Jesse Houston 

Executive chef Jesse Houston was lucky to find his passion at a young age. It’s often said that necessity is the mother of invention and as a teenager, while living with his father, Jesse learned to cook his own meals for nourishment. Soon, he was cooking for friends and family, all the while experimenting with ingredients and keeping his nose in cookbooks.

In his twenties, Jesse moved from his hometown of Dallas, Texas, to Austin, Texas, to attend culinary school at Texas Culinary Academy (a Le Cordon Bleu program) where he graduated with honors. Jesse was brought to Jackson by his friend chef Craig Noone to open Noone’s trailblazing restaurant, Parlor Market.  As a result of Noone’s tragic and untimely death, Jesse grabbed the reigns of Parlor Market where he stepped up as executive chef.

Throughout his career, Jesse has worked in some of the country’s top kitchens, including those of chefs Wolfgang Puck, Stephen Pyles, Tim Byres, Matt 

McCallister and John Currence. In 2013, he collaborated

with several Mississippi chefs on a dinner at the James Beard House. One of Jesse’s passions is to support local farmers by using local produce, including ingredients from his own gardens.

Through his work at various restaurants across the country, Jesse developed a love of oysters and their preparation, a passion that became the seed of Saltine. Intrigued by the many different kinds and complex flavors of oysters, he researched the local history of the mollusks and studied their subtle differences in flavor and preparation. Jesse shared a love of oysters with his mentor Noone and shows remembrance with Saltine’s Craig’s Oyster Stew.

Jesse’s style of cooking is creative and playful, using modern and innovative techniques. He considers collaboration as key, as evidenced by his partnership with Lucky Town Brewing Company on providing cutting-edge craft beer selections at Saltine.

Saltine is the first restaurant Jesse has owned and pays homage to his adopted hometown’s rich oyster and seafood history.