Artist News

Dallas art and restaurant worlds collide with these 3 new exhibits

Brad Fuller can paint.

Photo courtesy of Brad Fuller

One not-so-secret secret about the restaurant world is that it's a creative cauldron filled with artsy types, from servers who are part-time actors to chefs who play guitar. It's not a stretch to say that some chefs make art in the kitchen.

These three new installations in Dallas reinforce that everlasting connection between restaurants and fine arts.

Fairmont Hotel pop-up
Ember is the name of a pop-up bar located at the Fairmont Hotel, now stationed in the hotel's Artist-in-Residence space at the corner of Akard and Ross Streets through September.

Ember showcases the oeuvre of executive sous chef Katie Symons, a lifelong artist who really got into painting during the pandemic, specifically painting scenes of Dallas on larger-than-life canvases.

In addition to art on the walls, Ember will feature a special menu including a French Onion Brulée Burger, Grilled Shrimp Glass Noodle Bowl, Toasted S’more Martini, and Fairmont Dallas signature Smoked Old Fashioned plus other drinks created in partnership with Tupps Brewery, Texas Ale Project, and Woodford Reserve Bourbon.

Brad Fuller exhibit
Most know Brad Fuller as the longtime Director of Operations at Al Biernat's. Turns out he's a painter, too.

Over the years, Fuller has used his creative eye in many ways, with commissioned illustrations, paintings, and design work, including overseeing the architecture and interior design of Al Biernat's North in 2017. When the pandemic hit in 2020, Fuller leaned into his artwork as a creative outlet and form of meditation. He's placed commissioned pieces in client homes, as well as the Blue Bar upstairs at Al Biernat's North.

Now Fuller is taking his art to the public, launching bradfuller.art and showing his work for the first time, at the Patrick Jones Gallery in Dallas' Design District where his exhibit will debut with a reception on Thursday September 23 from 7-10 pm, with beverages and light bites from Al Biernat's.

Those interested in attending can register at this link.

Sculpture at Eataly
Eataly Dallas at NorthPark Center has installed a new piece by a Dallas artist: Called Due Ellissi Reflector Garden Floral & Formation Sound & Color, it's by Nathan Carter, and will be a permanent exhibition inside Eataly Dallas, where it is hoped its bright kinetic energy will be visible both from the first floor Caffè Lavazza as well as the second-floor marketplace.

The Italian marketplace is further embracing its "Patronage of the Arts" theme with a series of art-inspired events. Since March, they've hosted the "Art Spotlight" with NorthPark Center, a monthly program bringing together local arts organizations, Italian artists, and the art of food and drink.

To introduce Due Ellissi Reflector Garden Floral & Formation Sound & Color (can we just call it Due Ellisi?), Eataly will host a class in La Scuola di Eataly, their cooking school, featuring an appearance by Nathan Carter himself, on September 18. Attendees will sip Italian wine and snack on meats and cheeses as they watch Carter and an Eataly chef prepare some of Carter's favorite Italian foods, get tastes of the dishes, and learn about Carter's inspiration and work.

galleries chefs

Global tastes

New food truck in Carrollton puts a Venezuelan spin on empanadas

The central Venezuelan variation of empanadas is fried whole before being sliced open to hold additional fillings and toppings.

Photo courtesy of Empanada Factory.

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A unique new food truck serving authentic Venezuelan empanadas has parked in Carrollton. Called Empanada Factory, the trailer joins a pod of quick-service food trucks at 3490 Rosemeade Pkwy., at Marsh Ln.

The new initiative comes from Gloria Romero and her husband, Samuel Gómez. Originally from central Venezuela, the couple brings a regional variation to the local food scene known as empanadas operadas ("operated empanadas"). Unlike traditional empanadas, these are fried whole first and then sliced open to add additional fillings and toppings — the "surgery" that gives the dish its name.

Made with cornmeal dough rather than wheat flour, they are significantly larger than standard empanadas, holding up to 4 ounces of filling compared to the typical 1.5 ounces in traditional empanadas.

At Empanada Factory, customers can choose from six fillings: queso blanco, jamonada (cooked ham in cubes), chicken, shredded beef, cazón (dogfish), or a seafood mix. Base empanadas range from $4 to $6, with $1 add-on toppings including black beans, cheese, plantains, chorizo, sausage, melted Gouda, and avocado.

Beyond empanadas, the menu features $12 arepa bowls — crafted from arepa dough and served with a choice of one protein and three toppings — as well as quesillo venezolano ($4), a traditional Venezuelan dessert similar to flan but with a firmer texture.

The Arepa Bowl, featuring a crispy arepa dough base filled with shredded beef, black beans, avocado, and house sauces.Photo courtesy of Empanada Factory

Drink options include lattes, drip coffee, Venezuelan sodas, and fresh fruit shakes (served frappé or on the rocks) in flavors like mango, passion fruit, blackberry, and Caribbean native fruit guanábana (soursop).

After selling out during their first two weeks, Romero and Gómez feel confident in their new home.

“Carrollton is very established in Latin culture, and the location is accessible to everybody,” Romero says. “People know the area, so they know where to find us.”

Romero and Gómez describe themselves as "eternal entrepreneurs" who have owned several businesses, including Redy POS — an all-in-one ordering platform designed for food trucks and quick-service restaurants. In addition to sharing their cultural heritage, Empanada Factory serves as a real-world test kitchen and showcase for their software, which streamlines ordering and fulfillment to keep wait times minimal. Several neighboring food trucks in the area are already Redy POS clients, they say.

Alongside a streamlined ordering system, the owners emphasize that product quality remains their primary focus.

"What you see on social media is what you actually get; we focus heavily on maintaining the quality of our food, making sure it looks and tastes just as it is displayed in our photos," Romero says.

To deliver on that standard while maintaining fast service, the couple chose to start small with a food truck model and limited weekend-only hours (8 am-2 pm). Pre-ordering is available via their website, and they offer direct, home delivery within a 10-mile radius with no third-party app markup.

carrollton food truck