RIP Josh

Gifted Dallas chef and culinary visionary Joshua Bonee dies at 36

Joshua Bonee, RIP

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Joshua Bonee, one of Dallas' most gifted chefs, died on January 9; he was 36.

Bonee was a native of Tennessee who came to Dallas to work for Stephan Pyles' Flora Street Café, following a series of tenures in Tennessee and on the West Coast, including Easy Bistro in Chattanooga and Husk, the Nashville restaurant from celebu-chef Sean Brock. He worked in Napa Valley at the now closed Martini House, and Matteis Tavern in Los Olivos.

After Flora Street Café, he was chef de cuisine, then executive chef, at Fine China, at the Statler hotel. He also worked at Meddlesome Moth and was nominated in 2020 for a CultureMap Tastemaker Award for Rising Star Chef.

He took time off to combat Guillan-Barre Syndrome (and in fact, Dallas chefs banded together to do a fundraiser for him called "For The Love of Josh"), and returned to the industry to help open concepts such as Lucky's Hot Chicken, 42 BBQ Smokehouse + Market in Richardson, LimeHoney at the Shire, Columbian Country Club, and Teriyaki 4 U in Carrollton.

Bonee was universally well liked and was a devoted pet owner of his long-haired Doxie, who even had his own dedicated Instagram page. On Instagram, Bonee described himself as a "cooker of foods~Dad to a long haired Doxie named The Beans @beans_da_weens_ ~GBS Fighter~Private Chef~Consulting~Restaurant Development & Creation."

In between photos of his dog, Bonee would occasionally post photos of dishes he'd created.

"I figured since I’m heading back to lovely TN this week, it felt right to do some Nashville Hot stuff….Pullman loaf, green goddess dressing, Nashville Hot sweetbreads (medium heat)," said one post.

According to Dallas County records, Bonee was found on Tuesday morning at the Wingate Hotel at 8550 N. Stemmons Fwy., but the cause of death is still unknown. UPDATE 1-10-2024: A family member said the cause of death was pneumonia.

A friend of the family said that Bonee did not frequent that area, and was not a user of drugs.

Those who knew him said he was not only a talented chef who made a big impact on the Dallas culinary scene, but also incredibly kind, modest, and generous of spirit.

His modesty was apparent in posts such as the one where he shared that he'd be working at Meddlesome Moth. "Don’t like getting headshots done (always so awkward)," he said. His Linked In profile summary was simply: "Guy that likes to cook."

Jason Caswell, a close friend who was planning to open a restaurant with Bonee, called him "a culinary visionary who cared about his friends and employees."

"He had a passion and love for the lifestyle and inspired others," Caswell said. "It's a huge loss for his friends and for the Dallas restaurant industry."

Survivors include his father Darren, stepmother Holli, siblings Caleb, Darin, Paige, Coltyn, Zander, Ryder, and nieces Calliope and Madison.

A "Celebration of Life for Josh Bonee" is being held on Sunday January 14 at 4 pm at El Centro College North Campus for Culinary, Pastry and Hospitality at 11830 Webb Chapel Rd., Dallas.

Chocolate News

Richardson dessert shop Chocolate Drip lays out eye-catching treats

Chocolate Drip

Chocolate bear with pistachio sauce at Chocolate Drip

A dessert shop in Richardson has become the toast of the sweets world: Called Chocolate Drip, it opened in August at 1057 S. Sherman St., in a center east of US-75 near Spring Valley Road, where it's rolling out some eye-catching chocolate treats.

Chocolate Drip is a passion project from Mohammad Quzmar, a Palestinian-born owner who moved to Dallas four years ago and taught himself to cook through tinkering. That experimentation has translated into a constantly evolving menu, with new creations appearing whenever inspiration strikes — earning him a growing reputation as something of a modern-day Willy Wonka.

"Chocolate is my passion. I just love being in the kitchen and creating,” he says.

The cafe's offerings are extensive, from sweet breakfast staples like pancakes and waffles to off-menu items teased on the café’s Instagram, such as the Dubai Drip platter — an interactive fondue plate with fruit, brownies, waffles, marshmallows, to be dipped into melted chocolate and pistachio cream.

Many of his items have the kind of eye-catching twists and table-side presentations that draw attention on Instagram, such as the cruffle (a waffle made from a croissant) topped with spaghetti-like strands of gelato, which a server extrudes through a potato ricer right before your eyes.

Other signatures include a teddy bear made of chocolate mousse and kanafa, finished with pistachio sauce for $13.30, and crepes filled with a brownie, with pistachio and chocolate sauce for $15.

Prices are not cheap but these are ultra-decadent items with generous portions, often meant for sharing.

The drink list is ambitious, spanning coffee, matcha, smoothies, milkshakes, and nonalcoholic mocktails. It's obvious Quzmar is having fun, rolling out his versions of viral items like the famous s'mores hot chocolate pioneered by New York dessert shop Glace, which features a cap made of marshmallow meringue that’s torched and topped with a chocolate bonbon.

There are also a few savory offerings like egg-and-cheese crepes, a salmon croissant, and a turkey waffle. Those in the know also come to order Middle Eastern treats like salab, a creamy milk drink topped with cinnamon; and Om Ali, a sugary pudding with nuts, dried fruit, and coconut.

Named after the Gen Z slang for “cool” or “stylish,” Drip is meant to be a hangout spot more than a quick dessert stop, Quzmar says — a place to linger over brunch, then return late night to a place that feels buzzy and fun sans alcohol.

“Everyone who works here is either family or treated like family and everything is homemade with love," he says.

desserts openings