We're back with the 2025 edition of our annual CultureMap Tastemaker Awards, celebrating the people and places that make Dallas such an exciting dining destination.
In this special editorial series, we're highlighting restaurants, bars, and chefs who've been nominated in eight categories by our esteemed judging panel of last year's winners and local dining experts. We’ll celebrate the nominees and reveal the winners at an awards ceremony and signature tasting event on Thursday, May 1 at the new Astoria Event Venue. (Early Bird tickets are on sale now at discounted rates of $60 for general admission and $99 for VIP.)
We've already covered Best Neighborhood Restaurants and now we're celebrating the category of Rising Star Chef: the promising up-and-comers who will be tomorrow's culinary stars.
Here's our top 10 nominees for Rising Star Chef:
Parker Cantera, Resident Taqueria
Resident Taqueria is the neighborhood and foodie gem in Lake Highlands serving chef-inspired tacos, and Cantera is front and center as chef-manager, adding a steadying, amiable, creative presence. He's been in and out of kitchens including cooking at The People’s Last Stand at Mockingbird Station, and now puts love and passion into Resident Taqueria and its distinctive tacos.
Ricardo Viesca Gutierrez, Sheraton Dallas
Gutierrez has cooked in kitchens around the world including Mexico, Paris, Spain, and China, and his food reflects his many travels and exposure to different cultures. He landed at the Sheraton Dallas, serving as Senior Sous Chef at their in-house restaurant Open Palette, and has already made waves, recently winning an impressive award at the World Food Championship.
Mario Hernandez, Nuri
Chicago native draws inspiration from his cultural heritage, with a culinary journey that spans kitchens across the U.S., including Double Eagle Steakhouse and Gordon Ramsay North America. A proponent of fresh, locally sourced ingredients and sustainability, Hernandez is big on sharing what he knows via cooking demonstrations and workshops, and his dedication makes him a beloved figure in the culinary world.
Cristina Lara, El Carlos Elegante
Mexico City-inspired eatery showcases authentic Latin cooking traditions and cuisine through the chef team’s talent and creativity, and that includes chef Cristina Lara, a native of Guanajuato who brings her technique to essential processes like the hours-long process of making mole and the traditional nixtamalization process that the restaurant uses for dishes featuring corn as a base.
Rhonda McCullar, Uchiba
Once upon a time a science teacher, McCullar graduated from Le Cordon Bleu Institute of Culinary Arts, then worked at Marriott before joining the Uchi team in 2015 rising through the ranks to lead culinary operations in Dallas, where she employs her keen understanding of flavor profiles and an approach rooted in cooking science.
Roman Murphy, Perch Bistro
Murphy started in Austin where he was a chef at restaurants such as Congress, 2nd Bar + Kitchen, Peche, and Jeffrey’s. In 2015 he was named one of Zagat Austin’s 30 Under 30: Rockstars Redefining the Industry while at the helm of Sandra Bullock’s Bess Bistro, and was Executive Chef of North Italia at both Austin locations. He brings his passion, creativity, and dedication not just to Perch, but also siblings Shinsei and Lovers Seafood.
Jonathan Myrick, Cane Rosso
Myrick is what you might call a pizza nut and has thus found the perfect home with the PILF Group, home to pizza concepts Cane Rosso and Thunderbird Pies. He learned the ropes at places like Palio's before joining PILF in 2017, where he serves as a corporate chef, helping on new openings, catering, and menu development of dishes like the new tavern-style pizza that they just introduced at Thunderbird Pies.
Anais Paniagua and Iris Rojas, Doña Maria
Mother and daughter team Iris Rojas and Anais Paniagua have had a wild ride, starting out making Dominican food in their home kitchen — empanadas, plantain chips with mashed potatoes — before co-founding Doña Maria Dominican Cuisine in 2021. Doña Maria is named for her grandmother; the homey touch is palpable and award-winning: They were nominated for a James Beard Award in 2025.
Fernando Ramirez, Thirsty Lion
Portland-founded and now Arizona-based Thirsty Lion Gastropub chain has prospered in Dallas-Fort Worth with now five locations since Addison just recently opened. Steering the ship since 2017 has been executive chef Ramirez, who brings his experience from previous roles at Olive Garden and Buca di Beppo.
Jake Yoon, Naminohana
It has to be gratifying for sushi chef Yoon — who previously worked at restaurants such as Hatsuyuki and Daan Sushi — to see his Greenville Avenue restaurant earn such widespread acclaim. It shouldn't be a surprise, though: He's offering buzzy hand rolls and omakase at a lower price than the rest, and with a laid-back walk-ins welcome policy that's a big departure from the pack.
