Dine with Dallas’ Celebrity Chefs

Texans are proud foodies and we’ve got the A-list chefs to prove it. If you are looking for a first class meal, and hopefully on a big budget, you won’t regret trying any of these internationally known restaurants. Fresh, artistic, and highly creative, these North Texas chefs are winning awards and our hearts.

Dean Fearing – Fearing’s

From his early days at The Mansion on Turtle Creek, Chef Dean Fearing quickly earned the title of the “Father of Southwestern Cuisine” and continues to live up to the moniker at his own place, Fearing’s, located in the Dallas Ritz-Carlton. Fearing is a hands-on kind of guy that still actually cooks. It’s not uncommon to see him in jeans and custom Lucchese boots stirring things up in the kitchen or playing his guitar to patrons.

Although he’s really from Kentucky, he has been an icon in the Dallas cooking scene for so long that he’s considered a native son. Fearing has penned numerous cookbooks, including his latest, The Texas Food Bible, which proves he clearly knows how to take Texas’ native foods such as jicama, peppers, cilantro, Dr. Pepper, Gulf seafood, and wild game, and magically turn them into a gastronomical feast.

Fearing’s offers seven different dining settings depending on your mood. Dine next to the kitchen and watch the culinary magic up close and personal, sit outside by the water fountains and soak in the Dallas skyline, or book an intimate party (up to 16) in the beautiful wine cellar. Voted the #1 in Hotel Dining in the U.S. by Zagat, you simply can’t go wrong with a night at Fearing’s.

Stephen Pyles – Stampede 66 and Flora Street

Chef Stephen Pyles has been capturing the hearts of Texans since his early days working the grill at his parent’s truck stop in Big Springs, TX. The father of Modern Texas cuisine, Pyles has come a very long way from those humble beginnings. He’s given Big D countless dining experiences including Routh Street Café, Star Canyon, Aqua Knox, Samar, Stephen Pyles Restaurant, and most recently presiding over Stampede 66, and his latest brain child Flora Street.

Stampede 66 is Pyles’ “love letter to Texas” offering modern Texas cuisine with dishes such as Sweet Potato Wild Boar Barbacoa, Honey-Fried Chicken, and Stampede Chili Pie. The décor is completely Texan with sentimental reminders of the Chef’s West Texas upbringing.

Pyles recently opened Flora Street, in the arts district downtown Dallas, as a more formal dining experience offering what he calls “elevated Texas cuisine.” The menu features Texas Akaushi Wagyu Ribeye, Broken Arrow Wild Boar Loin & Jowl BBQ, and Lobster Tamale Pie.

Chef Pyles and his dream team have created an unparalleled experience with the artistic décor and over the top presentations of their dishes. Reservations are hard to come by, so book early.

Graham Dodds – Wayward Sons

The king of farm-to-table cuisine, Chef Dodds, honed his skills at some of Dallas’ greatest restaurants such as Star Canyon, Café 214, Bolsa, Hibiscus, The Grape, The Green Room and Dragonfly, to name a few. A native of Fort Worth and a beekeeper, Dodds has always preferred fresh, local, seasonal ingredients and continues to amaze diners at his newest venture,Wayward Sons, located on Greenville Ave. across from the Granada Theater.

Dodds has a unique relationship with vegetables that is inspirational. Vegetarians and meat lovers will both be delighted with the inventive Wayward Son’s menu which includes a garden “charcuterie,” smoked lamb brisket, English pea falafel and braised pork shoulder.

Wayward Sons is open daily for dinner and brunch on Sundays.