Chef
Marcos Juarez
- Discipline
- Chef
- Based in
- Houston, Texas, United States
i. Biography
In Houston, Marcos Juarez works through contrast at the plate. Pastrami-cured salmon brushed with shichimi and apricot jam is set against Tofu Feta, Wasabi Almonds, Sesame Cracker, and poached olives at Hidden Omakase, where a single featured dish is built to move from smoke to spice, sweetness to crunch, and brine to finish without losing control.
Coming Up
Training at Art Institute of Austin gave Marcos Juarez the base for a sushi career that moved quickly into demanding service. In Round Rock, Texas, he worked as Sushi Chef at Sushi NiNi; in Houston, Texas, he continued as Sushi Chef at Uchi. Those early posts established the discipline and fluency that still define the work now: a traditional frame, carried into contemporary expression and shaped by the pace of Texas dining. As chef and Executive Chef of Hidden Omakase (since 2022) and chef of Sushi by Hidden (since 2022), Marcos Juarez now applies that background in a tighter, more deliberate register. The titles mark progression, but the craft is the point: leadership tied directly to the plate, with each service built to hold together from first bite to last.
Where They Are Now
The omakase format at Hidden Omakase is intentionally non-traditional and shaped by Houston’s diversity, which gives the menu its movement. Instead of repeating a fixed sequence, the kitchen resets on a three-month rhythm, so each menu arrives with its own timing and point of view. The result is a conversation between season, city, and chef rather than a static repertoire. That same layered approach shows in the featured dishes. One combines Pastrami-Cured Salmon Sichimi, Seven Spice Togarashi-Apricot Jam, Tofu Feta, Wasabi Almonds, Sesame Cracker, and Poached Olives. The plate shifts across savory, sweet, creamy, crisp, heat, and salinity in a controlled sequence. Another centers Lobster with Bonito Beurre Blanc, Lobster Stock Tuile, Caviar, and Parsley, bringing richness and lift into a single refined composition. The vegetable work is handled with the same specificity. Roasted Spring Carrots come with Japanese Curry, Burnt Carrot Top-Cumin Spice Blend, Potato Hay, and Micro Carrots, a plate that folds earthiness, warmth, and texture into one measured presentation. Burabuzu Crudo is paired with Ají Amarillo-Tom Kha Sauce, Fried Kale, Tempura Hearts of Palm, and Corn Shoots, showing a kitchen that keeps clarity in view while allowing multiple accents to stay in play.
Signature
Marcos's signature dishes include Lobster, Bonito Beurre Blanc, Lobster Stock Tuile, Caviar, and Parsley. In the current kitchen, the dish reads as a clean-edged but luxurious composition, with technique and restraint carrying equal weight and each element placed for balance as well as emphasis.
Honors
The clearest markers of recognition in his career are the named chef roles he has held and the featured dishes tied to his current kitchen. Together, they map a path from training in Austin to sushi work in Round Rock and Houston, and into the leadership positions he holds now at Hidden Omakase and Sushi by Hidden (since 2022).
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Marcos
What is Marcos Juarez's current role?
As of 2026, Marcos Juarez is Executive Chef.
Where did Marcos Juarez train or study?
Marcos Juarez trained at Art Institute of Austin.
