The Desert Spoon: A Texas Hill Country restaurant

OUR STORY

At The Desert Spoon, we prioritize freshness and local sourcing to create a unique dining experience in the heart of the Texas Hill Country.

Executive Chef

He’s a passionate, classically trained chef with over 20 years of experience in the culinary field, known for blending innovation with tradition. As a 9th generation Tejano, he brings deep cultural roots and a rich culinary perspective to his craft. His career highlights include multiple accolades, media appearances, and leadership roles in esteemed kitchens.

Tatu Herrera

Sous Chef

I’m Chef Monroe Payne the Executive Sous Chef at the uprising farm to table restaurant in the Texas Hill country, The Desert Spoon. Like most young chefs out of San Antonio I began my career as a “river rat”. Working at multiple river walk restaurants I developed my work ethic at these high volume tourist restaurants. Coming from a culinary family my older brothers Tatu and Jarod Herrera were already deep into their cooking careers when I decided to pursue a culinary career.Tatu understanding who I am and how I learn was extremely instrumental in my decision to skip culinary school and instead develop my cooking skills working under great chefs. Working under San Antonio’s elite chefs such as Johnny Hernandez, Michael Alvarez, Jason Dady, and John Carpenter I developed the fundamentals and foundations that carried me into chef hood. Eventually I pushed myself to Executive Chef position and earned the title at Blü Prime Steak house where under my leadership we were rated number 1. Steak house in San Antonio and top 10 restaurant by San Antonio Express News Mike Sutter. I attribute a good percentage of my culinary success to the fact that I grew up playing team sports and I carry that “team first”mentality into the kitchen. I believe developing relationships and having respect for each cook and their position in the kitchen creates a healthy dynamic that reflects onto the dish and carries over into service. At the end of the day thats what the restaurant industry is based on “service”, serving your community. I’ve been blessed that my closest mentor is my favorite chef and also just so happens to be my oldest brother (chef Tatu Herrera). My culinary philosophy 100% was inherited from his unique approach to food. I tend to focus on local history and ingredients, as well as experimental flavor combinations instead of specific regional techniques and cuisines. I also carried this opened mindfulness of flavor building into my plating patterns, leaning on my love for street art and graffiti to develop my artistic approach to cooking and plating. After more than 10 years of professional cooking I still feel young in my culinary career, but I’ve reached a point not only in cooking but in life where family legacy motivates me more than anything. The ability to chase milestones and accolades with my brothers and the opportunity to set in stone our family name as a cornerstone in Texas culinary scene is why I cook.

Payne Monroe

Owners

Trever and Merritt Butler

In 2021 Trever was finishing up her degree in horticulture and dreaming of opening a farm-to-table restaurant when she pitched the idea to her father. It was decided that the perfect spot for such a place would be nestled somewhere on the 16 acres that is Spring Creek Gardens. Upon graduation Trever got to work on the dream while Merritt was focusing on finishing his master’s degree. We started the work, adding two sandwiches to the menu of our small coffee shop, before expanding to 8 sandwiches, smoothies, and baked goods all made in our tiny kitchen. Then came the shoppe remodel in 2023, and Merritt officially joined the team as our bookkeeper. At that time, they were running the café and began crafting plans for what would become The Desert Spoon. Construction began in April 2024 to the existing building, and we opened officially on March 15th 2025. Our hope is that the Desert Spoon becomes a fixture in the community, for people to gather round, celebrate life’s big changes or the average day over a good meal that’s fresh and with hospitality that’s unmatched. Spring Creek as a whole is not just a place to buy plants but to connect back with that slower pace of life that allows room for gratitude.

Trever still had the passion to open a farm-to-table restaurant and decided to do it in the building where the café previously was. Trever and Merritt have always been passionate about hospitality, and The Desert Spoon provided the perfect avenue to channel that passion and energy.

Combined with Trever’s degree in horticulture and Merritt’s degree in economics they make the perfect team to tackle opening a farm-to-table restaurant. Plus with the shared passion for hospitality and building community.