The Big Chili

Chili-loving young Texans turn up the fundraising heat for a cool cause

Variety may be the spice of life, but it’s the goal to wipe out cancer that’s bringing teams together in a spicy competition. The Dallas chapter of Young Texans Against Cancer is cooking up its annual Chili Cook-Off for a Cure on Saturday, April 2.

YTAC Dallas members — young professionals who have been touched by cancer in some way — and even some of YTAC’s local beneficiaries form 10 teams at the competition held at The Foundry. Their creations are judged by a panel that includes Fearing’s sous chef Gabriela McCormick, FitMenCook’s Kevin Curry, and Rapscallion founders Brooks and Bradley Anderson.

Attendees get to enjoy an afternoon at The Foundry’s utterly cool outdoor space while listening to local favorite Troy Cartwright. They also have the pleasure of sampling the diverse entries from each team and washing them all down with beer from Four Corners Brewery at what promises to be an exciting and dynamic event.

Be sure to stop by the beneficiary table to learn about some of YTAC’s 2016 funding recipients, which include chili cook-off participant 1 Million 4 Anna, as well as First Descents, Hope Lodge Dallas, Leukemia Texas, the Clayton Dabney Foundation, Medical City’s Camp iHope, Bridge Breast Network, the Mary Crowley Cancer Research Center, and Dr. Erin Lampson of UT Southwestern Medical Center.

The 2015 Chili Cook-off for a Cure raised more than $20,000 for YTAC Dallas beneficiaries, and they hope to surpass that at this year's event, which runs from 1-4 pm on April 2. The Foundry is located at 2303 Pittman St.

For more information about YTAC Dallas’ mission, visit the website, or sign up for email updates.

Manuel Mareel, Blake Wu, Esteban Inariel, and Luis Paz at YTAC's annual Chili Cook-off for a Cure.

Manuel Mareel, Blake Wu, Esteban Inariel, Luis Paz, YTAC Chili Cookoff

Photo by Bruno

Manuel Mareel, Blake Wu, Esteban Inariel, and Luis Paz at YTAC's annual Chili Cook-off for a Cure.

promoted health young-professionals chefs fundraisers

Waffle News

Dessert shop devoted to bubbly waffles & ice cream puffs up in Plano

The Dolly Llama

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A unique dessert shop is prepping for its Plano premiere: The Dolly Llama, known for its waffle and ice cream confections, is opening a location in the Preston Creek Shopping Center at 8400 Preston Rd #150, in a space previously occupied by a sub shop called Penn Station.

According to a release, Dolly Llama will open on May 27, and if you get there at 12 noon, you might get some "free swag."

This is the second Dolly Llama in the DFW area; the first opened in Uptown Dallas in 2022. Both are from husband-and-wife franchisees Trenton and Joy Judson, who chose the location with an eye towards the new Universal Studios theme park, opening in Frisco. They're also looking west to Fort Worth and Arlington for future locations.

Dolly Llama was founded in 2017 in Los Angeles with a unique take on the Bubble Waffle, the popular Hong Kong street food made with a special batter that produces a crispy, custard-like texture.

They also do a European-style Belgian waffle using traditional methods.

The two unique waffle styles -- OG Liege Waffle, Bubble Waffle -- are the base of an interactive menu which includes both suggested combinations of waffle and ice cream and ice cream waffle sandwiches, as well as a Build Your Own menu, where customers can choose unlimited toppings. They also offer over-the-top brand shakes.

They credit their success in part to the unique atmsophere with eye-catching signage, including their llama mascot and "wanted" llama prints along the walls.

The chain has three locations in L.A., four in Texas (Dallas, McAllen, Shenandoah, and Pearland), two in Florida (Ponte Vedra Beach and Winter Garden), one in Las Vegas, and one in New York’s East Village.

Co-founder Eric Shomof calls Plano "the perfect place for a hip and innovative dessert shop such as The Dolly Llama because the area is family friendly, yet will be seeing major expansion with the new Universal Studios slated to open in 2026."

The Plano location will feature late-night hours on weekends, opening Sunday-Thursday from 12-10pm and Friday-Saturday from 12 pm-12 am. In addition to multiple seating options, it will also have a party room for events.

"Plano is a family-oriented community, which makes it the ideal place for The Dolly Llama," say Trenton & Joy Judson in a statement. "We have had such great success there that we couldn’t be more excited to continue spreading The Dolly Llama throughout the greater Dallas/Fort Worth communities."

ice-cream desserts openings