Border To Border With Goodnight Hospitality

There’s nothing quite like getting friends up to northern New England for the first time. A combination of natural beauty and special serenity among the outdoors mixed with historic Americana provides a nostalgic feel around every turn that’s tough to replicate. There may be no better example of this than the local seafood community.

We first learned about The Marigold Club from our close friend, Austin Waiter, at a family wedding when he began describing a restaurant and oyster bar they were going to launch in Houston, Texas inspired by the old drinking clubs of Mayfair, London.

The all-new concept from renowned restaurant group, Goodnight Hospitality, will launch late 2023 or early 2024 and will feature traditional European dishes paired with the freshest local seafood from here in the states. Naturally, we started discussing all things oysters from New England and cooking in Texas.

So when the crew from Goodnight Hospitality planned a little food & wine tour of Maine, we decided to show them around, took them to visit our friends at Mere Point Oyster Co, and interviewed Austin on his experience as Chef Partner sourcing ingredients from Border to Border.

As a native New Englander, what's life like as a Chef in Texas?

AW: Being from New England and moving to Texas there was definitely a change of culture, but being down in Texas has opened up so many more ingredients and cooking styles to learn from every day.

Photo: Zack Horst

What is food culture like in Texas?

AW: Everyone down in Texas loves to eat of course like anywhere else. We have an extremely diverse population in Houston and it is something that is different from any other city. We have one of the largest Vietnamese populations in the US and it is really great to learn about different cultures and how they cook. And of course our barbecue is taken very seriously down here.

Photo: Zack Horst

What are some major differences between the dining experience in New England and the dining experience in Texas?

AW: I think the people in Texas are like nowhere else in the US and really makes it special. Everyone has that southern hospitality mentality. It is also very similar in the way we love our seafood down here. Being able to go fish in the gulf and bring back things you can't catch up in the northeast makes it special.

What is The Marigold Club?

AW: The Marigold Club is the newest restaurant joining Goodnight Hospitality group. We will be cooking classic European dishes and bringing in the freshest seafood from the Gulf of Mexico and the northeast.

What does it mean to "know your ingredients" ?

AW: Ingredients are everything. If the quality is poor when you start your finished product will be as well. Knowing where it is from and aligning the mentality of sustainability is something we try very hard to uphold.

Visiting farms and distributors seems like an extra step not everyone takes. Why visit them in person?

AW: I think it is such an important thing to not only hear about why the farms products are great but to see the work they put into their products. It makes you think harder as a chef to ensure you are taking care of that product as well as utilizing every part of it.

Why serve oysters in Texas and what’s the appetite for oysters down south?

AW: There is a massive market down in Texas for oysters. A lot of people grow up eating gulf oysters fired and at thanksgiving. I want to show off the terroir and individual environments of where all of these oysters come from.

What's the key to a good seafood dish?

AW: Fresh ingredients and creating something that complements it and does not overpower it. There is such care given to harvesting the product so we want to show and honor that. 

How did the team like Maine? What stuck out to you about food scene in Portland?

AW: Our team loved our trip to Portland. A few of our team had never been to Maine and to be able to experience that with them was special. Showing them the oyster and lobster shacks around the area and knowing that everything came from the surrounding water and the culture around the wharf was amazing. All the restaurants we visited were fantastic and we cannot wait to go back.

What sticks out to you about Mere Point Oysters?

AW: The thing that sticks out most is the love for what they are doing. They understand the impact it has for the waters and the surrounding area and for the future of oyster farming.

What was your favorite part or most valuable takeaway from visiting the farm?

AW: Our biggest take away from visiting the farms was just meeting the people and seeing their passion for what they do. It excites us when creating something for the restaurant and creates a story behind the dish.

A huge thank you goes out to our friends at Mere Point Oyster Co. who gave the crew from Goodnight Hospitality a day to remember and showed them what it takes to grow some of the best oysters on Earth.