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Eater
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Eater
It's Bite-Sized Insanity on a Stick Again This Year for the State Fair of Texas Food Finalists
is an editor for Eater's Texas region. She lives in Dallas, where she's written about James Beard-celebrated and Michelin-recognized restaurants and she loves nachos. Every year, the State Fair of Texas vendors try to outdo themselves, dreaming up the next over-the-top creation to shock and delight fairgoers. 2025 is no exception. But there is a big shake-up among the finalists. Typically, we see 10 finalists, most of whom focus on the food, and get one, maybe two, drinks in the mix. This year, there are 15 finalists, and a new category called Sips to house all the drinks submissions that have been overshadowed by battered and fried bites in years past. Our take is simple: This is a smart move. The first two, if not three, weeks of the Fair take place in the ultra-hot dregs of September. All Fairgoers could use an excuse to stay hydrated. How much will people care about the drinks? Usually, drinks are the least interesting part of the announcement of the finalists, but let's find out if these five selections can turn that around. The finalists will battle it out on Thursday, August 21, at 2 p.m. CST. One winner from each category will be selected by a soon-to-be-announced panel of judges, which often includes a selection of local chefs, influencers, and Dallas celebrities. The Big Tex Choice Awards are streamed online on the Fair's Instagram and Facebook accounts, and they're generally a pretty entertaining time. The State Fair will be open from Friday, September 26, to Sunday, October 19. Explore the finalists below, and get Eater Dallas's hot takes on each based on vibes alone. Savory finalists Brisket balls of fire. State Fair of Texas Brisket and Brew-Stuffed Pretzels Created by Glen and Sherri Kusak Taking some brisket and sharp cheddar beer cheese, stuffing it in pretzel dough, and cooking it is not the most explosive idea in Fair history, but it will get the job done. This seems like it will be a slam dunk. For dips, we're going for the spicy mustard, but we won't judge you if you prefer barbecue sauce. (Maybe a little.) They call it crab and mozzarella arancini, we call it anarchy. State Fair of Texas Crab and Mozzarella Arancini Created by Stefan T. Nedwetzky It sounds good in theory: Maryland blue crab, white rice, mozzarella cheese, red bell peppers, and spring onions in a ball, deep-fried and covered in breadcrumbs. But this has the potential to go bad real fast. If the crab is just a little off, the stench could be a disaster. The vendor — the chef behind Texapolitan Pizza, which blew us away at a tasting last year — promises it is made in small batches for the best quality product. That better be true. Pastrami and mashed potatoes do work in a taco if you deep-fry it. State Fair of Texas Deep Fried Deli Tacos Created by Brent and Juan Reaves Based on the name alone, this is an immediate yes. The tacos are filled with pastrami, mashed potatoes, white cheese, and chives. There is a green sauce to dip it in (does that mean salsa verde or like mystery green sauce? TBD). We'd drop good money to get a bite. The Vietnamese crunch dog is an immediate yes. State Fair of Texas Vietnamese Crunch Dog Created by the Le Family Have you had a crunchy Vietnamese corndog? If so, you already know this is going to rule. Fletcher's corny dog already rules the Fair, and we will continue to eat them out of a sense of tradition, but we've had some soft, chewy corny dogs on off days before. That never happens with a crunch dog coated in Panko and bánh mì crumbs. Plus, pickled veggies and sriracha mayo? Hell yes. Part slider, part deviled egg, completely tempting. State Fair of Texas Wagyu Bacon Cheeseburger Deviled Egg Sliders Created by Kendall Williams A wagyu slider that's part deviled egg is also an immediate yes, out of sheer curiosity. Eater Dallas is particularly fond of both of those things. Put applewood bacon and aged cheddar on it, too? Say less. Sweet finalists That's one sour lemon. State Fair of Texas Candy Lemon Sour Face Created by Chef Heather J. Perkins Maybe we're masochists, but our curiosity about this ensures we will eat it. Will we like it? Unclear. This chef took a candy-dipped lemon and added that acidic sour stuff from sour candy to it. We're giving it at least a lick. Thrill us and chill us baby. State Fair of Texas Chill and Thrill Delight Created by Tony and Terry BednarOur curiosity about this take on salpicon de frutas from Colombia is piqued. We generally like what the Bednars make (they were responsible for drowning taquitos last year, and birria bombs in previously years, both of which should be tried). The winning entry from this duo in 2025 is a 'Texas-sized' cup of mango, pineapple, watermelon, grapes, cantaloupe, and strawberries soaked in watermelon juice and topped with shaved mango sorbet. Dang, that sounds so refreshing. Plus, our doctor won't scold us about eating it. Two wins in one. Now that's a… cheesecake? State Fair of Texas Dubai Chocolate Cheesecake Created by Stephen El GidiFrom the guy who created Biscoff Delight cheesecake, which took the Fair by storm two years ago, comes Dubai chocolate cheesecake, which is almost certain to do the same. It is served in a cup and combines pistachio spread, kataifi, tahini, and New York-style cheesecake with a chocolate drizzle. Ugh, okay if you insist. Dubai comes to the Fair — Dubai chocolate, that is. State Fair of Texas Rousso's Dubai Chocolate Funnel Cake Fries Created by Isaac and Joey RoussoIsaac Russo is forever bucking to be king of the Fair, and his entry last year, Cotton Candy Wrapped Bacon, was a new classic. This year, he made the finals with some funnel cake fries featuring a Dubai chocolate topping. Would eat, why not? This seems like a dangerous idea. State Fair of Texas Tex's Toast á la Mode Created by Michelle and Jayse Edwards French toast with Blue Bell vanilla ice cream and a thousand pounds of sugar in the form of caramel, maple syrup, and a cinnamon cereal for some crunch? Oh god. Sigh. Yes, but we'll regret it. This feels like a 'last bite on the way out' order. Sipper finalists If the song 'Kokomo' were a person, this is what it would look like. State Fair of Texas Coconut Quadruple Created by Binh Tran and My Vo You had us at coconut water-based coconut slushy topped with coconut ice cream and coconut flakes served in a coconut. There will be no drink more refreshing at the fair. Cookie chaos sounds about right for this one. State Fair of Texas Cookie Chaos Milkshake Created by Brad Weiss Is a shake a sipper, or is it a sweet? The Fair's powers that be have decided it's a liquid, but this one has snickerdoodle chunks, Golden Oreos, and classic Oreos, so we're dubious. Would take a sip (nibble?) though. Hold our beer, we're diving in. State Fair of Texas Hot Honeycomb Lemonade Shake Up Created by Tom Grace Inject this one into our veins, stat. A good old-fashioned lemonade made with fresh-squeezed lemons and sugar, plus honey and freshly cut jalapeños? Move over sauvignon blanc and jalapeños, we've got a new hot fave. Of note: you can add booze to it. We'd rather not, thank you. State Fair of Texas Nevins Dirty Red Bull Tex-arita Created by Josey Nevins Mayes and Tami Jo Nevins Mayes Look, no one hates Red Bull more than we do. No thanks. If you're into that sort of thing, this is sweet cream liquor, blue razz Pop Rocks, watermelon Red Bull, and blueberry Red Bull. We strongly recommend you don't, but if you must, please add alcohol. Lean into the hangover; it's going to get you either way. This may be the strangest Fair mash-up for the year. State Fair of Texas Poppin' Boba Rita Created byJustin Martinez Loving the idea of combining a boba drink and a margarita. The available flavors will be mango and strawberry. I'm also loving that we can make it 'dirty' with some creamy cold foam and a Tajin rim; sounds absolutely gross, and we're down. Eater Dallas All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Eater
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Eater
How to Get Face Time With the First Woman Master Sommelier in Texas
Texans who care about wine know Barbara Werley's name. Werley was the first woman to become a master sommelier in the state and only the fourth nationwide; she is one of only 34 women to earn the title in the world. Her resume in Dallas alone, where she oversaw the award-winning, 33,000-bottle wine cellar at Pappa's Bros. Steakhouse, developed the opening menu for Michelin-recommended Stillwell's (and ended up having a finger in all of Harwood Hospitality's wine programs). Now she is the wine director for Restaurant K Holdings, which runs Nuri Steakhouse and Joa Grill. You'll find her in the wine room at Nuri Steakhouse most nights. This summer, Werley has offered intimate classes called Sips of the Summer, which will continue through Thursday, September 18, and which are a very hard ticket to land — the June, July, and August iterations sold out immediately upon being announced. The sessions have only 10 seats available. Werley tells Eater Dallas that she will consider doing more classes around the holidays so Dallasites can get some one-on-one time with the city's most influential somm. Eater Dallas caught up with Werley to talk about the series, what she's drinking and loving lately, and the most surprising wine she's served at a tasting. Eater: Where did the idea for this series come from? Barbara Werley: It's summer, and I wanted to remind people about our wine program. Personally, I think we have the best list in the city, and I think it is the most unique list in Dallas. I want to get more attention for it. Not a lot of people go to restaurants because of wine. But if you come to Nuri and check out our wines, you will leave saying the prices are amazing and the beef is great. I've tried really hard to find wines for great prices that work with the Asian influences on the menu. Rare bottles from Nuri Steakhouse's wine room. Kathy Tran Have you ever done intimate little groups like this? Not that I can remember. Usually what happened, especially when I was at resorts, I would do holiday tastings and ugh [laughs]... It would be wall-to-wall people, and we did all the tastings blind. There were bottles that they'd look at the label and say, 'Ew, I would never drink that.' But after blind tasting, many people would leave and order that wine. I wanted these tastings to be more fun and more comfortable. When I am at people's tables, there isn't a lot of time to chat. These classes are more about showing people some really cool wines and let's just talk — about anything. It's not going to be me telling you about this wine and the soil type, and all that stuff. What should people expect in your tastings? We did a class that focused on the Pinot family, showcasing Pinot gris, Pinot blanc, and Pinot Chardonnay, to start with white wines and have some fun. I've found a lot of people don't like white wines, which I find hard to understand. We have some amazing options — the Pinot Chardonnay is amazing. We paired them with a slider, a little cheese plate that included a blue cheese gorgonzola, and our East steak tartare, for bites to try and see what works with which type of wine. Future tastings might focus on aromatic whites. I met with [winemaker] Rajat Parr recently, and he is making a pét-nat that I actually like — some of the natural wines are like ugh, they'll be vinegar in six months. What are some wines you've been surprised to see win people over? When I was at Pappas, I planned what was called a Master series on Friday nights once a month. Chef would make a meal, and I would serve three wines per course, all blind. There were several 'Oh wow, this really works with this' moments. The chef there did a great torchon. I am not a true believer in pairing serving Sauternes [a French dessert wine] with foie gras. I usually like unoaked reds, but this time I pulled a Maderia-style wine by Hack from Galveston County, and everyone went nuts for it. He makes it the way they make it in Madera, and it was unbelievable. Everybody was on their phones trying to figure out how to get it. Reports keep saying younger generations are drinking less, and wine is taking a big hit. Have you seen that? The younger generation are not like their parents, and they don't want to be. They come to try new things. Whether that's a fun sake — we are moving to two pages of sake in the middle of Nuri's wine list that are arranged under different categories, leading customers by the style they may enjoy. It is about finding things that are fun and different. What have you been drinking that you're loving? I just met with a fabulous Lambrusco producer out of Emilia-Romagna, which we are adding by the glass. It's not too fizzy and it's awesome — and it goes well with the flavors we're working with. I met recently with a gentleman whose vineyard is based in Montecchio, so the Amarone and Valpolicella [provinces in Italy]. He had a lugano, which is a wonderful white from the south of Lake Garda. Raj Parr also had a couple of things coming from a vineyard in Rancho Cucamonga in Southern California, growing just wacky grapes, but he is resurrecting it. He brought a sparkling Palamino. I am bringing in a half bottle of the Amarone, because it's a great one to start with if you're not sure about that kind of wine. I get a lot of people coming through here. Eater Dallas All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Eater
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
Dubai Chocolate Is Already the Big Winner at the State Fair of Texas
It's almost that time of year again when the new foods at the State Fair of Texas become a full-time obsession. The Fair dropped a long list of semi-finalists today, and we went through it to pick out the items Eater Dallas thinks will and should make it to the finals, based on the description alone. This year, the list has the usual Fair foods, loaded with bacon, brisket, chocolate, and tacos. There are not one but three Dubai chocolate items, loads of takes on Mexican food, and more than the typical number of drinks, with a whopping seven making it to the semifinals (dear lord, do not let the Red Bull margarita make it past this point). But there is one item we're immediately kicking out of the running for best in show based on the name alone: Texas Water. It sounds like pineapple- or lime-flavored Crystal Light that is meant to be added to water and pale ale beers, which is unnecessary. These are the 10 items we predict will make it to the finals for 2025 (or that will be devastatingly overlooked). It doesn't take a genius to see that mashing up a classic fair food like funnel cake with Dubai chocolate flavors would be a smash hit. This dish reconfigures the funnel cake into strips, coats them with melting Belgian chocolate, and then tops them with pistachio cream and ribbons of kanafeh pastry. It is a simple and elegant way to take the essence of Dubai chocolate and slap it on top of the State Fair staple. We do hope they add some powdered sugar to the final product, however. This is obviously fair bait, and we're taking it. Someone decided to make a cannoli and stuff it with bacon jam, which is our kryptonite, that is slow-cooked in brown sugar, maple syrup, and spices. That gets layered in with ricotta cheese and chunks of milk chocolate. The shell is drizzled with warm Belgian chocolate on top. Dream food. It is way past time someone brought the Vietnamese corn dog to the fair. This version of it finds the corn dog prepared as usual, with the outer batter coated in Panko and bánh mì crumbs before being fried. Add some Sriracha mayo and consume with bright pops of acidity from the pickled vegetables served alongside. Chosen entirely because we love coconut. To create this drink, a coconut is filled with coconut-flavored slushie and topped with coconut-flavored soft serve and a sprinkle of coconut flakes. It's obviously perfect, but if it makes the finals, it is going to come down to personal opinions. (We're hoping the gauntlet of judges also loves coconut.) Chosen entirely because of our devotion to Key lime pie in all of its forms. This iteration builds on a crust of crushed graham crackers and Nilla Wafters, which is a fun twist. What's the deal with the 'bomb' part? That's where the Key lime pie mix and crust dust are rolled up into bite-sized bits, then topped with pancake batter and fried. The final step is a squirt of Chantilly cream, a shake of powdered sugar, and a lime-jelly candy on top. This feels like a no-brainer for the fair. Brisket gets mixed into silky beer cheese made from sharp cheddar and an unnamed heavy beer, wrapped in pretzel dough, sprinkled with sea salt, and baked. Unless the beer cheese is really bad, this will be a solid bite with some spicy mustard. Ube makes it to the State Fair in this dish, which combines ube-flavored ice cream with puffed rice and a finishing dollop of Cool Whip and a cherry. This is a simple Filipino ice cream dish with refreshing flavors that deserves a chance on the stage at the fair. This dish sounds like it could be great, if executed well. Tex-Mex-style chicken spaghetti gets loaded down with Hatch chiles, queso, and shredded Monterey Jack. That's all stuffed into a garlic and parmesan-covered bread cone. Then, it is unnecessarily topped with pico, sour cream, and avocado, but we'll take the reprieve from the chiles. Just give us this one, okay? We need a cocktail rimmed with Pop Rocks. Smartly, this is a frozen margarita, which we also need (deserve?) to decompress after making our way around the fairgrounds to eat all this food. There's nothing particularly Texan about this, but it's a cute name. The dish's description claims to combine 'two Italian classics: tiramisu and espresso,' but that means nothing because tiramisu already has espresso in it. Whatever, it's tiramisu with an added layer of Quadratini wafer cookies that get topped with something called 'cremespresso' and whipped cream. We want it, and a lot of Lactaid.
Eater
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
Most Exciting Dallas-Fort Worth Restaurant Openings, Summer 2025
Skip to main content Current eater city: Dallas Summer days are here, and the living is easy in the Metroplex. This season will bring some big, exciting restaurants to life, from well-known and deeply respected hospitality groups, including new projects from the owners of Namo and James Beard-nominated Bar Collette, Duro Hospitality, an outpost of an Eater Award-winning Dallas restaurant in Fort Worth, and a famous New York eatery coming to our suburbs. On top of that, we'll get a fine dining Mediterranean restaurant, which will be peerless in the city. Here's what is coming to Dallas this summer. This fine dining restaurant from Namo and Bar Colette owners Brandon and Henry Cohanim, in collaboration with chef Christophe De Lellis of the Michelin-starred Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas, will open at the increasingly popular Uptown building, the Quad. The menu will feature a French style with a touch of Italian influence. The collaboration is arguably the most anticipated opening for Dallas of the entire year and was expected to open at the end of May. Construction delays have pushed it to the end of June or early July. After opening Chumley House in Fort Worth at the end of 2024, Duro Hospitality Group's Chas Martin assured Eater Dallas that its next project, which will open in the former Homewood space on Oak Lawn Avenue, would not be a rush job. It turns out they've needed less time than even Martin imagined, and the group will open a Japanese-influenced restaurant in mid- to late summer. Duro was not ready to share the name yet, but we do know the menu will feature sushi, among other dishes. The top Palestinian restaurant in New York City will open an outpost in Richardson sometime this summer. Owner Abdul Elenani told Eater Dallas he came to the suburban city to help a friend open a restaurant, saw a piece of real estate he liked, and snapped it up. His plans should have Ayat's Texas location open by August, where it will serve dishes like msakhan (fresh taboon bread with sauteed onions, sumac, pine nuts, and a half chicken), fattat jaj (six-layer dish with roasted chicken, rice, chickpeas, mint yogurt, crispy pita, garlic sauce, and slivered almonds), Mansaf (bone-in lamb chunks in a stew with fermented yogurt sauce served over a bed of fresh sajj bread and rice), and more. Restaurateur Yaser Khalaf, known for Darna in Legacy West and Baboush in West Village, and his son, Mak, are teaming up to open a fine dining Mediterranean restaurant in Far North Dallas. Zon Zon is a nickname for Khalaf's youngest daughter, Zaina. A press agent tells Eater Dallas to expect an intimate space with an open kitchen, with a menu offering refined Mediterranean dishes. In Fort Worth, Headington Companies will open an outpost of Mirador, a 2024 Eater Awards Winner in Dallas for Best Tea Service, as Café Mirador inside a new Forty Five Ten boutique, mirroring the Downtown Dallas setup. It will be smaller, at 1,000 square feet — that's one-third the size of the already intimate Dallas space. It will serve some guest favorites from Dallas, including ahi tuna cornettes, a lobster roll, farro bowl, and chicken bites, along with weekend brunch when the menu swings to dishes like salmon gravlax with caviar, quiche Florentine, and eggs Benny. Executive chef Travis Wyatt will oversee the menu at both locations. Another note of interest: this location will feature artwork by German fashion photographer Juergen Teller. See More: Dallas Restaurant News Dallas Restaurant Openings
Eater
09-06-2025
- Business
- Eater
Cafe Momentum Founder Chad Houser Cried and Laughed About Being the James Beard Humanitarian of the Year
Chad Houser opened Cafe Momentum in Downtown Dallas in 2015 with an impactful mission: to 'spark positive change' in people's lives by employing formerly incarcerated youth in the juvenile justice system and teaching them important life skills such as basic needs and resource navigation, conflict management, and financial literacy. To date, more than 1,000 kids have been involved in the program as paid interns, gaining an education in hospitality and discovering a career path through the employment opportunities provided by Cafe Momentum in Dallas, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, and Denver. This year, Houser is the recipient of the James Beard Award for Humanitarian of the Year. Eater Dallas caught up with Houser ahead of the ceremony, held this year on Monday, June 16, to discuss how he heard he would be receiving the award — and how it feels to break the city's 31-year losing streak at the Beards. He also discussed what's next for Cafe Momentum. Eater: How did you hear that you were getting this award? Chad Houser: I knew several months back that I was nominated, which I thought was cute and harmless. Several weeks before the announcement, I got an update that I was one of the five finalists. I thought I must be the 'common guy' finalist among four Jose Andrés equivalents. After that, two colleagues reached out to me within 30 seconds of each other, saying Dawn Padmore from the James Beard Foundation is trying to get hold of you. Our Dallas executive director, Margaret Reid Windham, said, 'You won! You had to have won!' I was like, 'Tap the brakes, friend. I'm sure it's a courtesy call to say, 'You were one of the finalists. Congratulations, you should be really proud.'' I would be exorbitantly proud. The fact that people at the James Beard Foundation know my name is beyond an honor. While I'm talking to Margaret, Dawn is calling me. When I answered, she said, 'It is my honor to call you and tell you that you are the 2025 James Beard Humanitarian of the Year.' I started bawling like a crybaby. I was driving north on Interstate 75 out of Downtown to go to the Communities Foundation of Texas to record a video, because we were the $500,000 grant recipients for the new flagship that we're building. So, I'm crying like a baby, and she's laughing. Dawn said, 'I'm sorry. Laughing is probably not the appropriate response.' I said, 'No ma'am, it's fine. I'm laughing, too. I'm crying and laughing.' Being emotional feels like the right response. I've been thinking a lot about it. Why was I so emotional? Some of it is because I miss my mom, who died in 2019, and she was my favorite human. Every day, I try to be half the person she was. As for me, I went into the Dallas County Juvenile Department in 2008 to visit and later volunteer, and it sent me on a journey. In 2010, I heard somebody say, 'What are you going to do when the kids stab each other in the kitchen?' I would hear people say, 'Those kids don't want to work. They just want to collect a check.' Or, 'Those kids have never been to a nice restaurant. They can't cook your food.' We did 41 pop-up dinners from June 2011 to December 2014 at the best restaurants in Dallas. Our kids pulled off synchronized service at places like FT33. And yet, when we opened, people were shocked to find the food was good. I remember a guy sending me a friend request on Facebook several months after we opened, and he posted a picture of a steak knife down by his calf that he captioned, 'Shiv, just in case. Dining at Cafe Momentum.' I thought, Fuck you! I'm not going to be your friend . So, part of feeling emotional about this is that, for maybe the first time since I started working with kids 17 years ago, the narrative around them is changing. Acknowledgement from the James Beard Foundation is a sign that the country is, at a minimum, open to a new conversation about these young people, and, at a maximum, is ready to acknowledge that these are incredible people who deserve what they've been given. There has also been a conversation about race that has opened up since 2020, which impacts this issue, as well as the ongoing problem of recidivism. I think people believe in an idea that produces results, and your idea has proven itself. I think the community has proven it. Our kids at Cafe Momentum don't leave their neighborhoods. When they come to Cafe Momentum, they're surrounded by people from all over the city, the Metroplex, and the state. For a population of young people who have been marginalized, stereotyped, and labeled for generations in the most egregious ways — to come here and feel loved, supported, included, and wanted might be the most empowering thing that happens in their lives. It's palpable; it's not data on a piece of paper. You watch a young person first working in the dining room, and they're looking down; they don't want to make eye contact. They have zero trust for anyone in the dining room — and they shouldn't. That trust is earned over time. Then, you see them grow. Their back is straight, their chest is up, and they're talking to people at the tables. That is special. I think more than just studying recidivism or data, you're watching it happen, and that's the way it needs to be. Dallas is still segregated in a lot of ways. We were one of the last major Southern cities to desegregate schools, and there are still physical barriers between neighborhoods. It's smart that you created this Downtown, because it isn't too far for them to travel, and it doesn't have a specific identity, unlike the Park Cities. That is part of the conversation that happens at Cafe Momentum's tables. People who live north of Downtown have absolutely no clue what exists south of Downtown. My dad lived with my wife and me for five years, and he was born in 1944 and graduated from a segregated school in Florida. I asked him, 'Hey Dad, how many grocery stores do you think there are south of I-30 in Dallas?' And he said, 'Maybe 100?' There are two. He couldn't believe it. That is part of the learning that happens here. A byproduct of the restaurant is building proximity between communities and a safe space for our kids, which is important as well. I knew that we had to be more than a restaurant. Being just a restaurant was like putting a Band-Aid on a waterfall. What is the future for Cafe Momentum? The idea of expanding Cafe Momentum was first entertained in 2018 or 2019, when we began hosting pop-up dinners around the country. When we launched a national team, I wanted one of our capabilities to be storytelling. I want our kids' voices to be heard, and if they want to speak, we need to give them the platform. So, we built the marketing and communications capability from the get-go, and interestingly enough, that propelled us during the pandemic. We now have these relationships with the NFL, the Players' Coalition, and so forth. Because we couldn't go around the country doing pop-up dinners during COVID, we did them on Zoom with players from Women's Professional Fastpitch softball, the WNBA, Major League Soccer, Major League Lacrosse, the NFL, and more. We would DoorDash our kids' food, and the kids would talk about what they were eating and why, and it would turn into an open conversation. It showed the value of connectivity through storytelling. Coming out of the pandemic, we leaned into it, which is why we've served food at five of the last six Super Bowls. Our kids deserve to be heard, and they deserve a call to action to change the system that has impacted them. Our expansion isn't just building new physical locations; it's also having a conversation around changing the models for juvenile justice in our country. The dream was to have other people copy our model and replicate it, whether that be a juvenile justice department, a restaurant, or whatever. It is working. For the last three years, we've had two to three groups a month come and study our model. What can you share about your new flagship that is being built in Dallas? In Dallas, Cafe Momentum is in a former burger joint that we retrofitted into a program that also runs a restaurant. We've taken our learnings from Dallas and applied them to designs in Pittsburgh, Atlanta, and Denver, so we need to be thoughtful around the design of this place. While we were considering that, Peter Miller from the Meadows Foundation approached us and offered us the land. We have spent months working with architects and designers, thinking through human-centered and trauma-informed design. We were asking, how do we build a space that can welcome people from around the country to steal our model? To me, that's the most effective way of scaling. You are also breaking a streak in Dallas with this award. It will be the first Beard Award the city has won in 31 years, since Dean Fearing won the last one. How do you feel about that? You're joking. Nope, totally serious. I don't know. The word I keep defaulting to is surreal. I feel not worthy. Overwhelmed. I thank the chefs and restaurants that graciously opened their doors to us on a Sunday night, the chefs who came in with their full staffs when their restaurants were closed to work alongside eight young men who were formerly incarcerated to execute a dinner that showed the city what our kids are capable of when allowed to walk in their greatness. I think those chefs own this award. I think over 1,300 children own this award. While I know I'm biased, I don't know that we could have launched this anywhere other than Dallas. The way the city embraced Cafe Momentum is special, so I want to congratulate Dallas as a community. The first award we get in 31 years is one we can own as a city. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Sign up for our newsletter.
