Today we’d like to introduce you to Bruce Auden. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Polo’s at the Fairmount In 1985, Chef Auden moved from Houston to the San Antonio market and promptly put the Fairmont Hotel’s restaurant, Polo’s, on the culinary map, serving “the most provocative food in the city” (Texas Monthly, 1987). Honors and awards for the ambitious new restaurant kept coming, including a spot on Esquire Magazine’s “Best Bars and Restaurants” list in 1991.
Still “six foot one and whippet-thin,” as pegged by Patricia Sharpe of Texas Monthly in 1987, Chef Auden maintains his chops (and his fighting weight) by pouring his creative energy into Biga. Chef Auden and his wife Debra have four beautiful children and live, garden, and raise various pets at the edge of the Hill Country in Fischer, Texas.
Opened in 2000, Biga is the premiere contemporary-regional fine dining restaurant on the San Antonio Riverwalk. Perfectly situated near downtown’s upscale hotels and entertainment venues, Biga offers patrons sweeping views of a quiet, cypress-shaded bend in the River. Contemporary chic interiors offer a relaxed ambiance, the perfect showcase for Chef/Owner Bruce Auden’s award-winning New American cuisine.
Chef Auden is joined on the management team by Biga partner Perny Shea. Ms. Shea is the Director of Special Events and leads Biga’s private dining team. She brings her warm personal style and strong management expertise to the party, helping to make Biga the preferred private dining destination on the Riverwalk for corporate events, wedding celebrations, and special occasions.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Biga has seen its ups and downs over the years, but the massive downturn during the COVID-19 pandemic tested the restaurant team like never before. Like many in the food and beverage industry, Biga struggled to stay afloat, and the restaurant took huge losses while it was unable to open its doors.
Even after restrictions were lifted, the team struggled as patrons slowly began to venture back out. The Traveling Taste Buds series was one of the most successful ways to get people back in the doors, as diners were ready to experience far-off places without venturing too far from home.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Chef Auden offers an ever-changing menu that showcases local Texas ingredients — the quail and venison are some favorites. His kitchen is a sort of incubator for budding chefs to experiment and showcase their creativity before taking their skills out to other parts of the city.
Chef Auden takes these young chefs under his wing, but also listens and learns from them as each brings their unique perspective and experience.
What were you like growing up?
Chef Bruce is a native North Londoner, and he’s well known for his adventuresome, original, and creative menus. Recognized early in his career as one to watch among the new rising stars of regional cuisine, Chef Auden brought a worldly fusion of influences to his brand of nouvelle American cuisine.
One reviewer declared Auden’s dishes “extraordinary creations that play havoc with tradition.” His pitch-perfect style brings a lighthearted touch to serious gastronomy, earning his restaurants a loyal fan base of foodies and non-foodies alike for over twenty-five years.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.biga.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigaonthebanks/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BigaontheBanks
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/bigaonthebanks
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY3OxzxTda4&feature=youtu.be
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/biga-on-the-banks-san-antonio?utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)
Image Credits
Christine Wong
