Houston is about to get some serious culinary star power, when chef Michael Mina and lifestyle expert and cookbook author Ayesha Curry bring their International Smoke restaurant to Houston next year.

The Mina Group has announced that International Smoke, billed as a global approach to dishes cooked with fire, grilling and smoke, will take over the former Straits space at 800 Sorella Court at CityCentre in early 2018.

Exploring international forms of barbecue and cooking with smoke, the restaurant concept began as a pop-up at the Mina Test Kitchen in San Francisco. The collaboration between the James Beard Award-winning Mina and Curry (cookbook author, television food personality and wife of NBA basketball star Stephen Curry) proved to be one of the most successful pop-ups at the Mina Test Kitchen restaurant incubator. That led to an outpost of International Smoke at Mina's Honolulu food hall, and the Nov. 13 opening of a 100-seat restaurant in Mina's former RN74 space in San Francisco. The Houston project will be the third International Smoke location.

"I couldn't be more excited to be part of CityCentre," Mina said. "Our International Smoke menu highlights global flavors that are balanced out by pairing an array of spices with delicious meats, seafood and fresh produce. I'm excited to share these bold and dynamic dishes with the people of Houston."

Mina isn't a stranger to Houston, its barbecue passions, or its pool of chef talent. Mina was among a group of celebrity chefs (including Charlie Palmer and Houston's own Danny Trace) who kicked off Super Bowl week with a foodie event at Williams Sonoma. Mina stayed through the big game and told the Chronicle he planned to dine at Killen's Barbecue.

In August Mina invited James Beard Award-winning chef Hugo Ortega to collaborate with him for a pop-up at Mina Test Kitchen called Mi Almita. That project came about after Mina dined at Ortega's Xochi during the Super Bowl and was "blown away by the hospitality and cuisine."

Curry is busy. The Food Network star ("Ayesha's Home Kitchen), was tapped in September to be one of the new faces of CoverGirl cosmetics. It also was announced in September that Curry will host the third season of "The Great American Baking Show" on ABC.

The food at International Smoke has included dishes such as St. Louis-style ribs, char siu pork, Thai barbecue shrimp, smoked heirloom tomato salad, spicy lamb merguez sausage, and Indian fried fish. The menu is inspired by Mina's heritage and international travel and Curry's own global approach to cooking as well as her multinational roots (Chinese, Jamaican, African-American and Polish).

"My diversity is reflected in the way I cook," said Curry, the author of the bestselling "The Seasoned Life." "Grilling is the perfect way to experiment and taste different flavors, cuts of meat, and styles of cooking. They all have one thing in common: that delicious taste is reminiscent of an outdoor family gathering, and it doesn't get any better."