The last living legend of the Houston restaurant scene that started in the 70s! Armando Palacios is the catalyst for all of the concepts created by Palacios Murphy. His creative direction and vision have kept ARMANDOS a relevant cultural icon for almost 50 years. You can see a little bit of Armando’s touch in every one of our concepts.

Cinda Murphy de Palacios has worked in the hospitality space for more than 30 years and is the force behind the Palacios Murphy expansion. Her passion, experience and investment in the community inserts heart into the organization and guest experience. Affectionately named Lulu by her granddaughter, Ruby, she is the muse for both Lulu’s and Hotel Lulu.

Alex Curley grew up all over the world — Greece, Germany and parts of Africa, to name a few. He has studied different approaches to hospitality his entire life and understands the life-changing effect an unforgettable night out can have. He has led operations teams at Georgia’s Southern Proper Hospitality, at Richard Sandoval Restaurants in Washington, D.C. and internationally. At Palacios Murphy, Alex is dedicated to elevating the guest experience and expanding the company by cultivating leaders.

Sean brings a long history of experience to the table having worked numerous high-level positions at top of market companies including but not limited to, the VP of Finance for Black Diamond Capital, VP of Finance for Southern Proper Hospitality, and Controller for Barteca. At Palacios-Murphy, Sean contributes his incredible experience in operations combined with financial strategy for the company.

Frank Ortiz brings with him diverse experience in the restaurant world — including Seven Reasons, named Esquire’s Best New Restaurant in America in 2019. Frank has worked among notable chefs including Jose Andres, David Deshais, Richard Sandoval and Enrique Limardo. At Palacios Murphy, Frank’s dedication to quality of product and experience contributes to impeccable service and perfect pairings at all of our Houston locations.

Donald has an impressive history of high level restaurant operations experience having previously worked in a range of positions from General Manager, to Beverage Director, to Kitchen Supervisor, of numerous full service high volume DC establishments. Donald also co-founded and co-owned a consulting hospitality company which provided services to food and beverage outlets within the restaurant and hospitality industry. In addition to running our Round Top operations, Donald also mixes the best cocktails and has introduced several drinks to our menu at Il Cuculo–the bar at Hotel Lulu.

Cooking is in Chef Jose Monterrosa’s blood. His experience began with his grandmother in the kitchen which eventually led to working with chefs including Steve Badt, John Murphy and Michelin-starred Fabio Trabocchi. At Lulu’s, Jose is forging his own path as an executive chef with a passion for bringing people together through food. In Chef Monterrosa’s kitchen,rich rustic flavors and uncomplicated dishes reign.

Matt worked in the marketing, public relations and experiential space before launching his own creative studio in Texas in 2014. He has worked with a wide range of high-profile clients, including Adidas, Solange Knowles, Parachute Home, 1st Dibs, Facebook, The Citizenry and the TX Contemporary art fair. The art of gathering has always been essential to his practice. At Palacios Murphy, Matt’s primary focus is to cultivate culture, create an authentic sense of brand and tell the stories of all of our unique concepts through content, design, media and guest experience.