Saving Grace

The narrative of chef Paul Qui is fraught with humps and bumps, trials and pitfalls; but his own resoluteness is writing the story of his redemption

- Angelo Comsti

He was the next best thing to Texan barbecue. He was well-loved, sought-after and considered to be a culinary treasure. After an easy win in the cooking competition show Top Chef, Paul Qui quickly rose to fame and bagged not just national adulation but industry accolades as well, including a prestigious Best Chef (Southwest) recognition by the James Beard Foundation. These were backed up by his own restaurants all over Austin and Miami. The then 36-year-old mild-mannered Filipino-American was on top of the world. Until he reached a conflict in his narrative.

On the morning of March 19, a dazed and confused Qui was handcuffed outside his east Austin apartment, brought to the local precinct and charged with assault and unlawful restraint that involved his then-girlfriend and her young son.

It was a cry for help. His. In hindsight, it was a downfall that was a long time coming.

Qui was born in the Philippines and raised in the US by divorced parents. His initial exposure to food was limited to Costco, junk food (“I ate a lot of instant noodles”) and hotdogs, specifically those from Orange Julius where he worked making smoothies at age 15. It was around the same time he discovered and depended on drugs. “In a manner of ways, it was a coping mechanism for me to fit in and subsidise my use.” It got him through some of the most dismal stages of his life, including the passing of his baby.

“When I was about to turn 16, I got my high school girlfriend pregnant and our child was born prematurely. He did not survive,” he says. “It’s a very painful memory considering that he lived for two hours and we got to hold him in our arms.” His name was Angelo.