Let's Party

Texas' top chefs take the stage with Stoney LaRue for all-out bash

Perhaps the only thing that tops a great food event is a great food event that supports a worthy cause — or two.

Lone Star Bash featuring the Texas Restaurant Awards is an annual chef-driven food and beverage event that prides itself on being a party with a purpose, raising money for the Texas Restaurant Association's Education Foundation and the Texas Restaurant Relief Fund.

It features signature dishes and cocktails from more than 25 celebrated Texas chefs and 12 mixologists.

Each restaurant rockstar is respectively competing for the title People’s Choice for Best Dish and Craft Cocktail. But no matter who wins, everyone gets to enjoy a live performance by Stoney LaRue following the awards.

Now in its seventh year, LSB is set to take place on Sunday, July 10, from 6-10 pm at Gilley's Dallas. Here are your ticket options:

VIP All Access, $225

Enjoy 5:30pm admission to the Texas Restaurant Awards pre-event, celebrating industry leaders and inductees to the Hall of Honor, Restaurateur of the Year, Educator of the Year, and Philanthropist of the Year (see a full list of awards here).
VIP area with access to special chefs and premium bar, as well as service staff to conveniently deliver your samples from the 25 chefs and 12 mixologists in the main room.
VIP view of the Stoney LaRue concert with special dessert stations.
VIP-only access after-party on the top floor of Gilley’s, including special attractions, DJ music, more food, continued premium bar, and a few more surprises to come.

General Access, $175

Access at 6:30 pm to signature dishes and cocktails from 25 chefs and 12 mixologists
Open bar
General admission view of the Stoney LaRue concert
Special dessert stations
Attractions throughout the area, including photo booths, a mechanical bull, and more

Concert Only, $75

8 pm admission
General admission view of the Stoney LaRue concert
Open bar
Special dessert stations

Through partners and donations, the Texas Restaurant Association Education Foundation is a 501c3 that funds critical programming and advances its mission of getting passionate people on track to rewarding industry career paths. Funds raised go toward scholarships, student mentoring and internship programs, educational programming, and workforce-development opportunities.

Its signature program during the pandemic, the Texas Restaurant Relief Fund, has distributed more than $3.2 million and helped more than 300 restaurants and their staff who were impacted by COVID-19.

Sounds like having your cake and eating it, too. Head here to buy your tickets.

Sample bites from more than 25 chefs and 12 mixologists.

Photo courtesy of TRA

Sample bites from more than 25 chefs and 12 mixologists.

awards chefs fundraisers concerts promoted

Ice Cream News

Global gourmet ice cream chain debuts in U.S. with 2 Dallas-area shops

Dumont Ice Cream

An ice cream concept from India has made its U.S. debut, right here in Texas: Called Dumont Creamery & Cafe, it's an ice cream chain founded in Hyderabad that now has two locations in the Dallas area.

Their first location was Frisco, which opened at 1951 FM 423 at the end of 2023; a second location opened in late October in Coppell at 1535 S. Belt Line Rd. #160.

Dumont was founded in 1999 by brothers Vivek and Bhashkaar, and currently has 23 locations in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Vijayawada listed on their website.

Bringing the concept to Texas are local franchisees and friends Sai Sashank and Tarang Tirumala, who moved to the U.S. in 2005 to attend college.

Both have successful consulting careers, but craved a taste of home.

Ice cream is the centerpiece at Dumont with more than two dozen flavors, ranging from gourmet to classics to flavors boasting global influences: from Italian-inspired sorbet to a New Zealand-inspired honey ice cream called "hokey pokey."

There is vanilla, chocolate, and mint chocolate chip — but also unique options such as cake and jam, an ice cream with a vanilla base, bites of cake, and spiced jam; and kheer, a coconut ice cream studded with dried fruits and nuts — a nod to the kheer rice pudding that's one of India's favorite desserts.

A single scoop is $4. They have cups and a cute version of waffle cones: shorter and fatter than usual, to provide a greater ratio of ice cream-to-cone.

In addition to ice cream, they have a beverage program with coffee and espresso drinks such as lattes, plus boba tea. There are also special drinks like falooda — an exotic Indian milkshake with rose syrup and vermicelli — as well as limited-edition drinks like iced kheer, a cool beverage version of that same popular rice pudding dessert.

Both locations are spacious, bright, and clean, with pale green banquettes at Frisco, and pale blue chairs and tables at Coppell. Both feature an astronaut theme with statues and framed photos and cartoons on the wall. The Coppell location also has a mural dedicated to great moments in Coppell history.

Let's Party

Texas' top chefs take the stage with Stoney LaRue for all-out bash

Sample bites from more than 25 chefs and 12 mixologists.

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Ice Cream News

Global gourmet ice cream chain debuts in U.S. with 2 Dallas-area shops