Drake Leonards is the Executive Chef-Partner of Eunice in Houston, Texas. Raised on a rice farm in Eunice, Louisiana, Drake began his restaurant career in his hometown as a 15-year-old dishwasher at a local eatery and that experienced propelled him to pursue a culinary career that spans the globe.
Inspired by the melding of food and community, Drake earned his degree in Culinary Arts from Nicholls State University where he also participated in a series of highly competitive externships for restaurants including, Restaurant August. Additionally, he assisted the opening team in launching sister restaurant, Luke.
Upon graduating in 2008, Drake relocated to New York City to work at the prestigious Café Boulud under the tutelage and mentorship of acclaimed Chefs Daniel Boulud and Gavin Kaysen. From there, Drake was struck by the parallels and complementary differences between traditional French cooking and the culinary style of his own Southern Louisiana heritage. Over the next two years, Drake worked as a chef and developed what would become his signature recipes and cooking styles.
Ready to make a move overseas, Drake relocated to Europe to perfect and amass international cooking techniques. His travels took him to live, work, and study in Germany’s Black Forest, Spain, France, Switzerland, and England. Each new country and cuisine added an element to Drake’s own style, creating the signature fusion his patrons know today.
Following his time in New Orleans honing his Provençal culinary skills and reconnecting with the culinary community, Drake set his eyes on the burgeoning Bayou City food scene, where Louisiana cuisine was already a cornerstone of Houston’s diverse food scene. He was presented with the opportunity to open his own concept, Eunice, a modern Creole-style brasserie that is rooted in tradition and is named for his beloved hometown, where he and his talented team strive to duplicate the warmth and sense of community captured at a family meal in Eunice, La.
Drake currently lives in Houston with his wife and young son. He is excited to join the diverse culinary landscape of the city and pay homage to both the cuisine of his hometown, Eunice, and the hospitality of New Orleans.