Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel

Tracy was born in Houston, Texas, and grew up just outside the city in Tomball. After graduating from the University of Houston’s Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management, she began her cooking career in Chicago at Lula Cafe, before heading off to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. After she graduated, Tracy cooked in New York City at the award-winning restaurants Cru, Del Posto, and Blue Hill New York, before becoming a sous-chef at Danny Meyer’s Gramercy Tavern under James Beard Outstanding Chef winner, Mike Anthony.

Tracy and her business partner/husband, Arjav, opened Birdie’s in East Austin in 2021. Tracy’s food has been celebrated in Bon Appetit, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Esquire and Wine Spectator. Birdie’s was named Food and Wine Magazine’s Restaurant of the Year for 2023.