Women Chef News

Dallas' Restaurant Beatrice extends game-changing culinary program

Restaurant Beatrice and Dallas College

Courtesy photo

A Dallas restaurant that's been a champion of women in the industry is doubling down: Restaurant Beatrice, which launched a program in 2023 to promote women in leadership roles in the restaurant industry, will continue the program for a second semester, in partnership with Dallas College.

Called the Women in Restaurants Leadership Program (WRLP), it was an eight-week, tuition-free program that debuted in January 2024. According to a release, the first round was a smashing success.

From a survey they did with the first class, they learned that

82 percent of the students received job/stage opportunities
100 percent of the students would recommend the class to others
100 percent of the students felt the class improved their career prospects

Due to that remarkable success of the spring semester, they'll repeat class in the fall.

Enrollment is open to everyone, men included. The tuition-free program will allow students to stage with top Dallas restaurants including Beatrice, Zen Sushi, rye, Roots Southern Kitchen, the Duro Hospitality Group, and Crown Block.

Students also participate in a Capstone dinner to replenish costs for incoming students. That dinner will take place on Monday, October 28 at 6 pm at Dallas College's Culinary School. Leadership from Beatrice and Duro Hospitality will train and supervise participants. Students will demonstrate their improved skills and knowledge to execute a dinner for the public to enjoy.

The program was first conceived by Restaurant Beatrice owner and chef Michelle Carpenter with a goal of helping retain and advance more women in the industry and creating a more positive restaurant culture. Restaurant Beatrice is the Oak Cliff restaurant that celebrates Louisiana-style hospitality and culture which opened in 2022.

A 2022 study by the National Restaurant Association found that women enter the restaurant workforce at a higher rate than men but do not hold leadership positions.

To enroll and apply for a tuition-waiver, email Steve DeShazo, Senior Workforce Director for Dallas College's Culinary School at sdeshazo@dallascollege.edu.

good meat, let's eat

Popular Indonesian mobile kitchen Angel Touch debuts restaurant in Plano

Facebook/Angel Touch Kitchen

Mie ayam, a beloved Indonesian street dish featuring egg noodles, chicken mushroom topping, and greens.

A longtime mobile eatery specializing in halal Indonesian cuisine is now cooking inside new permanent Plano digs: Angel Touch Kitchen will officially open its doors on October 29 at 280 Legacy Dr. Ste. 300, at the corner of Legacy Drive and Chase Oaks Boulevard.

Though it's the restaurant's first permanent home, Plano diners might find the food and brand familiar. Indonesian-born chef and entrepreneur Yenni Haryanti has been operating Angel Touch as a catering and mobile kitchen since 2014. Her frequent appearances at festivals, corporate events, and parties throughout Dallas-Fort Worth have attracted a large following.

In 2021, Angel Touch opened a semi-permanent spot inside a Carrollton food court where, "after years without an Indonesian restaurant in DFW, the response was overwhelming," Haryanti told Voyage Dallas. "We sold out in hours and customers traveled long distances for our food."

Last summer, Haryanti announced plans for a permanent Plano restaurant. Social media followers were treated to peeks at what it takes to maintain a mobile diner and prepare for a restaurant opening, as the business posted photos of hood vent cleanings and inspection preparations and shared thoughts on the experience: "Running a small food business comes with a lot of behind-the-scenes work — long hours, cleaning, prepping, maintaining equipment, and making sure everything is done the right way. We’re tired, but grateful to keep doing what we love."

Angel Touch Kitchen settles into permanent space after more than a decade on the road. Photo courtesy Angel Touch Kitchen/Instagram

Angel Touch Kitchen held its soft opening October 19-25, serving dishes such as its in-demand beef rendang — a rich, slow-cooked Indonesian-Malaysian dry curry — and ayam goreng kuning — an Indonesian twist on fried chicken.

“Our beef rendang sold out two days in a row, so we’re making a fresh batch,” the kitchen posted at 3 am on Facebook a couple days into the soft opening. “We give it a little extra time to make every bite tender and full of flavor.”

Other menu items include:

Ayam woku: Chicken with fresh herbs, spices, and citrus.
Ayam semur: Sweet-and-savory braised chicken.
Terong cabe ijo: Eggplant stir-fried with spicy green chile.
Acar kuning: Cooked yellow vegetable pickle, often served as a side.
Kentang balado: Fried or roasted potatoes tossed in a spicy, savory red chile sauce.
Capcay: Vegetable stir-fry.

Entrees with a side run $14-$18.

Drinks and sweets, with items priced $7-$8, include es cendol (an icy drink with jelly strands) and es campur (various sweet toppings over shaved ice), and the dark sticky rice or porridge ketan hitam.

Beginning October 29, Angel Touch Kitchen will be open 12-2 pm and 5-8:30 pm Thursday-Friday and 12-8:30 pm Saturday-Sunday. The restaurant is closed Monday-Wednesday.

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