Reality TV Speculation

Which Dallas chefs will return to Bravo’s Top Chef? We offer clues.

UPDATE:Top Chef has announced the eight returning chefs, as follows, with the pertinent Dallas chefs highlighted:

Sam Talbot (season 2: Los Angeles); Casey Thompson (season 3: Miami and season 8: all-stars); Amanda Baumgarten (season 7: Washington, D.C.); Brooke Williamson (season 10: Seattle); Sheldon Simeon (season 10: Seattle); John Tesar (season 10: Seattle); Shirley Chung (season 11: New Orleans); and Katsuji Tanabe (season 12: Boston). The show premieres December 1.

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Cooking reality show Top Chef returns for its 14th season with a December 1 debut on Bravo TV, and it comes with an extra dash of intrigue: The cast is a mix of eight new chefs and eight returning chefs from past seasons who've never won.

Bravo has released the names of the eight newbies (none from Texas), but won't reveal the identities of the eight returning chefs until next week. That leaves us with one recourse: to handicap which Dallas chefs might turn up in that group.

The season takes place in Charleston, South Carolina, with host Padma Lakshmi, head judge Tom Colicchio, and Gail Simmons, who are joined by new judge Graham Elliot. A release describes it as "old blood versus new." Challenges include a shrimp-and-grits cook-off, a "biscuit blowout," and a holiday-themed Feast of Seven Fishes dinner.

Meanwhile, Dallas Top Chef alumni include John Tesar, Tiffany Derry, Tre Wilcox, Danyele McPherson, Casey Thompson, and Josh Valentine.

Let us move on to the process of elimination.

John Tesar. Dallas' most ~~hated~~ loved chef made season 10 must-see TV. His skills surpassed his fellow contestants, and in terms of entertainment value, he was solid gold. His soliloquy on pickles earned its own YouTube (since removed). Many felt he was eliminated before his time.

In promising circumstantial evidence, Tesar parted ways this summer with Aphelia Group, making it a surprisingly Tesar-free summer. (Summer is when the season was in production.) Also, suspiciously, Tesar was unable to show up at CultureMap's Tastemaker awards when he won for Best Chef. You gotta have something serious going on to miss that.

It could just be that he's busy working on his new steak cookbook. But we'll optimistically hope otherwise.

Odds: 5 knives out of 5 on being a likely returning chef.

Casey Thompson. Although Thompson lives in California, she still has ties to the DFW area. In 2010, she helped launch Brownstone, a restaurant in Fort Worth's West 7th district, semi-remotely. So we'll call her "ours."

Thompson has no restaurant of her own right now. Coincidentally, she was just in Dallas to cook at the eighth annual Burgers & Burgundy fundraiser benefiting DIFFA. Which is, hmmm, Tesar's signature event. Where she set up in the exact same tent as Tesar. Double hmmm.

Other promising clues: On May 7, she said she was "working on a project," and on July 15, she posted a "hells yeah!" vote of support for Top Chef.

Odds: 4 knives out of 5.

Tiffany Derry. Derry was a Top Chef fan favorite, and her TV chops were sufficiently impressive that she scored slots on a number of reality-TV and competition-style shows such as Bar Rescue and Chopped Junior. But she's been working on another restaurant called Roots Southern Table, at Trinity Groves in Dallas. This doesn't rule her out entirely as a contestant, but she's been on two seasons already.

Odds: 2 knives out of 5.

Danyele McPherson. McPherson was a Top Chef short-timer, appearing on season 10 with Tesar. She's currently slammed, overseeing an empire of restaurants that include the original HG Sply Co. in Dallas, a second HG Sply Co. in Fort Worth, Remedy on Greenville Avenue, and a new restaurant in Rockwall called Standard Service. No way she has time for TV right now.

Odds: 1 knife out of 5.

Tre Wilcox. Chef Tre Wilcox, who appeared on season 3 along with Casey Thompson, is a busy man. He has six various Facebook pages going, a restaurant in Plano called Julia Pearl, a catering company, and an events space. It's possible he could have also been juggling taping this summer, but Wilcox was very much present in Texas.

Odds: 2 knives out of 5.

Josh Valentine. Former FT33 chef was also on season 10, where he tussled with Tesar. He currently lives in Oklahoma, and his Facebook page indicates a new baby happened this summer.

Odds: 0 knives out of 5.

John Tesar

Photo by Shana Anderson

John Tesar

celebrities chefs tv

Holiday attractions

All the cool new ice rinks skating into Dallas for 2024 holiday fun

Photo courtesy of Omni Dallas Hotel

The Omni Dallas Hotel is channeling Rockefeller Center with its ice rink this season.

The coolest new holiday attractions of 2024 will have Dallas-Fort Worth jumping, spinning, and gliding through the season: Ice skating rinks are being installed as part of winter festivities all over North Texas. From a downtown Dallas ice rink channeling Rockefeller Center to community rinks that look like Hallmark movie settings, here are the best new places to skate through the holidays, along with some favorites making their limited returns for the season.

Omni Dallas Hotel, downtown Dallas, November 22-January 5
The downtown Dallas hotel known for its trademark sculpture of giant-sized Christmas-tree red ball ornaments is upping the ante this year. As part of its seasonal celebration called "Ice, Lights & City Nights," the hotel is introducing downtown's only outdoor ice skating rink on Pegasus Lawn. Visitors of all ages can twirl and spin beneath the glow of holiday lights, then warm up with at a hot chocolate bar, kids can ride the Elf Express train, and adults can make spirits bright at Blitzen's Bar. Every night at 7:30 pm, Omni Dallas will host holiday light shows with 4.1 miles of LED lights wrapped around the building’s exterior.

Details: The rink is open to the public and hotel guests alike, 10 am-10 pm daily. Tickets (starting at $18) can be purchased online or at the ice rink, for 60-minute sessions; skate rental included. A helpful FAQ about the ice rink can be found here.

Coca-Cola’s Classic Christmas, Choctaw Stadium in Arlington, November 22-December 29
A new immersive holiday event from the creators of the popular "Enchant" light maze turns Choctaw Stadium into a winter wonderland, and it includes an ice skating rink. Adults and kids will glide on real ice underneath dazzling lights. The event illuminates 55,000 square feet of holiday light sculptures featuring larger-than-life, interactive Coca-Cola-inspired vignettes to walk through and explore; plus a snow slide, falling snow, visits with Santa, caroling, seasonal treats, special themed nights, and more.

Details: Open select nights, as early as 4:30 pm and as late as 11:30 pm; check the calendar for specific dates and times. Ice skating tickets (including skate rental) are $9 for juniors and $13 for adults, in addition to event admission, $14-$35; free for kids up to 3. Skating session times are unlimited. Note: If bringing your own skates, make sure they have blade guards on at all times; skate bags must meet a Clear Bag Policy; more info here.

Skate under the twinkling lights at Coca-Cola's Classic Christmas in Arlington.Photo courtesy of Coca-Cola's Classic Christmas

Home for the Holidays: Christmastime in Southlake, November 27-January 1
The 25th-anniversary Southlake holiday celebration will include an outdoor ice rink for the first time. Although the city's Christmas tree will be lit at the big Home for the Holidays event on November 23, the ice rink will not open until November 27. The rink is in the heart of Southlake Town Square, and includes a spot for gourmet hot cocoa, a nearby Santa's Village, carriage rides, and more.

Details: Open 3-10 pm Sunday-Thursday and 12-10 pm Saturday-Sunday outside City Hall, 1400 E. Southlake Blvd. Tickets, timed every 15 minutes, are $15 for one-hour sessions and include skate rentals; walkups will be welcome, but reservations are recommended through the Geoji app.

Christmas Tyme in Aledo on Ice, December 6-January 5
The city of Aledo is debuting its first-ever outdoor ice rink, open for 30 days as part of the holiday festivities. Located in the city's downtown, the Aledo Ice Rink will be adorned with twinkling lights and festive decorations, with music piped in under winter skies and seasonal refreshments to refuel. The annual Christmas Tyme in Aledo event on December 7 will feature the city's tree lighting ceremony, vendors, visits with Santa, live music, food trucks, and more.

Details: The ice rink is at Aledo City Hall, 104 Maverick St. Open 4-9 pm Monday-Thursday, 4-10 pm Friday, and 12-10 pm Sunday. Tickets for one-hour sessions are $15 (plus service fee), and include skate rental.

Skate the Square, Frisco, November 22-January 6
Now 14 years strong, Frisco's Christmas in the Square event boasts the city's only real ice outdoor ice rink. "Skate the Square" is but one of the highlights of the holiday extravaganza, which includes one of the largest free choreographed lights and music displays in North Texas: nightly shows of over 180,000 lights, 200 dancing snowflakes, and festive music. There's also a Christmas tree lot, carriage rides, visits with Santa, and more.

Details: The Skate the Square rink is located along Main and Coleman. Open daily, but times vary (as early as 12:15 pm and as late as 10 pm); check the calendar for specific dates and times. Ice skating tickets are $20, with or without skate rentals. Private group bookings are available. Christmas in the Square runs nightly, 6-10 pm; the light show is free to attend.

Stockyards Rodeo Rink, Fort Worth Stockyards, November 21-January 5
For the third year, visitors to the historic Fort Worth district can "giddy up and glide" as part of the Stockyards' holiday festivities. The 4,000-square-foot professional ice skating rink has taken over the lawn of the Livestock Exchange Building (131 E Exchange Ave.) and includes a snack and beverage bar, fire pits, music, picnic seating, and more. The Stockyards will also host visits with Cowboy Santa, a tree lighting at Hotel Drover, rides on the North Pole Express train, a "Christmas in the Stockyards" event, and more throughout the season.

Details: Open at 11 am most days through the season. Five 90-minute skating sessions are offered Monday-Thursday, with an extra 9 pm session Friday-Sunday. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for kids ages 3-12, and include skate rental. A family four-pack is available for $80.

Fort Worth Stockyards Rodeo Rink, ice skating, ice rink The Stockyards Rodeo Rink returns to Fort Worth for the holiday season.Photo courtesy of Fort Worth Stockyards

Peace Plaza Ice Rink, Grapevine, November 23-January 27
The 4,500-square-foot outdoor ice skating rink on Historic Main Street has become a favorite tradition in the "Christmas Capital of Texas." Skaters can jump and spin in the festive surroundings, including the 60-foot live Christmas tree, and the entire street decked out with Christmas lights. The ice rink's grand opening on November 23 will feature a performance by Olympic figure skater Ashley Cain, Team USA pair team Nick Traxler and Kristen Nardozzi, and more, beginning at 6:15 pm.

Details: Open daily, times vary (opening as early as 11 am with last entry as late as 9 pm); check the calendar for exact dates and times. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Location is Grapevine Main Peace Plaza, 815 S. Main St., at the train station outside Hotel Vin. Tickets are $20 for a one-hour session at 15-minute timed intervals; skate rentals included. Group ice rentals are available by the hour. (UPDATE 11-22-2024: "Unfortunately, Peace Plaza Ice Rink will not be open this weekend due to the warm temperatures," a spokeswoman says. New opening date TBA.)

Of course, no Dallas ice-skating list would be complete without the most famous rink of all ....

Galleria Dallas, November 22-January 5
The nation's tallest indoor Christmas tree (at 95 feet) will sparkle in the middle of the ice rink throughout the season. Public skating is available every day, but as usual, holiday festivities will really rev up on at 12 pm Black Friday (November 29) with the Grand Tree Lighting Celebration on the ice rink, featuring Olympic figure skaters and a fireworks finale starring Missile Toes, the famed ice-skating Santa. (The celebration will repeat at 12 pm November 30.) A Grand Holiday Ice Show, starring some of the best figure skaters and ice dancers in the world (Ashley Cain, Mariah Bell, Keegan Messing, Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker, Ryan Bradley, and Kim Navarro and Brent Bommentre) will take place at 9 am December 8 and benefit Broadway Dallas; tickets are $150.

Details: Public skating hours are 10 am-9:30 pm Monday, Wednesday-Thursday; 10 am-9 pm Tuesday & Friday; 12-9 pm Saturday; 12-6 pm Sunday. Admission is $13, plus $5 for skate rental. Public skating is first-come, first serve; no reservations permitted. A full list of holiday events at the ice rink is here.

Mariah Bell, figure skating, Olympian Olympic figure skater Mariah Bell will be one of the featured performers at Galleria Dallas' Grand Holiday Ice Show. Getty Images

christmas capital of texas downtown dallas families family friendly galleria dallas holiday attractions ice skating rinks omni dallas hotel stockyards rodeo rink winter festivities holidays