Amarillo's Top Chefs
Alfonso Armstrong and Delvin Wilson
Delvin Wilson and Alfonso Armstrong met 12 years ago in the Amarillo Country Club kitchen. With similar backgrounds, engaging personalities, and an equal passion for food, the two hit it off and have been bouncing recipes off one another since.
In fact, the pair won the last three Restaurant Roundup Top Chef Amarillo competitions, taking the prize in March for a southwestern spice rubbed beef tenderloin on a bed of peppers and mushrooms, with peppercorn and chipotle shrimp.
“We work well together,” says Alfonso. “We feed off each other because we know each other so well.”
Delvin adds, “We talk about it and make it happen. Just shootin’ from the hip.”
Hailing from Houston, Delvin began his culinary career at age 14, acquired a sous chef position at 16, and became the executive chef at 19 years old of local hot spot Pier 21. While his mother, Mary Wilson, played an early role in developing his cooking style, along with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant management, Delvin credits the chefs who took him under their wing and taught him accountability, taking pride in what he cooked, and maintaining consistency in everything he did. In 1997, Delvin and his wife, Sheree, moved to the Texas Panhandle for a position at the Country Club. Twelve years and five children later, Delvin is the executive chef at Park Place Towers.
Fresh with a degree in the culinary arts, Alfonso moved to Amarillo in 1989 when he and his then-new wife, Paula, agreed that this was the place to raise their family. (She is a Tascosa alum, after all.) Alfonso drew from his childhood love of food, when he was nine years old and too short to reach the stove. His mother, Audrey, along with his grandmother, Mama Fanny, taught him, among other things, that the longer you cook something, the more flavor comes out.
“The more you cook, the less stressful it becomes. You will overlook details if you don’t time it all right. You have to be able to multitask. If you can’t, you’re in trouble,” says Alfonso. “Do the hardest thing first, the thing that takes the longest, and then go on to the other things.”
Alfonso has been the executive chef at Physicians Surgical Hospital on Quail Creek for the past six years, as well as freelancing for weddings and special events. Together, the two have been discussing a plan to start a culinary school for teens in Amarillo, a place for budding chefs to gain on-the-job training and get a leg up before going to college.
“I think every chef, at one point, thinks about running a restaurant” says Delvin.
“But we aren’t big,” Alfonso cuts in, “on taking risks with our families.”
Just as one finishes the other’s sentence, they make a great pair in the kitchen. Consider that a warning to future contestants in Top Chef Amarillo.
(Left: Delvin Wilson, Right: Alfonso Armstrong)
If you’re feeling inspired to create your own version of Delvin and Alfono’s winning dish, they have provided a starting point for your new recipe. (We couldn’t expect them to give all their secrets away.) 
Beef Tenderloin with Tropical Fruit Pico
Place a 1 lb. seasoned tenderloin in a pan on high heat with one tablespoon of oil. Roll until all sides are brown and crisp. Transfer to a 350 degree oven to roast for 30 minutes for medium rare. Let rest 15-20 minutes before slicing.
Southwest Rub
chili powder
ground cumin
garlic powder
salt
Combine equal amounts of all spices in a bowl and season meat at least one hour before cooking.
Tropical Fruit Pico in Tequila
¼ cup fresh pineapple
2 strawberries
1 kiwi
1 mango
1 apple
¾ purple onion
1 orange
chopped cilantro to taste
1 fresh jalapeno (seeds optional)
2 shots of tequila
1 teaspoon of sugar
Dice all the fruit and jalapeno into small cubes. Mix together with the cilantro and add the tequila and sugar. Toss and let marinate in the refrigerator while the tenderloin is cooking.
by Jennie Treadway-Miller
Jennie was a columnist for the Chattanooga Times Free Press for eight years prior to moving to Amarillo in 2008. She is an avid reader, runner and writer.Sowing a Seed and Sharing the Benefits: The Randall Master Gardeners
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