MESA: A Chef Series – Belly of the Beast with Chef Thomas Bille

Tuesday, March 31st | 6:30 - 9:30pm

This March, Mayahuel welcomes you back to MESA, our culinary collaboration series celebrating artistry, culture, and connection through one-night-only dining experiences.

MESA continues as Chef Luis Robledo Richards welcomes Chef Thomas Bille of Belly of the Beast, a Michelin Bib Gourmand-recognized restaurant, for an evening of collaboration, creativity, and culinary exchange As part of our ongoing MESA Chef Series, we invite chefs we admire into our kitchen — not as visitors, but as partners — to create a shared experience that reflects both perspectives.

For this edition, Chef Bille brings his bold, expressive style and ingredient-forward approach to a six-course tasting menu designed exclusively for the evening. Together with the Mayahuel team, the menu will weave technique, story, and seasonality into a progression of dishes that highlight the dialogue between our kitchens.

The result is playful but polished. Unexpected, yet grounded. A true meeting at the table.

6-Course Tasting Menu
$110 per person* (exclusive of tax and 20% gratuity)
Optional Wine Pairing: $65 per person
*A credit card on file is necessary at time of booking. Cancellations within 48 hours incur a full payment charge via OpenTable. 

MENU

Caviar
Buñuelo, jamón Ibérico, uni, caviar Quesadilla, huitlacoche, Oaxaca cheese, caviar

Tiradito 
sea scallop, strawberry aguachile, basil

Flautas
roasted sweet potato, carnitas, mole almendrado

Halibut
mole verde risotto, cotija foam

Lamb Barbacoa
refried garbanzos, nopales, pápalo salad, nixtamal tortillas, salsa cruda

Vanilla & Berries
strawberry and lemongrass jus, vanilla foam, meringue

Petit Fours and Coffee

 Spaces are limited, and reservations are required. Reserve your seat now to experience MESA as Chef Luis welcomes Chef Thomas Bille of Belly of the Beast for an unforgettable evening of bold flavors and cultural connection. 

*Price is exclusive of tax and 20% gratuity. Cancellations made within 48 hours incur a full charge via OpenTable. Payment due at the restaurant on the night of the event.

Chef Thomas Bille
Chef & Co-Owner, Belly of the Beast – Spring, Texas 

Chef Thomas Bille is the award-winning Chef and Co-Owner of Belly of the Beast in Spring, Texas, where he crafts deeply personal cuisine rooted in his Mexican American heritage and shaped by global technique. In 2025, Chef Bille was named Best Chef: Texas by the James Beard Foundation, becoming the only Houston-area chef to receive the honor that year.

A first-generation Mexican American raised in Los Angeles, Chef Bille grew up immersed in a rich cultural landscape. Influenced by the diverse culinary traditions of his childhood and his father's work as a French-trained chef, Bille developed an early passion for cooking. He entered the professional culinary world at age 27, rapidly rising through the ranks in Los Angeles kitchens and eventually serving as Executive Sous Chef at the acclaimed restaurant Otium. His culinary training includes experience across fine dining, gastropubs, hotel kitchens, and stages in Michelin-starred restaurants.

In 2018, Chef Bille relocated to Texas with his wife and business partner, Elizabeth Bille, where they opened Belly of the Beast. The restaurant is a reflection of his personal journey—a refined, globally inspired kitchen with a foundation in Mexican flavors, French technique, and seasonal, soulful cooking. Signature dishes such as empandas de papa y queso, street-corn agnolotti, and nori-topped tuna tostadas reflect his innovative and boundary-pushing approach.

Chef Bille continues to lead with humility and purpose, viewing food as a medium for storytelling, connection, and cultural preservation. Through Belly of the Beast, he and his team strive to create an intimate dining experience that honors tradition while pushing creative boundaries.

Belly of the Beast | Spring, Texas
 Belly of the Beast reflects Chef Thomas Bille's journey and Elizabeth Bille's dedication to thoughtful hospitality. Rooted in a first-generation Mexican American perspective, the restaurant celebrates culture, community, and care in every detail. Its seasonal menu features bold, vibrant dishes made with locally sourced ingredients, honoring both the land and those who produce it. Together, the food and hospitality create more than a meal — a welcoming, personal experience that leaves guests inspired and celebrated.