The Team.
Five resident chefs. A banquet and bar crew that reads the room before you do. All of them chose to be here.
Your Event. Your Chef. Your Menu.
Every event begins with a conversation — not a catalog. Here's how we build something that's actually yours.
The Conversation
You tell us about your event — the vibe, the guest count, the dietary needs, the things that matter to you. No forms. No packages. A real conversation.
Choose Your Chef
Based on your vision, we recommend a Chef in Residence whose cuisine and style align with your event. You choose. They're yours for the night.
The Collaboration
Your Chef in Residence sits down with your Event Captain. Together — with your input — they design a menu that's yours. Not a package. Not a preset. Yours.
The Full Picture
Our Beverage Director builds a bar program to complement the menu. Your Event Captain maps the service flow. Every detail, choreographed.
Each chef brings a distinct culinary voice. When you book an event, you're not hiring a caterer — you're choosing the person who designs your menu from scratch.
Kristina Zhao
Executive Chef in Residence · Founder
Sichuan · Chinese Banquet · The OG
Kristina opened Sichuan House in 2015 alongside Master Chef Jian Li and turned it into one of San Antonio's most beloved restaurants. Then came Dashi Sichuan Kitchen + Bar. Then Love You Long Time. She doesn't just run the business — she's in the kitchen, designing banquet menus that pull from the Sichuan tradition she and Chef Li built together: bold, numbing, unapologetic. When she's not running the company, she's the one tasting every dish before it leaves the pass. The founder who still cooks.
Signature
Sichuan dry-braised fish, mapo tofu with house-ground doubanjiang, and hand-pulled noodles.
"I built this company from a wok. I'm not leaving the kitchen now."@sichuaneats
Yesenia Arredondo
Chef in Residence
Mediterranean · Middle Eastern · Event Cuisine
Yesenia built her career in San Antonio's most demanding kitchens — from Tim the Girl, where she rose to Culinary Director, to Jason Dady's catering operation. She's a CIA-trained chef who thinks in flavors most people haven't met yet: sumac-kissed lamb, fresh falafel with tahini that makes you rethink everything, and kebabs that belong at a feast. She designs menus the way architects design rooms — every element intentional, every bite in conversation with the next.
Signature
Herb-crusted lamb with pomegranate molasses, hand-pressed falafel, and house-made labneh.
"The best events feel like a dinner party that just happens to be perfect."
Jonathan Foad Helmy
Chef in Residence
Latin × Middle Eastern Fusion · Texas BBQ
Jonathan's kitchen is where his Egyptian and Syrian roots meet San Antonio's Latin soul. A CIA-San Antonio alum, he built Braised Gods from a food truck into a catering company and never stopped fusing. His food is what he calls 'edible art' — brisket with za'atar, birria with tahini, smoked meats that honor both traditions at once. He also launched Sahara Samurai's and a line of house-made seasonings. The man doesn't just cook — he creates worlds on a plate.
Signature
Braised short rib with harissa glaze, cumin-spiced slaw, and hand-pressed flatbread.
"My parents' kitchens were my culinary school. Everything since has been the remix."@poseidonkilla
Adesuwa Elaiho
Chef in Residence
French Pastry · Contemporary American · Culinary Storytelling
Paris-trained at Le Cordon Bleu — and not just pastry. Adesuwa is the first student in the school's history to graduate with diplomas in Cuisine, Pastry, and Sommelier studies. She's a Food Network alum (Halloween Baking Championship), the owner of Asukar and Tim the Girl Catering, and the winner of over 40 international awards. Her cakes are sculptures. Her plated desserts are theater. And her savory game is just as sharp — contemporary French-American cuisine with a storyteller's instinct.
Signature
Custom sculpted celebration cake with French buttercream and edible artistry.
"Every plate should tell a story. If it doesn't move you, I'm not done."@chef.adesuwa
Jesse Kirk
Chef in Residence
Authentic Mexican · Pan-Latin · Heritage Cuisine
Born in Laredo, raised in San Antonio, trained at CIA-San Antonio, and then Oaxaca under Susana Trilling. Jesse won Food Network's Chopped, served as San Antonio's UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy chef ambassador, and built Milpa from a food truck into a brick-and-mortar. His cooking is simple, straight forward, and from the heart — his mother's recipes are the foundation, and everything he builds starts there. His hibiscus pozole has a following. His mole is a meditation.
Signature
Hibiscus pozole with hand-pressed tortillas and seasonal garnish.
"Simple, straight forward, and from the heart. That's the only way I know how to cook."@chefjessekuykendall
The event captains, bartenders, and service leads who run the room. They don't just pour drinks and clear plates — they set the tempo for your entire night.
Sofia Garza
Event Captain
Event Flow & Guest Experience
Sofia doesn't manage service — she choreographs it. Hospitality management from UTSA, event production background, and an almost supernatural ability to anticipate what a room needs before anyone asks. She's the reason your wedding reception transitions from dinner to dancing without a single awkward pause.
Signature
A perfectly timed champagne toast — every glass full, every eye on the couple.
Jordan Williams
Beverage Director & Lead Bartender
Craft Cocktails & Sake Program
Five years behind the bar at Austin's most acclaimed cocktail bars before joining LYLT. Jordan brings deep spirits knowledge, an obsession with fresh ingredients, and an uncanny ability to read a room. Their signature move: asking what mood you're in, then building a cocktail to match.
Signature
The Long Time — aged rum, lychee, lime, Sichuan peppercorn tincture, champagne float.
Alejandro Vega
Sommelier & Lead Bartender
Wine Program & Classic Cocktails
Certified sommelier with a passion for natural wines and a gift for making the intimidating feel approachable. Alejandro curates our wine list the same way we do everything: quality over pretension. He'll pair your entrée with a wine you've never heard of — and you'll thank him for it.
Signature
Dragon's Breath Old Fashioned — Japanese whisky, demerara, smoked cinnamon.
Building From Within.
The Ciao & Zen Collective is our sister nonprofit — a mentorship program designed to train the next generation of hospitality professionals right here in San Antonio. We're building LYLT to be the place where those graduates land their first real kitchen or bar position, grow into leadership, and stay because this is where someone believed in them first.
We're not there yet. The program is young and so are we. But every hire, every event, every service is a step toward proving that hospitality can be both excellent and equitable — that investing in people isn't a cost, it's the whole model.
A portion of every event benefits the Collective. When you celebrate with us, you're helping us get there.
Ready to meet your chef?
Tell us about your event. We'll match you with the right Chef in Residence and Event Captain to bring it to life.
Start the Conversation