Executive Chef

Joel “Tatu” Herrera is a ninth-generation Tejano, Executive Chef of The Desert Spoon, and Co-Owner of the award-winning Folklore’s Coffee House. His cooking is rooted in heritage, seasonality, and a deep respect for the land - a modern expression of Texas farm-to-table cuisine.

Named Chef of the Year (2020) by San Antonio Magazine, Herrera also serves as a Chef Ambassador for San Antonio Gastronomy, a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. Beyond the kitchen, he is known for mentorship, food education, and community service. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he helped feed more than 70,000 people, earning recognition from both the State of Texas and the City of San Antonio.

Chef Herrera’s philosophy is simple: cook with heart, honor your roots, and serve your community. His food reflects generations of tradition - bold, soulful, and unmistakably Texan.

Tatu Herrera

Sous Chef

Monroe Payne is the Executive Sous Chef at The Desert Spoon, bringing over a decade of hands-on experience in Texas kitchens. Raised in a culinary family, he learned early from his older brothers, Tatu and Jarod Herrera, and chose real-world training over culinary school - working under respected San Antonio chefs like Johnny Hernandez, Michael Alvarez, Jason Dady, and John Carpenter.

Payne later became Executive Chef at Blü Prime Steakhouse, where his leadership helped earn the restaurant recognition as San Antonio’s No. 1 steakhouse and a top ten restaurant by critic Mike Sutter.

His cooking blends bold, local ingredients with an artistic, street-influenced approach to plating. Known for a strong “team-first” mindset, Payne focuses on mentorship, kitchen culture, and crafting dishes that reflect both heritage and community.

For him, cooking is about honoring family legacy and contributing to the evolving story of Texas cuisine.

Monroe Payne

Founders

Trever and Merritt Butler

In 2021, while finishing her degree in horticulture, Trever Butler had a vision: a true Texas farm-to-table restaurant rooted in the land and community she grew up in. She brought the idea to her father, and together they imagined the perfect setting - somewhere on the 16 acres of Spring Creek Gardens.

After graduation, Trever began turning that dream into something tangible. While Merritt focused on completing his master’s degree in economics, Trever expanded the offerings of the small café inside the garden center - first adding two sandwiches, then eight, along with smoothies and baked goods, all crafted from a tiny kitchen. In 2023, the shoppe remodel marked the next chapter, and Merritt officially joined the team as bookkeeper. Together, they ran the café and started sketching the blueprint for what would become The Desert Spoon.

Construction began in April 2024, transforming the existing café building into a warm, intentional dining space. On March 15, 2025, The Desert Spoon officially opened its doors.

Their hope has always been simple: to create a place where people gather, celebrate, slow down, and share food that’s fresh, thoughtful, and prepared with hospitality at its heart. Spring Creek Gardens has never been just a place to buy plants - and The Desert Spoon continues that legacy by offering a moment of stillness and gratitude in the midst of everyday life.

Trever’s horticulture background and Merritt’s economics expertise form a partnership rooted in both creativity and strategy. Paired with their shared passion for hospitality and community, they’ve built more than a restaurant - they’ve built a home for connection in the Hill Country.