My specialty is:

Mexican Cuisine with a touch of Spanish/Texas/Latin. – Juan

My specialty is highlighting seasonal ingredients. I absolutely love cooking with the seasons. I like my food to be relatable, something familiar just presented in an elevated fashion. I have been deeply influenced by the Mexican culture my whole life being raised here in Fort Worth. I travel to Mexico multiple times a year to visit family and immerse myself in the food culture. – Baxter

I can’t cook without:

Salt. – Juan

One thing I cannot cook without is music. Music puts me in my zone and helps me create the food that I do. Nothing gets my creativity flowing like a certain type of music. We have a multi-cultural kitchen so there is always something new to listen to. We like to create a great vibe in our kitchen. – Baxter

At our place:

We create connections of community through our food and service. – Juan

At Magdalena’s, we are all about humble beginnings. Each of our employees knows the importance of being humble, which is why our team is as great as it is. – Baxter

Perfect Pairing:

Seafood Paella and Sangria. – Juan

For me, the perfect pairing is Champagne and Oysters. I just ate my way through France eating nothing but Oysters and the best Champagne. – Baxter

How I got my start in the kitchen:

My grandmother, Magdalena. I spent time with her in the kitchen. But my first kitchen job was at Steak and Ale. – Juan

I got my start in the kitchen at a young age, always spending time with my grandmother in the kitchen. I started cooking professionally when I was eighteen starting as a dish washer. I worked my way up through the ranks at some great restaurants in DFW. – Baxter

In my kitchen:

I give people opportunities to shine. Everyone is looking for a home to plant roots and I try to create that. – Juan

In my kitchen we love to have fun. We are a kitchen full of passionate, hard-working chefs. We all love to have fun but we know when to buckle down and get the work done. It is great to be part of a crew where all the Chefs share the same passion for food. – Baxter

The chef I most admire is:

The women in my family. – Juan

Sheldon Simeon, he is a Hawaiian-based Chef that is killing the game. As one of his cooks describes him, “The way he moves in the kitchen makes you want to follow him.” He embodies the Island of Hawaii’s past, present and future. – Baxter

My last meal would be:

My mom’s Puerto Rican rice with gandules and slaw. – Juan

My last meal would definitely have to be a perfectly cooked ribeye. Being from Texas, I feel that is only right. Nothing is better than a perfectly cooked steak. – Baxter

My dream dinner guests would be:

Salvador Dalí. – Juan

My dream dinner guest would have to be Tom Colicchio. He is a chef that is known for being a tough critic. I feel that I could gain the most from feeding him and hearing the feedback that he would be willing to give. – Baxter

Texas roots:

Don’t have deep roots. I moved down here from Chicago in high school. – Juan

I was born and raised here in Fort Worth. I have had the honor to work under many local Chefs and restaurant owners. I have always wanted to work for a company that I am proud of. I am a Texas boy through and through and I have studied and enjoyed creating food that is native to Texas. People do not realize the abundance of local ingredients and influence we have here in Texas. I have always been deeply influenced by the Mexican culture and I feel that you can see that in my food. – Baxter

One thing in my kitchen I can’t live without:

Knives! – Juan

Music. We love to have a good time in our kitchen. Good music is a must for us. Music is one of the things that keeps us rocking and rolling all day. – Baxter

We help the community:

We help by donating to many organizations with dinners and auctions, and donate our time with festivals and fundraisers. – Juan

I love contributing to the community. I would say, during the pandemic, we did our part feeding the first responders as well as the everyday person. We created meal kits that we delivered and handed out among the community. We always love to help charities and work with organizations with a cause. Anything we can do to help our city, we are there! – Baxter

Magdalena’s SupperClub:

Our SupperClub was the first in Fort Worth, and we truly believe that it is an exciting experience.

I create a new menu monthly reflecting my recent travels and seasons. It is BYOB, and held at our beautiful location near the stockyards. Each menu is a delicious five course meal with a complimentary artisan cocktail.

The food is prepared using high end luxury ingredients presented in a way that Fort Worth has never seen.

I base the menus from seasonal and travel experiences, which takes guests’ palates on an adventure every time they dine with us! April’s menu was French inspired, as I ate my way through France for two weeks. The menu in May was inspired by “the essence of spring” featuring ingredients that are only in season for the perfect spring months. – Baxter

Magdalena’s
502 Grand Avenue, Ste. A
Fort Worth 76164
magdalenastx.com