Chef Profile

Chef Steve McHugh grew up in Walworth, Wisconsin, population of approximately 1,800 and home to Kikkoman’s first U.S. plant in the heart of Midwestern farmland. McHugh’s parents, both working professionals who raised seven boys, decided to buy a dairy farm in the 1970s. The purpose was to keep his six brothers and himself fed and out of trouble, but the benefits were much greater.

“I have very early memories of my mother milking cows, canning and baking. She was a nurse and went back to school to become a physician because she loved to take care of people. My dad, who was a teacher, took over all the cooking and feeding duties. I inherited both of their caretaking traits, and I am interpreting them into my work as a chef and restaurateur who knows all the local farmers and who lets their crops dictate my menu,” McHugh says.

He trained at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, and launched his career in New Orleans, where McHugh spent time in some of the city’s best-known kitchens. McHugh was named chef de cuisine at Besh Steak and executive chef at Restaurant August. After Hurricane Katrina, McHugh worked around-the-clock, helping to reopen August and feeding FEMA workers. By 2010, McHugh sought a change of scenery, so he moved to Texas and became executive chef of Lüke San Antonio. In 2013, he opened his first solo venture, Cured, where his work earned him James Beard Award nominations for Best Chef: Southwest in 2016 and 2017.

Prior to opening Cured, McHugh was diagnosed and successfully treated for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. It’s no exaggeration to say Cured has been a lifesaver for the chef. When he was diagnosed, his doctor pointed out that while there are no known causes for blood cancers, stress certainly does not help. McHugh’s high-stress time in New Orleans, living post-Katrina and opening several restaurants needed to change. Cured allowed him to open his own restaurant on his own terms and in a less stressful place.

“I love New Orleans, but San Antonio is where I got my life back. I don’t serve health food at Cured, but, for me, it’s important to understand where every radish and rib comes from, to know all the farmers we work with and to follow best practices in every part of our food production,” McHugh concludes.