Houston’s Henry Lu Brings the Heat on Top Chef Canada

To dine at JŪN in the Heights is to embark on a culinary journey that could only take place in Houston. The flavors of the Americas combine effortlessly with those of Asia, with a significant kick of Houston blended in. One of the most acclaimed restaurants in town since its opening, JŪN is the brainchild of Houston native and Top Chef star and James Beard Foundation Semi-Finalist Evelyn Garcia and her out and proud partner, Henry Lu, a current contestant on Top Chef Canada.

Lu’s roots run from his parents’ native Fuzhou in China to the rough and immigrant-rich streets of East Bronx, where he grew up surrounded by storefronts selling Puerto Rican mofongo, soul food, and hardcore Italian, with the rhythms of these disparate parts of the planet blending to provide the neighborhood’s soundtrack.

“All of this was normal food for me,” says Lu. “I still view food as something that transcends and has no boundaries. I love to cook and pull inspiration from all across the board, highlighting and blurring the lines that divide us.”

Lu grew up helping in his family’s Chinese restaurants, partaking in just about every facet of the operations, including cooking, which particularly fascinated him. This would lead him to the French Culinary Institute and stints at some of the most innovative kitchens of New York City, where he met Evelyn Garcia, who was also gaining experience in the Big Apple. Garcia would move on to a burgeoning career in Houston, and in 2020, she persuaded Lu to make the move south, where their dreams for JŪN became reality.

Lu has warmed quickly to his new life in Texas. “Houston has accepted me with open arms and become a second home to me,” he says. “I couldn’t have asked for a better welcoming.” He is thrilled with the success of JŪN, which the Houston Chronicle’s esteemed critic Alison Cook calls “arguably the most exciting new restaurant in Houston.”

“JŪN is a novel for me, Evelyn and everyone involved,” says Lu. “Every day we are open is a new chapter added to the novel. We are forever changing and growing. The food, drinks, and wine are a direct expression of us.”  

That expression takes the form of dishes whose simple names on the menu belie breathtaking and tasty complexities. “Oysters” arrive drenched in beef tallow with green chili oil. A bowl featuring an aguachile arrives like a Kandinsky painting, with raw Gulf shrimp interspersed with cubes of taro and avocado with circular splotches of shrimp oil surrounding a crown of round radish orbs.

Don’t be surprised to see heaving plates of “Fried Chicken” arriving at every table. But this isn’t your typical fried chicken. Lu and Garcia employ a batter made with pungent shrimp paste, Thai chilis, and ginger, and side the bird with a sauce reminiscent of sorghum. The flavors are riveting, and this plate has already rocketed to the top of the list of iconic Houston dishes.

Dining at JŪN is intimate without ever feeling stuffy. Service is attentive and never intrusive, with every staff member caring for every table and both chefs making the rounds to ensure that everyone is enjoying their meal. “We give everyone the freedom to express themselves here,” Lu says. “JŪN will always be a home for everyone.”

Lu and Garcia have gone on to open a daytime café at JŪN called Third Place, where they hope to welcome artists, musicians, and chefs to share their talents. The duo also run KIN, which operates catering and pop-up events, as well as offering a curated line of products and ready-to-eat wholesale foods.

One of the most exciting developments in Lu’s life has been being a chef contestant on Peacock’s Top Chef Canada. Because the show is still ongoing on television, he’s not able to share how far he made it or if he was the winner of the $250,000 prize, but he described the experience as “one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. There’s so much that goes into it you don’t get to see on TV. But I left having met so many talented people and chefs I can call friends now. And I can’t wait to bring them here to Houston for monthly Wine & Dine series dinners.”

n his free time, Lu enjoys artistry, working out, and spoiling his beloved companion Miles, an 11-year-old Shiba Inu, collie-sheltie mix. He describes his favorite go-to meals as “trashy fast food,” but Burger Bodega, Koffeteria, Street to Kitchen, Squable (for brunch), and Ema also are on his regular rotation. Though he describes himself as “single AF,” he adds that “my life is fueled with so much passion that I’m super happy!”  

Lu relishes his role as an out and proud gay man of Asian descent. From being president of his college’s LGBTQ+ organization in New York, to his active involvement with area organizations such as Montrose Grace Place and the Trevor Project, he has come to the realization that “one of the best ways I can ‘fight the good fight’ is to live my best life.”

And from his humble beginnings in the Bronx, Lu is now proudly living his best life in the Bayou City.

Top Chef Canada airs on Bravo on Thursdays at 8 p.m. with episodes streaming on-demand on Peacock.