Six-time James Beard Foundation Awards finalist, Steve McHugh is the chef and owner of Cured at Pearl in San Antonio, Texas. The restaurant is endowed with a name that celebrates his successful battle against cancer, as well as the artisanal cured meats that are the foundation of his menu. The cuisine reflects McHugh’s core values – smart, sustainable, and seasonal – and honors the indigenous ingredients of Texas. Cured has been selected as a runner up for Esquire’s “Best New Restaurants in America”, named to Eater National’s list of “38 Essential Texas Restaurants,” and recognized as a finalist for Bon Appetit’s list of “America’s Best New Restaurants”.

McHugh released his first cookbook in Spring 2024 – CURED, Cooking with Ferments, Pickles, Preserves, & More – named by Food & Wine as a “Best Food & Drink Book”. Transforming ingredients into extraordinary culinary dishes, this cookbook doesn’t just show how to preserve foods – McHugh shares the cornerstone of his cooking – elevating produce that tastes of the sun and of the fertile fields from America’s lands. With over 150 curated recipes, readers will discover an arsenal of techniques for curing ingredients — all with the goal of capturing seasonal ingredients at the peak of flavor to showcase the best of the past and present.

McHugh also serves as the Executive Curating Chef for the Spurs Club, from Spurs Sports & Entertainment, at the Victory Capital Performance Center.–