitlin Steets has received StarChefs Houston Rising Stars Award, Chef (2019).