What To Know
- Texas restaurateurs featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives were recently found dead in their home.
- The case is being investigated by police as a murder-suicide.
- The couple was prominent in the local restaurant community, owning two restaurants in the Houston area.
Warning: The following post contains discussions of suicide.
A couple featured on Food Network‘s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives are at the center of a shocking crime in Texas.
Multiple outlets have reported that the bodies of restaurateurs Matthew Mitchell and Thy Mitchell, as well as their 4-year-old and 8-year-old children, were discovered by police during a welfare check at their Houston home on Monday, May 4.
According to local news outlet ABC 13 Houston, the case is being investigated as a murder-suicide. The Houston Police Department has reportedly named Matthew as the case’s main suspect, though there were no prior records of domestic violence calls at their residence. Per the outlet, there were no civil lawsuits or criminal investigations attached to the couple prior to their deaths.
The couple may be familiar to Food Network fans, as one of their restaurants, Traveler’s Table, was featured on a 2020 episode of Guy Fieri‘s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. “I don’t know about your family, but at the Fieri house, when we’re going out to dinner, there is a long-standing debate of what we’re going to have. Somebody wants Italian, somebody wants Mexican, somebody Asian, usually me,” Fieri said in a clip from the episode, which the restaurant shared via its Facebook page in June 2024. “Wouldn’t it be great if there was a restaurant where you can get all those things, but done in a legit way?”
Per ABC 13 Houston, the Mitchells were well-known restaurateurs in the Houston area and were the owners of both Traveler’s Table and Traveler’s Cart. Last year, the couple were named the 2025 Restaurateurs of the Year by the Houston Chapter of the Texas Restaurant Association.
“She hosted the Houston Restaurant Association board meeting last week,” local Association President Craig Howard told the outlet. “Afterward, they had a social for us, and had 50 restaurateurs show up. Great operation. Wonderful staff, great food.”
Howard noted that Thy was recently asked to join the board of the Houston Chapter of the Texas Restaurant Association, sharing, “We saw such a bright star with Thy that we asked her to serve on our board. We knew she would inject some new ideas. It looked like this was a successful power couple doing this together.”
In another statement about the couple, chef Jassi Bindra said, “She was so energetic. It’s really shocking to hear what happened. All our support goes to her family and friends.”
The couple’s restaurants addressed the case in a joint Instagram statement on Monday. “To our community. As Traveler’s Table and Traveler’s Cart remain open for business, we want to thank our loyal staff, who have shown up and worked through these difficult circumstances, ensuring that we continue to serve our community.”
The message continued, “We are asking for unity and respect for our privacy as we navigate this immense loss. Hospitality comes from within, and to honor the Traveler’s Legacy, we will continue to welcome you into our restaurants.”
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or dial 988. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
