Tastemaker Rising Star Chefs

Tastemaker Rising Star Chef nominees add luster to Dallas dining scene

Drum roll, please, for the inaugural CultureMap Dallas Tastemaker Awards, our annual celebration of the talent in the local food and drink community. Our mission: Shine a spotlight on the people making the city's restaurant scene special and honor their innovation, energy and creativity.

Over the next few weeks, we'll spotlight candidates in all categories of food and beverage, from the professional who mixes your cocktail to the best restaurant in Dallas-Fort Worth.

For our first category, we present the nominees for Best Rising Star Chef. These are the chefs whose chops are just emerging but who already show they have what it takes.

Gigliola Aguilera, Joyce & Gigi's
Gigliola "Gigi" Aguilera is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in Austin who's worked at a number of top Dallas kitchens, including Fearing’s, Five Sixty and the Stoneleigh. She also worked in Europe, including a stint at a chocolatier in Switzerland, where she sharpened her pastry skills. She opened Joyce & Gigi's with her mother, Joyce, in December 2012.

Felipe Armenta, Pacific Table
Chef Felipe Armenta grew up in a restaurant family and drew raves as a chef in California. In 2010, he opened The Tavern in Fort Worth with tacos, enchiladas and other casual fare. But he really turned heads when he opened the elegant Pacific Table in 2013, joining a local embrace of fine-dining seafood à la John Tesar's Spoon.

Andrew Dilda, Barter
Brash young Andrew Dilda worked at Woodshed Smokehouse and CBD Provisions before nabbing the chef spot at Barter, the new restaurant concept in the old Private Social space. He's executing a menu conceived by his old Woodshed boss, Tim Love, while also adding his own improvisational touches.

Eric Dreyer, Fearing's
Eric Dreyer's affiliation with the Ritz-Carlton dates back to 1999 when he worked at a property in California. He cheffed at a number of luxury hotels, including the Grand Hyatt DFW, before joining Fearing's in 2007, where he was recently promoted to chef de cuisine. In 2013, Eater crowned him Dallas' Hottest Chef.

Justin Holt, Lucia
Since arriving in Dallas seven years ago, Justin Holt has worked with some of Dallas' most discriminating chefs, including David Uygur at Lucia and Anthony Bombaci at Nana (now Ser). His personal claim to fame has become his fondness for ramen, highlighted at a ramen pop-up shop he did in Bishop Arts.

Danyele McPherson, Remedy
Danyele McPherson graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in anthropology and history before realizing that being a chef was her true calling. She shot up through the ranks at Stephan Pyles before joining the legendary Grape as sous chef. She left in March and will helm a soda-shop concept called Remedy, coming soon to Greenville Avenue.

Nico Sanchez, Meso Maya
Nico Sanchez has worked in kitchens since he was a boy in Mexico. In Dallas, he began his chef career with Consilient and moved his way up to became chef at Cuba Libre. In addition to the two branches of Meso Maya, he also oversees his passion project La Ventana, a taqueria next to the Meso Maya in downtown Dallas.

Patrick Stark, Sundown at Granada
A graduate of CIA in New York, Patrick Stark ran a catering company before joining the Granada Theater in Dallas. He and Granada owner Mike Schoder launched the healthy, veg-friendly Sundown at Granada in 2012. They've taken a stance against GMOs, one that got the restaurant national attention. Stark also appeared on the TV show Cutthroat Kitchen.

Brian Zenner, Belly & Trumpet
A graduate of the Texas Culinary Academy, Brian Zenner began his culinary career at the Driskill Hotel in Austin. He lived and worked at a number of restaurants in Portland, Oregon, until 2010, when he joined the team at the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek. He was on the opening crew of Design District restaurant Oak, then moved to helm sister restaurant Belly & Trumpet, to great critical acclaim.

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Come celebrate the Tastemakers with us on Tuesday, May 6, at Seven for Parties in the Dallas Design District. To learn more about the event, including information about our beneficiaries, judges, participating restaurants and ticket sales, visit our

Tastemakers website

Brian Zenner, Belly & Trumpet

Photo courtesy of Belly & Trumpet

Brian Zenner, Belly & Trumpet

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Charitable Event

Volunteers wanted for H-E-B's free holiday feast at Fair Park Dallas

Photo courtesy of H-E-B

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H-E-B and its family of brands, including Central Market, Joe V’s Smart Shop, and Favor, will bring back the annual Feast of Sharing dinner this holiday season to both Dallas and Fort Worth.

The two events are as follows:

Dallas Feast of Sharing is on Thursday, November 20 from 3-7 pm at Centennial Hall in Fair Park
Fort Worth Feast of Sharing is on Wednesday, November 12 from 3-7 pm at Dickies Arena

Both events will feature a Texas-style holiday meal alongside a festive celebration complete with a kid’s zone, live entertainment, health and family services, Santa greetings, and more. Meals are FREE and open to the public (first come first serve).

Anticipate preparations to serve meals to 10,000+ people, msic, family activities, wellness screenings, and visits from Santa.

Volunteers
The organizers are seeking 1,000 volunteers in each city to assist with serving meals, clearing tables, hosting, and supporting the kid’s zone area during the four-hour events. All businesses, civic organizations, churches and schools are encouraged to sign up at www.centralmarket.com/community.

“We couldn’t bring this event to life without the dedication of our volunteers,” said Mabrie Jackson, managing director of public affairs, H-E-B/Central Market. “The holidays are about giving and community, and this year we’re proud to make a meaningful difference by sharing a delicious holiday meal with more families.”

The event, which has been held in Dallas since 2006 and Fort Worth since 2011, typically serves 10,000-15,000 residents in each city. In addition, more than 40 social service agencies are on hand with representatives to provide information and resources.

Since 1989, Central Market’s parent company, H-E-B, has invited people to celebrate the holidays with food, music, and good cheer at its Feast of Sharing events. The free holiday feasts, which are held in more than 34 cities in Texas and Mexico, bring together family, friends, and neighbors, and provides H-E-B an opportunity to give thanks to its loyal customers, regularly serving more than 340,000 meals.

In the more than three decades H-E-B has held these celebrations, more than 375,000 volunteers have helped serve nearly four million meals. This initiative is a part of H-E-B’s Hunger Relief Program, which works year-round to prevent hunger in the more than 300 communities H-E-B serves. Last year, H-E-B’s Hunger Relief Program donated 33 million pounds of food to families in need. Since 1982, the year the program was founded, H-E-B has donated more than one billion pounds of food to 5,500 non-profit organizations in Texas and Mexico.

Dallas Feast of Sharing – 19th Annual Holiday DinnerThursday, November 20, 2025, 3-7 pm, Fair Park – Centennial Hall 1001 Washington St.
Fort Worth Feast of Sharing – 13th Annual Holiday DinnerWednesday, November 12, 2025, 3-7 pm, Dickies Arena (Lower level – southeast side of arena)1911 Montgomery St.

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