Elise and John Russ of San Antonio’s Clementine aim to be more than a date night restaurant

Elise and John Russ are the married chef-owners behind Clementine. Credit: Josh Huskin

John and Elise Russ opened Clementine, a Castle Hills staple, in 2018 and drew almost immediate praise for their creative-yet-approachable dishes and focus on fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Both partners have earned James Beard Award nominations for their work, with John picking up two Best Chef: Texas nominatoī and Elise earning a best Pastry Chef or Baker nomination.

We caught up with the Russes to talk about their approach to food and their efforts to make Clementine a gathering place that’s not just reserved for special occasions.

What drew you to cooking and baking?

Elise: I always loved baking with my mom when I was little, but I was afraid to make it my career because I didn’t want to lose that joy. I originally thought I’d become a psychologist. But in high school, I did an internship at a local bakery and completely fell in love. I realized I could do this every single day and not get sick of it. That’s when I decided to go to pastry school.

I went to Johnson & Wales University and earned a bachelor’s degree in pastry arts. We did everything — breads, chocolates, plated desserts, cakes. Even now at Clementine, even if I’m mostly focused on plated desserts, I pull from all those skills. It’s nice to have that foundation.

Your desserts are incredibly thoughtful, especially for diners with dietary restrictions. How do you approach that?

Elise: I’m vegetarian, so I understand what it feels like to go somewhere and not be able to eat anything. We work really hard to make sure guests with allergies or restrictions don’t feel like they’re getting an afterthought.

When we build menus, we intentionally include options that are naturally gluten-free or easy to make dairy-free. I never want to just remove components from a dessert and call it a day. It should feel complete and thoughtful — just like everything else.

Your menus shift frequently. How does that process work?

John: Seasonality drives everything. In South Texas, seasons are unpredictable. We might have yellow wax beans for two weeks — or two and a half months. It just depends on the weather and what’s actually good.

We change the menu based on availability and quality. If something isn’t meeting our standards, we won’t use it. Some dishes stick around longer, but we stay flexible. That’s part of the fun.

Elise: I bring back certain things when ingredients are ready. I’ll put kumquat donuts on when kumquats are perfect, and as soon as they’re gone, they’re gone. Same with Texas strawberries for shortcake. We don’t force it.

You added more events and programming recently. What inspired that?

John: Twenty-twenty-four was a tough year. We realized we needed to diversify our revenue streams and rethink our programming. But instead of just doing more of the same, we asked: What would actually be fun?

Some events are revenue-driven. Others are just for joy — for us, our staff and our guests. The salons, for example, are usually things Elise or I are really excited about cooking — in the moment. It’s off-menu, communal and a little adventurous.

Elise: We also started hosting things like our cake-slice swap — inspired by the cake picnic idea. People bring a cake, hang out and eat cake together. It’s free. It’s community-building. Those events keep people engaged with us beyond just dinner reservations.

Clementine has become known as a “date night” restaurant. How do you feel about that?

John: Saturday nights are date night for us. We get a babysitter, we work the line together, and that’s our time. So, in that sense, I love it.

But I wish people didn’t feel like they needed a special occasion to come in. Yes, we’re more expensive than some places — but that’s because of the ingredients and the staff who make it all happen. We want to pay our team well and create sustainability for everyone here.

I’d love for Clementine to be the place you say, “Let’s just go to dinner,” not “It’s our anniversary, so we have to go somewhere special.”

Elise: That said, it is really meaningful that people trust us with their special occasions. We see a lot of birthdays and anniversaries on Saturdays, and being part of that celebration is really special.

What’s the best way for diners to experience Clementine?

Elise: Sit at the kitchen bar. It overlooks the line, and it’s like dinner and a show. You can see everything happening. It sparks conversation.

John: And do the “Feed Me.” It eliminates decision fatigue. There’s no FOMO staring at a menu all night. You get to focus on the people you’re with, and we get to cook what we’re excited about. It’s a trust exercise — and that’s the fun of it.

What impact do you hope to have on San Antonio’s dining community?

Elise: Education is huge for us. We teach our staff how to break down whole fish — that’s becoming a lost art. If we don’t teach those skills, who will?

And with guests, it’s about expanding comfort zones. Sometimes John describes a dish and I think it sounds wild — and then it’s incredible. That sense of discovery is what we want to share.

John: Sustainability matters. Our mission is that Clementine is sustainable not just for ownership, but for everyone who works here. That means paying people as well as we can and creating an environment where creativity is encouraged and credited.

You have to be the change you want to see in this industry.

What books are you reading right now?

Elise: I love a good romance novel. I read every night to unwind. My life is chaotic — I don’t want heavy or thought-provoking before bed.

John: Bloodlands by Timothy Snyder, The Illegals by Shaun Walker, On Meat by Jeremy Fox.

Go-to drink after a long day:

John: No set go-to at night. But in the morning? A well-brewed cup of Wild Gift coffee.

Elise: Dark aged rum with ice and soda water.

What local dining spots do you love?

Elise: La Fonda on Main is my favorite Friday af4ternoon spot with my mom friends. We also love Tlahco Mexican Kitchen for Sunday takeout.

John: We spend a lot of time at Bilia Eatery. Elise and her dad love Magpie. And we took our management team to Max & Louie’s New York Diner for a holiday celebration — it was fantastic.

Elise and John Russ of San Antonio’s Clementine aim to be more than a date night restaurant

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