meet the team

Meet Carlos

Our Head Chef

Carlos started his career in South Bay, California as a teenager. He began working at smaller diners and quickly worked his way up to five-star restaurants. He spent the next 20 years learning and working with multiple chefs in California before heading to Amarillo.

He worked in several upscale restaurants after arriving in Amarillo in 2006. He helped open Public House in 2014, and he has been with us ever since. Carlos is as loyal as they come.

He is a creative spirit at heart and enjoys getting his ""creative juices"" flowing to bring new menu items to life. Having the freedom to try new things is in his blood, and we love that about him.

When he's not slinging amazing dishes, he enjoys spending time with his family continuing his life's passion of cooking, as well as tinkering in auto repair.

Carlos' favorite cocktail is of course the Mezcal Mule, and his meal of choice is our Blackened Salmon.

It's not often you find someone like Carlos, but we're thankful to have him as a part of our family. Thank you, Carlos, for the outstanding dedication you continue to pour out, day in and day out.

Meet Gina

Our Bar Manager

Gina King came to us all the way from Connecticut! Even though she was born and raised on the East Coast, southern hospitality courses through her veins. Gina came to Amarillo with her husband Benjamin, a Texas native.

Fresh out of school, Gina started a career in the legal community as a paralegal. Even then she held onto her passion to serve by working server and bartender shifts on the weekends. Gina started with us in 2020 as a Floor Manager. Now, as the Bar Manager, she is able to craft unique cocktails and help to curate the best whiskey and wine list in Amarillo. If asked, Gina will tell you her favorite part of her career is leaving her guests with big smiles, full bellies, and wonderful memories. When she isn’t behind the pine she enjoys spending time with her husband and fur babies. You can find Gina sipping on a Negroni or an Aviation and her favorite Public House classic is the Angus Filet.

Meet Patrick

Manager

We are excited to introduce Patrick Johnson to you! He joined the Public House family as a manager in February of 2023. He is originally from Fort Worth but has lived and traveled to many places, especially during his teenage years. He had just moved from Detroit, Michigan to live with his mom in Bonham, Texas when some friends attending WT in Canyon asked him to come join them there. Canyon was just supposed to be a quick pitstop in his nomadic lifestyle, but there was this girl... Amberley. The one he was lucky to meet and the one who was worth far more than the unknown highway adventures.

Patrick started his career in the service industry to pay his bills while attending college to obtain a biology degree. He started out as a bus boy and was promoted to a line cook, server, bartender and manager. During this time, he fell in love with the art of hospitality. He took some intern jobs to explore careers outside of the service industry. He soon realized nothing was as fulfilling as the jobs he had taken just to pay the bills. 18 years later, hospitality is still a part of who he is.

When Patrick isn't holding down the fort at Public House, he enjoys cooking and hosting dinner for friends and family. His household includes two very spoiled dogs who are obsessed with fetch and tug-o-war. When he isn't entertaining or playing with the dogs, you'll find him thumbing through comics or playing video games. Dungeons and Dragons is a weekly ritual.

Favorite PH meal: Elk tenderloin paired with Lagavulin 16 year-old scotch on an ultra-premium sphere

Favorite thing about working at PH: The people are some of the best co-workers and guests I have ever had the pleasure of working with.

5 words to describe you: empathetic, reliable, hardworking, loyal, trustworthy

We agree!!

Patrick — welcome to the Public House family! You fit in like you have been here for years!!