Meet The Tastemakers

Meet 10 chefs who are rising stars of Dallas' restaurant scene in 2026

Rising Star nominee Molly Guerra.

Courtesy photo

Every corner of Dallas is brimming with culinary talent, and our annual Tastemaker Awards will honor the restaurant scene's brightest stars, including the up-and-comers in the kitchen.

Our Tastemakers special editorial series continues with a spotlight on the nominees for Dallas' Rising Star Chef of the Year. These 10 culinary up-and-comers are the ones to watch. They're driving cravings and conversations with global flavors and exciting concepts that have diners hungry for more.

Meet Dallas' next crop of star chefs below, then join us on May 7 at Astoria Event Venue for the foodie event of the season. You'll indulge in tasty bites from participating nominees, sip a lineup of specialty drinks, and get the chance to mix and mingle with industry greats.

Limited discounted tickets are still available for general admission and upgraded VIP access, but prices will increase soon, so buy yours today.

Here are the 10 nominees for Rising Star Chef of the Year:

Reilly Brown, Frenchie
Brown is executive chef of the casual, fun French restaurant at The Plaza at Preston Center, which opened summer 2025. Before that, he was executive sous chef at acclaimed Georgie, also from Travis Street Hospitality. Diners at the all-day bistro can indulge in Brown’s specialty menu items such as hiramasa crudo; bluefin tuna with tomato-soy glaze; and Castelfranco salad with duck confit, candied walnuts, pickled pear, and shallot vinaigrette.

Scott Girling, Osteria il Muro
This chef is making waves far beyond the walls of his cozy Italian eatery in Denton. Girling was recently named a 2026 James Beard finalist for Best Chef: Texas. The Culinary School of Fort Worth graduate, who later moved to Italy to immerse himself in the cuisine, has been serving homestyle Italian dishes at the reservation-only restaurant since 2021. He crafts traditional plates such as ricotta gnocchi, fried squash blossoms, and oysters finished tomato mignonette and Thai basil.

Mollie Guerra, Chef Mollie G
This Dallas-based private chef has seen diverse landscapes in the culinary world. From TV cooking competitions like Masterchef and Chopped to full-service dinners trackside for motorsport teams, Guerra’s varied experience is reflected in the global flavors she serves. The UT Dallas alumna has built a solid following through her meal prep service, pop-ups, custom catering, and appearances at local markets.

Zeina Kamal, Babel
Since its late 2025 opening, Babel in Uptown Dallas has been winning over diners with its elegant ambiance and eye-catching food. The bold, authentic culinary program comes from chef Zeina Kamal, sister of Babel’s owner Mo Kamal, so naturally, it is rooted in family ties and Mediterranean flavors. Some of the staples of the Babel menu: fluffy pita; smooth, savory hummus; beef tenderloin; and lamb ravioli.

Belal Kattan, Bazaar Dallas Belal Kattan.Courtesy photo

Belal Kattan, Bazaar
“Just a guy who enjoys making pasta,” is the humble Instagram bio for this Syrian-American chef who is driving all kinds of buzz with his traveling pop-up. Kattan launched Bazaar, which has no permanent address and has been hosted at top-notch eateries like Restaurant Beatrice and Encina, in 2025 as platform to showcase his culinary point of view. Find his gorgeous plates, which marry Syrian roots with global flavors and modern technique, at private dining events and exclusive foodie experiences around town.

Brian Kim, Domodomo Kō
Kim, who grew up in Denton and attended the Culinary Institute of America in New York, opened the original Domodomo in New York and is now earning acclaim for his intricate Japanese-Korean fusion and sushi dishes in Dallas. Dining at Domodomo Kō, which debuted in Uptown in 2025, is a refined experience that draws on Kim's attention to detail and use of seasonal ingredients and modern presentation.

Sonia Mancillas, Via Triozzi
Executive chef Sonia Mancillas joined the team at Via Triozzi in fall 2023 and has helped shape the seasonally-influenced menu that delivers a little slice of Italy to Dallas. Mancillas also has a hand in the menu at rooftop lounge, Terrazza di Triozzi. Her culinary diversity shines across the two, as the lounge focuses on lighter shareables, while Via Triozzi offers heartier Italian fare, like dreamy pastas and chicken cacciatore.

Benjamin Norton, Norman’s Japanese Grill
Chef Benjamin Norton is driving the ambitious fusion in the kitchen at this Western-inspired Japanese eatery. Norton propels Norman's Western-Japanese storyline with adventurous plates that are rooted in Japanese tradition and completed with modern, Texas flare. Grill-charred octopus skewers, Korean fried chicken with family recipe-inspired gochujang, and pork belly udon noodles are just a few of the dishes that make this chef’s talent stand out.

Eduardo Osorio plates at Meridian. Photo courtesy of Eduardo Osorio

Eduardo Osorio, Meridian
Executive chef Eduardo Osorio took the reins of Meridian when it staged its big comeback last year, following a 2024 closure and revamp. Under Osorio's direction, Meridian now celebrates seasonal ingredients and the jovial, comforting nature of Italian and New American cuisine against a backdrop of live-fire cooking. Think chilled clams infused with smoky essence, wood-fired chicken, and grilled Spanish octopus.

Kelly Vargas, Curuba Colombian Kitchen
Vargas, who trained in Colombia and previously worked in hospitality with Omni Hotels, graduated to chef-owner in 2025 with the opening of Curuba in Allen. This mom-and-pop spot lives up to the hype via Vargas’ menu of authentic Colombian staples, such as empanadas, fried green plantains, and arepas. Vargas remains committed to serving homemade Colombian food without GMO or MSG ingredients, and the menu is 80 percent gluten-free, including the arepas and housemade breading.

---

The CultureMap Tastemaker Awards ceremony is sponsored in Dallas by Maker's Mark, Shutto, NXT LVL Event, Seedlip, Ritual Zero Proof, H-E-B, and more to be announced. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Harvest Project Food Rescue.

chef culturemap tastemaker awards rising star rising star chef tastemaker awards

new roots

L.A. celebrity favorite The Ivy plants Dallas branch near Katy Trail

Photo courtesy of The Ivy/Facebook

undefined

A Los Angeles restaurant famous for celebrity sightings on its bright floral patios is opening a branch in Dallas: The Ivy will debut in fall 2027 at 4205 Buena Vista St. inside The Terminal at Katy Trail.

“This will be the first Ivy outside of Southern California,” says India Wolfe, the restaurant founders' daughter, in a release. "I felt a strong calling to bring The Ivy somewhere new and to plant roots there with our family.”

India’s parents opened The Ivy on Robertson Boulevard in 1980, followed by Ivy at the Shore in Santa Monica five years later.

While her father, chef Richard Irving, and mother, Lynn von Kersting, remain in LA, Wolfe and her husband, Ernest Wolfe IV, will move to Dallas in February with their two children and dogs, to operate The Ivy. The restaurant will be located inside a luxury apartment tower overlooking the Katy Trail.

India started working as a teen at the family's third branch in Santa Monica and learned everything "from greeting guests and waiting tables to staging events, filming viral social media, and modernizing the business for a new generation," says the release.

Both she and her husband spent time in other professions but were drawn to the dining field. Ernest helped his in-laws so often at The Ivy that they finally employed him full-time.

“I love working with him," India says, "and we complement each other’s skills really well, not unlike my mom and dad.”

The Ivy The family behind The Ivy.Courtesy photo

The Wolfes say they want the Dallas restaurant to retain The Ivy’s familiar cooking, warmth and character, while making it feel like home in a new city.

“I love the idea of people taking a walk on the Katy Trail and then meeting friends for brunch at The Ivy,” India says.

Her parents are assisting with the design and menu; India wants a contemporary vibe but doesn’t plan to change what works so well.

“I don’t want to make it too different because I think the reason that people from Dallas come to The Ivy is because they love The Ivy,” she says. “That said, this new restaurant will certainly stand on its own two feet.”

Unlike the original, the Dallas Ivy will have a bar, an idea India dreamed up. While restaurant bars are nothing unusual, India actually envisioned what her family jokingly calls “the D Bar" (so named for Dallas), where guests can clink glasses and share good energy around a curved, D-shaped counter.

Her interest in art and flowers will result in a space well-appointed with roses, a family tradition, and local blooms like zinnias and snapdragons.

The Ivy serves upscale American comfort food and Californian cuisine with influences from Italian, French, Cajun, and Mexican cooking. Dishes are made with seasonal ingredients, so the menus evolve throughout the year.

While the Dallas menu is being developed, the restaurant's Southern California winter menus, for example, include starters such as crab cakes, Caesar salad, and grilled-vegetable salad. Pasta options include lobster ravioli with Ivy pink sauce and lobster tagliatelle. Wood- or stone-fired pizzas include margherita and Cajun shrimp pies, while house-baked breads, old-fashioned red velvet cake, coconut cake, and chocolate chip cookies round out the menu.

The Ivy has always been at the center of family life, India notes. Now she and Ernest are bringing that way of life to Dallas.

She adds, “I am confident it will be a great home for The Ivy and for our family.”

openings katy trail