MARFA — In the latest installment of Marfa chefs getting accolades, Michael Serva of Bordo has risen to the ranks of the final five in the James Beard Award competition. Serva will close the restaurant and take the entire Bordo crew to Chicago for the award ceremony on June 16. This honor he fully claims to share with his team, a hard-working group of young people, including his wife and business partner Hannah, and will buy them a big city steak dinner, win or lose, to celebrate.
Serva’s great-grandfather and grandfather worked together in different restaurants. His father was here together with Michael when he opened Bordo to share in the family tradition coming back to the fore.
Serva shares this honor with Alexandra Gates of Cochineal, who made the semi-final round this year, and Mark and Kaki Scott of Convenience West who made the top five last year. Serva credits these friends with putting Marfa on the food map and bringing the attention of the James Beard committee out here to our tiny desert town that has attracted these remarkable talents.
Michael and Hannah met while working at Cochineal, back in the heyday of original owners Tom Rapp and Toshi Sakihara. After Toshi’s passing, Michael took over Maiya’s restaurant for a year. Then he and Hannah left for Houston to care for her father. There they stayed in the orbit of designing and consulting for restaurants. However, every time they visited Marfa, Mark Scott always said, “Welcome home,” and they took that to heart.
Although encouraged to make some version of Tex-Mex when contemplating opening a business here, somehow an Italian deli — being a sandwich maker and staying in the realm of food he loved growing up and sharing with his father — won out. It might be genetic. After all, his cousin makes the salami for Bordo. It’s a pleasure none who have visited would argue, and Marfa once again wins in the “awesome place to eat” competition. Tanti auguri, Bordo!