From Oaxaca, With Love: Cocktail Dinners Featuring Chef Alejandro Ruiz and Sabina Sabe to Pop-Up at Four Seasons Hotel Houston

Four Seasons Hotel Houston and The Lost Explorer spirits welcome Casa Oaxaca and its renowned Chef Alejandro Ruiz alongside the award-winning cocktail bar Sabina Sabe for an exclusive two-night cocktail dinner experience called From Oaxaca, With Love, celebrating the flavours and traditions of the famed Mexican state.

Taking place on June 16 and 17, 2025 at 7:00 pm, these limited-seat dining experiences are an extension of the Hotel’s popular food and drink pop-ups, which have previously featured the likes of Emeril’s (New Orleans), Chris Shepherd’s Mr. C’s (Houston), Jewel of the South (New Orleans), Employees Only (New York City), and VIRTÙ (Tokyo).

Beginning with a welcome cocktail in Bandista, guests will meet bartender Mike Prado from Sabina Sabe (just named #54 Best Bar in North America) before being seated in the dining room. There, Chef Ruiz will present a five-course menu, alongside personal recollections of the dishes’ importance to him in his life. Known for bringing Oaxacan cuisine to the global stage, Chef Ruiz will showcase some of his most famous dishes, authentically recreated with sometimes exotic ingredients, which will be expertly paired with cocktails created by Sabina Sabe featuring The Lost Explorer’s consciously crafted collection of mezcal and tequila made without additives, born from nature, guided by tradition, and rooted in sustainability.

The menu features:

Starter Trio - mini-tostada with heirloom insects; stuffed zucchini blossom with ricotta and roasted banana purée; hoja santa leaf taco with quesillo cheese, beans, wild mushrooms

Green Aguachile: red snapper cured in native tomatillo and rice vinegar aguachile, Persian cucumber, red onion, cilantro, ginger-toasted peanuts

• Pequeño Gigante - The Lost Explorer Madre Cuishe Mezcal, hoja santa, ginger, lime, Oaxacan spices

Tortilla Soup - native tomatoes & pasilla mixe chile broth with crispy tortillas, fresh cheese, cream, pork cracklings, mint celery

• Pimiento Margarita - The Lost Explorer Tobalá Mezcal, Mistela Vermouth, peach, pimiento, cinnamon, lime

Braised Short Rib – anchamanteles mole, seasonal fruit relish, banana purée crispy plantain

•  Agave Xerez - The Lost Explorer Tequila, Palomino Sherry, green apple, pear

Textures of Oaxacan Chocolate - mousse, sponge cake, ice cream, tuile, passionfruit jelly, cacao nibs

• Neat pour of The Lost Explorer Tobalá Mezcal

Traditional Oaxacan water-based hot chocolate, infused with cacao flower

Live music will accompany the dinners, and the dining room will feature original artwork from Oaxaca Serrano Contemporary Art Gallery, showcasing renowned contemporary artists who are members of one of the richest artistic legacies in Mexico.

Each reservation will also receive a signed English-language copy of Chef Ruiz’ groundbreaking book The Food of Oaxaca: Recipes and Stories from Mexico's Culinary Capital: A Cookbook.  

Reservations are required for this special experience, priced at USD 250 per person plus tax and gratuity.

“It is our great pleasure to welcome Chef Alejandro Ruiz and Sabina Sabe to Houston, Texas,” says Tom Segesta, General Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Houston. "These dinners, featuring these awarded ambassadors of Oaxacan food and drink, are sure to be enjoyed by our local community and guests from around the world.”

Guests choosing to make a night of it are invited to plan ahead and save with the Advance Purchase offer, which includes up to 25 percent off the room rate when booking at least three days in advance. For more information, visit online, call 800 734 4114 or contact your travel professional (chain code FS).

About Chef Alejandro Ruiz

Alejandro Ruiz was born in 1970 a small town in the south of Mexico, La Raya, in Zimatlan, Oaxaca, a farming community where most of the produce is kept for self-consumption. He learned the value of the land as a child, helping out in the family fields watering and harvesting the maize, tomato, chili and lettuce. As the oldest child in the family, he helped his mother in the kitchen, learning to prepare food using the ingredients available from the harvest. This is where he acquired his love of traditional cooking, and the unparalleled flavours, aromas and textures of Oaxacan cuisine. Alex is an inspirational cook thanks to this strong connection to his past. In the contemporary culinary world, he knows how to accentuate authenticity in his plates, placing local ingredients from the vastly diverse state of Oaxaca in centre stage, highlighting the best traditional recipes made with specially selected locally-sourced products. Alejandro Ruiz is widely known as an ambassador for Oaxacan gastronomy and has represented this celebrated cuisine around the world. Chef Ruiz’ restaurants include Casa Oaxaca, Casa Oaxaca Reforma, and Oaxacalifornia. His many accolades include: Best Restaurant in Mexico (Food & Travel Readers’ Choice Awards), Best Hotel Restaurant in Mexico (Travel + Leisure Gourmet Awards), 50 People Who Are Transforming Mexico (Quién Magazine), and Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants (The World’s 50 Best Restaurants). He is also the author of the acclaimed book Cocina de Oaxaca.

About Sabina Sabe

A staple on North America’s 50 Best Bars, Sabina Sabe takes its name from the Mazatec medicine woman María Sabina, a healer and icon of Oaxacan culture. True experts on mezcal, the cocktail artists at Sabina Sabe create unique cocktails based on the rich local heritage and tradition of the region, as well as mezcal-based versions of celebrated classics. For more information, follow the bar on Instagram.

About The Lost Explorer

The Lost Explorer crafts exceptional mezcal and tequila, honouring the agave and the diverse terroirs it calls home — from the arid valleys of Oaxaca to the volcanic lowlands of Jalisco in Mexico. Each spirit is handcrafted using 100% agave, without additives and made within the rhythm of nature. Guided by a deep respect for the land and the people who shape it, we work with our maestros and our local communities to ensure every bottle supports biodiversity, tradition, and craft. As we grow, our purpose remains the same: to create spirits that invite curiosity, celebrate connection and reflect the wonder of the natural world. The Lost Explorer is available in Mexico, the United States, the United Kingdom, and across Europe. Learn more at thelostexplorer.com or follow along on Instagram @thelostexplorer.

About Bandista

Named #59 by North America’s 50 Best Bars, Bandista is the speakeasy bar and lounge hidden behind a bookcase at Four Seasons Hotel Houston. A cocktail laboratory that pushes boundaries while still paying homage to the classics. Guided by expert drink makers, guests enjoy inventive creations, colourful and celebratory in nature, and often with unexpected elements. Bandista is a cocktail journey and experience – an elevated bar and lounge, rich in craftsmanship, creativity, and Southern hospitality. Reservations are required for 90-minute seatings Wednesday through Saturday from 5:00 pm to 12:00 midnight. For more information, enjoy Bandista’s press kit and follow the bar on Instagram.