Thomas Bille of Belly of the Beast in Spring received one of the highest honors in the Texas restaurant industry Monday at the 2025 James Beard Awards ceremony in Chicago.
The Houston-area restaurateur was named best chef in Texas, prevailing against award-winning and Michelin-recognized chefs from across the Lone Star State.
Houston had another honoree in Toni Tipton-Martin, a Houston-based author and nutrition journalist who received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Bille became the second Houston-area chef in three years to win the award for best chef in Texas. Benchawan Jabthong Painter of Thai restaurant Street to Kitchen claimed the award in 2023.
Other finalists for this year’s prize were Emmanuel Chavez of Tatemó in Houston, Emil Oliva of Leche de Tigre in San Antonio, Regino Rojas of Purépecha in Dallas and Michael Anthony Serva of Bordo in Marfa.
Bille worked in top Los Angeles restaurants before settling down in Spring, a suburb north of Houston. He opened Belly of the Beast in 2020 and at one point took a two-year hiatus for other projects.
He leads the restaurant — located inside a strip mall along FM 2920 — with his wife, Elizabeth Bille.
The James Beard Foundation, celebrating the 35th anniversary of its awards ceremony, recognizes exceptional eateries around the United States. Belly of the Beast was recognized for its Mexican-inspired dishes.
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In addition to Chavez of Tatemó, several other Houston-area restaurants and chefs received nominations this year. Ema, a popular Mexican-inspired restaurant and bakery located in the Heights neighborhood, was a finalist in the Best New Restaurant category. March, a Mediterranean eatery in Montrose, was nominated in the Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program.
The James Beard Awards also consists of three achievement awards — the aforementioned Lifetime Achievement Award, Humanitarian of the Year Awards and the Impact Awards.
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