Celebrity Chefs

The Texas Barn at Circle T Ranch

Chef Dan Landsberg

Dan Landsberg, Complex Executive Chef, joined the ZaZa team in 2011 at the helm of the kitchen for Dragonfly, housed within the Dallas property. Landsberg has recently expanded his horizon however and implemented his creativity and leadership skills to oversee the direction of Z Resorts’ culinary programs. Chef Landsberg brings a long history in creative cuisines from some of the nation’s most eclectic restaurants which include working alongside Chef Stephan Pyles to create the cuisine for his namesake restaurant, served as a founding partner for Tillman’s Roadhouse, and executive chef roles for Seventeen Seventeen and the Atrium Café to name a few. A graduate of the critically acclaimed California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, Landsberg is a fixture of the dining scene, all while actively participating in culinary and charitable events.

Lover’s Seafood & Market

Chef Kent Rathbun

You would be hard pressed to find someone whose food journey comes close to that of Chef Rathbun. His fascination with food began at the tender age of 5. When most kids are learning to field a ground ball, he was obsessing over back-of- the- house prep, learning the skills and commitment to excellence that has driven his approach ever since.

He began his professional career as an apprentice at La Bonne Au Berge, a 5-Start French Restaurant in Kansas City. From there he worked under some of the best chefs in the country with stints at Mr. B’s in New Orleans, Kansas City’s American Restaurant and Milano’s, Dallas’ Mansion on Turtle Creek, The Landmark at the Warwick Melrose Hotel.

In 1999 he established Abacus, winning just about every award in sight, including Bon Appetit’s “Best of the Year” and was awarded Four Diamonds by Mobil. Soon after, he added Jaspers to his resume that featured the best of “gourmet backyard cuisine”, and another slew of awards followed. Not content to sit still – anyone whose has been around Kent knows his mind and body are in constant motion – he created a catering operation and his own exclusive line of products, designed for home cooks. In May of 2018 Kent opened his newest restaurant imoto in Victory Park.

A true Texas legend, Kent is equally well known nationally. From Presidential inaugural balls, to the premier events in football and golf, to network TV appearances with the celebrities of every stripe, Kent is one of the country’s “go-to” chefs when the focus is on great food and great times.

Finally, no one has done more for those in need. Kent and his wife Tracy contribute their time and talent to a number of organizations including the American Cancer Society, March of Dimes, Zoo to Do, The North Texas Food Bank and the American Heart Association.

Knife

Chef John Tesar

In the midst of an influential culinary career spanning nearly four-decades, Executive Chef and Partner John Tesar takes a classically trained chef’s approach to steakhouse cuisine at Knife Dallas, a sophisticated destination for in-house dry-aged steaks sourced from nearby Texas farms. “For years, I thrived as the European-trained seafood chef,” Tesar explains, “so for Knife, I travelled to steakhouses around the country to find out how I could change and elevate the game.” Opened in May 2014 in the Highland Dallas hotel, Knife finds its drive from the products it sources through partnerships with nearby Heartbrand Beef and 44 Farms and the innovative, classically rooted techniques it employs in the kitchen, as well as the science behind its up-to-240-day on-site dry-aging process.

The success of Knife stems from Tesar’s distinct leadership philosophies. “It’s all about carrying on those classic traditions while keeping your mind open for growth and new experiences,” he says, valuing purity, hard work, style, and integrity. With the expansion of the Knife steakhouse brand throughout Texas and the country, as well as the introduction of Knife Burger and Knife butcher shops—first debuting in Plano, TX’s Legacy Food Hall in autumn 2017—Tesar relishes the enthusiastic support his concept garners from staff, guests, and critics. “To identify, execute, and multiply a niche like this is truly a treasure,” he says.

Prior to reinventing the Texas steakhouse landscape, Tesar enjoyed a lengthy career in fine dining that stemmed from his upbringing in Manhattan and the Hamptons. Inspired by his mother’s cooking, Tesar picked up a job in a Hamptons pub during the summer, when he would head to the laid-back enclave to surf and skate, and progressed naturally towards a career in food. With classical French training from Paris’s La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine, Tesar worked at Westhampton’s Club Pierre, a premium French eatery, for six years until ultimately purchasing it. In addition, he furthered his craft throughout the ‘90s at iconic NYC restaurants including 13 Barrow Street, 44 & Hell’s Kitchen, Vine, and Supper Club—at which he worked alongside celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain—before leaving New York City behind in the early 2000s to join chef Rick Moonen in Las Vegas at RM Seafood.

With its blossoming food scene, Dallas drew Tesar to Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in 2006 to lead the high-end establishment as executive chef, rapidly garnering two five-star reviews. He later went on to open Spoon Bar & Kitchen to bring premium seasonal seafood to central Texas in 2012, meanwhile consulting on numerous DRG Concepts properties including Dallas Chop House and Dallas Fish Market, as well as on The Cedars Social, The Commissary, and more. Spoon gained immediate recognition as one of the best new restaurants in the world by Condé Nast Traveler, Bon Appétit, and Esquire, and Tesar’s visionary consulting worked helped shape the Dallas food scene.

Shifting his culinary focus to become an authority on steak, Tesar took on his steakhouse project in 2014 with the caveat that it be different from the rest—a distinction he achieved by investing in long-term dry-aging inventory and by contemporizing the classically stuffy steakhouse atmosphere into an intimate and engaging, product-driven experience. Recognition for Knife Dallas includes Eater National’s “Most Anticipated Openings,” Esquire’s “Best New Restaurants,” Zagat’s “Hottest New Restaurants,” Maxim’s “America’s Best Steakhouse Specialties,” D Magazine’s “Best Steakhouse in Dallas” 2015 and 2016, Gayot’s “Top 10 Best Steakhouses” 2017, and a feature on Esquire Network’s “Restaurant Revolution” program.

On the heels of Knife’s success and national recognition, Tesar has taken on the fast-casual dining scene with his burger stand spinoff project in 2017, Knife Burger, located at Legacy Food Hall, and opening soon in Fort Worth, with additional locations on the horizon. Continuing with the momentum, Tesar is heading to the West Coast, bringing his new seafood concept Outer Reef to the Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa in Dana Point, CA. Outer Reef will pay homage to Tesar’s critically-acclaimed seafood restaurant Spoon Bar & Kitchen (Dallas, TX 2012 -2014) with a selection of favorites from its menu including crudo, caviar and fresh shellfish, as well as select meat offerings from his steakhouse concept Knife.

Never one to slow down, Tesar continues to grow the reach of his consultancy in addition to his expansion of the Knife brand, the development of a television show, and the 2017 launch of his cookbook, Knife: Steakhouse Meals at Home, which features endorsements by talented chefs. A four-time James Beard “Best Southwest Chef” semifinalist, two-time contestant on Bravo’s “Top Chef,” and winner of Food Network’s “Extreme Chef,” Tesar’s national media presence also includes appearances on “The Today Show” and “The Early Show” as well as coverage in The New York Times, Food & Wine, New York Magazine, and more.

When he finds free time among his busy schedule, Tesar often fills it by attending food festivals around the world to meet new people, work with new chefs, and learn new culinary techniques. An avid traveler, he naturally gravitates to the beach and the slopes to fulfill his lifelong appreciation for surfing and snowboarding.

Chef Gerard Thompson

Chef Thompson’s talents and culinary interpretations of rustic American and wild game cuisine have garnered national attention, and his philosophy is simple… “Make the meal memorable.”

Imaginative menus featuring the absolute best ingredients are created daily. Tomatoes grown specifically for Rough Creek, locally grown organic micro-greens and specialty products like fresh grits from a small Alabama mill all reflect Gerard’s detail-driven style. He’s received superlative reviews nationally by the Zagat Survey, Bon Appétit, Gourmet, and Food & Wine, and recently was awarded a perfect score from the North American Restaurant Association. From his open kitchen, he challenges his guests (who he refers to as “adventurous and open-minded”) with innovative rustic American cuisine and the result is one of the best restaurants in the country.

CRITIC’S PRAISE
“Our much-anticipated dinner was the unquestioned highlight of our stay”
“Thompson turns out some of the most consistently excellent cuisine I’ve tasted”
“The restaurant alone is worth a stay.”

ON THE ROAD
Chef Thompson is requested for guest appearances all over the country. Upcoming appearances include Côtes du Coeur,t the Granbury Wine Walk and the Texas Food and Wine Festival.

Monark Restaurant

Jason Rohan’s culinary journey is as much about heart and passion as it is about skill. Originally from Los Angeles, his love for food was sparked by his mother during high school, inspiring him to pursue a career that allowed his creativity to shine. After attending culinary school at Los Angeles Mission College, Jason began honing his craft, first as a pastry assistant for Suzanne Goin from 2013 to 2015.A pivotal moment in his career came when he joined Chef Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Beverly Hills from 2015 to 2017, where he developed a deep appreciation for the discipline and dedication required in fine dining. His expertise continued to grow during his time with Chef Curtis Stone at Gwen and Georgie from 2017 to 2020, where he embraced the art of showcasing simple ingredients and elevating them to new heights.Now, as the Chef de Cuisine at Monarch, where he’s been since January 2021, Jason finds inspiration in the vibrant energy of the kitchen and the innovative atmosphere fostered by Chef Danny Grant. Italian cuisine speaks to his soul, with its focus on bringing out the best in uncomplicated ingredients. Outside the kitchen, Jason is a devoted family man, spending time with his wife, their two-year-old son, and their dog. Whether exploring Texas or trying new restaurants, Jason’s love for food and family remains at the heart of everything he does.

Parigi

Nuri Steakhouse

More Info to Come

Ellie’s at HALL Arts