RIP Jim

Dallas restaurateur Jim Baron, co-founder of Blue Mesa Grill, dies at 76

Liz and Jim Baron

dallas.culturemap.com

Longtime Dallas restaurateur Jim Baron, who founded acclaimed concepts such as the Blue Mesa Grill chain with his wife Liz Baron, passed away on May 20, after a long fight with cancer; he was 76.

The couple, who helped usher in a unique and fresh Southwestern-style variant on Mexican food in Dallas, were a major force in the restaurant scene since starting their company 36 years ago, founding other ground-breaking concepts such as TNT/Tacos and Tequila.

Baron was born in the Bronx, and earned a PhD in psychology from NYU. He started his career as a therapist, but according to his wife Liz, felt dissatisfied with the profession, preferring to exercise his intelligence in business where he felt he could improve lives in a real way.

Prior to opening Blue Mesa in 1988, he spent eight years as an executive with Taco Bell and El Torito Restaurants, Inc. As noted on Perfect Puree, when El Torito founder Larry Cano gave Jim the opportunity to turn around El Torito’s failing Texas restaurants, Jim presented Cano with a proposal to change all of the El Torito’s in Texas to different concepts.

Jim and Liz were adamant about developing a concept that was affordable, but had better food, atmosphere, and service than a typical chain restaurant.

He wrote the restaurant manager training program for Texas Restaurant Association and was a recipient of the TRA's Restaurateur of the Year award.

He was also involved in immigration issues and worked for years with the Texas Business Immigration Coalition to try to improve the status and opportunities for immigrants.

In addition to being an amazing family man and restaurateur, he was a humanitarian, artist, and athlete. He was an avid surfer his entire life, and also won third place at the Veterans International Wrestling Championship in the Czech Republic while in his 50's.

He's survived by children Kate (Ian) Stewart and Zak Baron, grandchild Izzy Stewart, and his brother Daniel (Gwyneth) Baron.

His memorial will be held on May 24 at 1:30 pm at Temple Emanu-El in the Stern Chapel, 8500 Hillcrest Rd. in Dallas.

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RIP Al

Beloved Dallas restaurateur Al Biernat dies at 69 after ALS battle

Dallas restaurateur Al Biernat, RIP

Beloved Dallas restaurateur Al Biernat, founder of the acclaimed local steakhouse Al Biernat's, passed away on November 13, following a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also called ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease; he was 69.

Biernat was one of Dallas' all-time great hospitality figures, dating back to his days at The Palm steakhouse, for whom he worked in Los Angeles, Houston, and Dallas.

Biernat founded his namesake restaurant in 1998 on Oak Lawn Avenue, where his standard of excellence and doting charm made it a destination for special occasions, Park Cities swells, and celebrities in town.

His sense of hospitality had little competition in Dallas. He was a charming and personable host who genuinely liked people, and it didn't matter whether you were Conan O'Brien, David Crosby, or one of the other high-profile diners that visited his restaurants — or else just a regular schlub: He had a knack for making everyone feel special and remembered.

Biernat was born on August 20, 1955 and grew up in Michigan, then lived in Colorado, New York, Los Angeles, and Houston, before moving to Dallas to work at The Palm in the West End, where his dynamic presence gave the restaurant an incomparable vitality; it closed in 2017.

He opened Al Biernat's at 4217 Oak Lawn Ave. in 1998, followed by a second location in North Dallas at 5251 Spring Valley Rd. in 2017.

He began to experience ALS symptoms in May 2023, was diagnosed in December, and revealed his condition in February 2024. The revelation was met with an outpouring of sympathy and well wishes from the hospitality industry — a sign of the high regard in which he was held.

The average life expectancy for people with ALS is two to five years after diagnosis. Symptoms can begin in the muscles that control speech and swallowing, or in the hands, arms, legs, or feet. He began to have difficulty communicating in September, and spent his last days in a hospice.

On September 18, he broached the topic of dying, before ending on a note of gratitude to friends and family.

"Having Bulbar ALS I am realistic about my future," he said. "Friends and family have asked me if I’m afraid of dying, and this is what I say to them. Because of the salvation of Jesus, I will be rejoicing in my spirit to see him in all of his glory. Since we are all flesh, soul, and spirit, only my flesh is being left behind. But don’t get me wrong, I have a blessed life in this world, with a loving wife, and a beautiful family and many wonderful and caring friends. I am grateful!"

Both Al Biernat's locations will continue to remain open under the management of Biernat's nephew Brad Fuller, as they have for nearly the past two years.

Biernat is survived by Fuller, as well as his wife Jeannie and three daughters: Angelica Saylor, Kaitlin Biernat Connell, and Jess Biernat and grandchildren. According to family members, details regarding a celebration of his life will be announced soon.

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