New Hires
New hires: Dallas restaurants appoint 3 new chefs and a cocktail guy
Pasta at Ritz-Carlton Dallas - Las Colinas
It's turnover time with a flurry of personnel changes taking place at Dallas restaurants. That includes three new chefs who've been hired to lead up high-profile kitchens; a new bar personality, mixing up cocktails; and a hospitality group appointing a new president of operations.
Here’s the latest in hospitality HR news:
JW Marriott Dallas Arts District
Chef Miguel Antonio has been appointed executive chef at JW Marriott Dallas, the luxury Arts District hotel, where he'll oversee the hotel's three food and beverage concepts, including the newly dubbed Montage, a ranch-to-table restaurant that replaces Margaret's, which was the previous name. (A release says that the new name Montage echoes the diverse arts offerings of its location in the Dallas Arts District.) Antonio has already introduced a new fall and winter menu with dishes like smoked salmon with pumpkin pureé and Meyer lemon beurre blanc.
Born in Tampico, Mexico, and trained in the U.S., Antonio is a graduate of the Le Cordon Bleu Institute of Culinary Arts in Dallas. He's cooked at Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck, Hotel Crescent Court, and served for six years as senior sous chef at Fearing’s under Chef du Cuisine Mike Matis. He originally joined JW Marriott in May 2023 as senior sous chef.
Nikki Greek Bistro
Chef Ryan Carbery has been appointed executive chef at Nikki Greek Bistro, the upscale Greek restaurant from Tom and Lisa Georgalis on Lovers Lane.
Carbery, a fourth-generation American chef and restaurant operator, got his start in St. Louis at the age of 15 under the mentorship of Chef David Slay. A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in Chicago, he worked in restaurants across the Midwest and in Los Angeles, before settling in Dallas where he has 15 years of experience at restaurants such as Bailey's, Patrizio, Farmbyrd Rotisserie & Fry, and most recently, culinary director at the Statler Dallas Hotel. He'll refine Nikki’s dinner menu and expand the offerings with the addition of lunch service.
The Ritz-Carlton Dallas - Las Colinas
Chef Gilles Schreiber has been appointed as the new executive chef at the recently renovated Ritz-Carlton Dallas in Las Colinas, where he’ll manage the hotel’s six dining concepts including Knife Italian, Bar Juniper, and Outlaw Taproom. (He replaces Tony France who went to Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center in June.)
Schreiber has almost two decades of experience. A graduate of the Lycee Hotelier A. Dumas Strasbourg in France, he's spent 17 years working at Ritz-Carlton hotel concepts, including the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island in Florida; The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman where he worked under Gordan Ramsay and with Eric Ripert at the Michelin starred restaurant Blue; and his most recent position as executive chef at The Ritz-Carlton in Atlanta.
Ginger’s and Sushi | Bar
Eric Simmons has been appointed as the new bar lead for Ginger's and Sushi | Bar, the downtown Dallas cocktail bar and lounge concepts. As part of the role, Simmons will curate seasonal cocktail menus, host exclusive events, and provide luxury drink experiences.
Simmons brings more than 10 years of experience in cocktails and spirits development, most recently serving as corporate beverage director at What If...Syndicate Hospitality where he managed high profile concepts such as Maple & Ash in Chicago, Kessaku, and Monarch. He's been recognized as Thrillist's "Top 5 Bartenders You Need to Know - Nashville" and StarChefs' "Chicago Rising Star Bartender 2021."
Makeready
Eric Gavin has been named President of Operations of Makeready, the Dallas-based hospitality company, where he will focus on managing performance throughout Makeready’s portfolio, overseeing all operational aspects of the company. Gavin has 20-plus years of experience, most recently as COO for Benchmark, Pyramid Global Hospitality’s Independent, Luxury & Lifestyle division. Prior to that, he worked with Loews Hotels, Noble House Hotels & Resorts, and Salamander Hotels & Resorts.
