A Spicewood-born chef who earned Michelin recognition in California is returning to his birthplace for a new resort restaurant. Estella, at the upcoming wellness resort Canyon Ranch Austin, will be led by Chef Val Cantú, the chef behind two Michelin-starred San Francisco restaurant Californios.
Canyon Ranch opened in 1979 in Tucson, Arizona, and plans to open its Austin-area outpost in September of 2026. The small chain also has a resort in Lenox, Massachusetts, and spas in Fort Worth and Las Vegas, Nevada. The original Canyon Ranch is very highly regarded, earning its own Michelin award of three keys — the highest ranking a hotel can get — and the chain lauds the wellness benefits of both modern science and "ancient wisdom."
Estella will be the resort's signature restaurant, anchoring its 600 acres in the Hill Country north of Austin. In line with the resort's offerings, Estella will plate up a "seasonal, wellness-driven interpretation of Mexican cuisine," according to a press release.
“Estella will be light, bright, fresh, and clean,” said Cantú in the release. “It’s a distilled version of what I do that will be focused on seasonality, sourcing, and the kind of delicious food that makes you feel good after you eat it.”
Cantú is developing the menu with experience from fine dining and his personal Texas heritage; he was raised in Brownwood, about 150 miles northwest of Austin, where his father owned a Mexican restaurant. Tortillas are an important part of what's to come at Estella.
“When I’m making tortillas, I feel connected at a root level,” said Cantú. “It reminds me of making tortillas with my grandmother and my dad.”
Canyon Ranch CEO Mark Rivers emphasized Cantú's well-balanced approach: “Chef Val brings a rare combination of technical mastery, cultural authenticity, and emotional intelligence to his cooking. His approach aligns perfectly with how we think about wellness as intentional, thoughtful, and rooted in real life.”
Canyon Ranch operates some of the country's most acclaimed spas. Facebook Canyon Ranch
Although the release does not share how much Estella will have in common with Californios, it's easy to imagine that the artistic plating and education about the indigenous cultures of Mesoamerica will carry over.
“This is a homecoming for me," Cantú said. "Cooking in the Hill Country allows me to return to the flavors, ingredients, and traditions that first shaped who I am."
