This Week in Gluttony

New Year's Day brunch tops best food and drink events in DFW this week

This Week in Gluttony is dominated by New Year’s Day brunches, because many Dallas restaurants are providing the cure for whatever ails you from partying the night before. In addition, we have rounded up a few other food events so you can start off 2015 right.

Thursday, January 1

The following restaurants are serving their weekend brunch menus on New Year’s Day:

AF+B (11 am-4 pm)
Boxwood Tap + Grill (10 am-3 pm, including Bloody Mary and mimosa specials)
Bread Winners Uptown, Inwood Village and Plano (7 am-3 pm)
Bread Winners NorthPark Center (8 am- 6 pm)
Capitol Pub (11 am-3 pm)
Clark Food & Wine Co. (11 am-3 pm, including free black-eyed peas and greens)
Del Frisco’s Grille Dallas, Fort Worth (11 am-3 pm)
Fearing’s (11:30 am-3 pm)
Garden Cafe (starts at 10 am)
Lark on the Park (11 am-3 pm, including TBD chef’s specials)
Meddlesome Moth (9-am-3 pm)
Social House Uptown and Addison (11 am-3 pm)
The Gin Mill (11 am-3 pm)

Saturday, January 3

New Belgium Brewing Tasting at Fresh Market
From noon-2 pm at the brand-new Fresh Market on Gaston Avenue, sample beer by New Belgium Brewing. The event is free but limited to 30 people. Reserve your spot online.

Sunday, January 4

Artisan Bread Basics at Sur la Table
If baking more is on your list of new year’s resolutions, then reserve a spot in this cooking class from 10 am-noon. Learn how to prepare a variety of artisan favorites using time-tested — and timesaving — techniques guaranteed to produce beautiful bread every time. Recipes include whole wheat country bread with olives and rosemary, no-knead crusty white bread, and shaved garlic and rosemary focaccia. Cost is $69 per person.

Third Annual Hypnotic Donut Polar Plunge at Fraternal Order of Eagles #3108
Hypnotic Donuts presents the third annual Hypnotic Donut Polar Plunge at the pool of the Dallas Fraternal Order of Eagles #3108. Emergency Ice is even donating some ice in case we have a spring-day-in-January-type situation. Spectators and donations are welcome, and all proceeds go to the greater Dallas chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. The jump is happening at 4 pm and costs $10. Buy tickets online.

Biscuits and gravy are on the New Year's Day brunch menu at AF+B, 11 am-3 pm.

Photo courtesy of Biscuit Bar

Biscuits and gravy are on the New Year's Day brunch menu at AF+B, 11 am-3 pm.

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Supermarket News

Kroger supermarket appoints new honcho for its Dallas office

www.thekrogerco.com

Kroger Dallas has a new chief

Supermarket chain Kroger has appointed a new honcho for Dallas: Rudy DiPietro, who will succeed Keith Shoemaker as president of Kroger’s Dallas Division, effective March 29.

The appointment follows Shoemaker’s retirement after nearly 48 years of dedicated service.

DiPietro brings a wealth of experience and expertise in the retail industry, working for companies that include Ahold Delhaize USA and Omnichannel Planning and Execution, where he served the Stop & Shop supermarket chain.

Prior to his roles with Stop & Shop, he held leadership roles with the Food Lion and Hannaford brands, including vice president of Merchandising for Food Lion and 2020 strategy vice president and vice president of retail operations for Hannaford’s Western Division.

Kroger's new honcho, Rudy DiPietroCourtesy

“We welcome Rudy to our Kroger family. He brings a wealth of experience in the grocery industry, with a proven track record of driving operational excellence, fostering innovation, and delivering exceptional customer experiences. His leadership will play a critical role in elevating our business and our growth strategy in Dallas,” says Kroger VP Valerie Jabbar.

Shoemaker joined the Kroger Family of Companies in 1977 and served in a number of leadership positions including store manager, district manager and regional director of Operations

He left Krogers in 2012 to work for Fry’s, then returned to Kroger as vice president of Merchandising in the Dallas Division in 2017. He was named Operations VP in 2018 and division president in 2021, replacing longtime Kroger executive Gary Huddleston.

Shoemaker has supported various community organizations such as Special Olympics and Race for the Cure, and in 2024, he chaired the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night Walk in Collin County. Being a supermarket honcho requires much community interaction.

“Keith has left his footprint in Dallas, leading the company in consistently delivering a good experience for our customers and mentoring and training so many up-and-coming leaders throughout our company,” Jabbar says. “We all thank Keith for his many years of service, dedication, loyalty, and his passion for people and results, and wish him all the best on his next chapter.”

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