With a big personality, a love for food & family and a vibrant mohawk that changes colors more often than a chameleon, Chef Stefon Rishel has made a name for himself throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
Born in Michigan, Stefon moved to the Lone Star State at a young age and spent his childhood in Texas. Stefon stepped into a professional kitchen for the first time at the age of 23—working for the beloved, family-run Pappas Restaurants. He then earned the position of executive chef at the former Brackets sports bar inside Dallas’ Hotel Palomar. From there, Stefon was commissioned to create a sophisticated menu of Southern fare for the former SISU Uptown Resort near Downtown Dallas.
His claim to local fame occurred during his three-year stint as executive chef at MAX’s Wine Dive—not only was Stefon hired to open MAX’s Fort Worth location, he was also given leeway to create his own upscale comfort dishes. During this time, Stefon was named the culinary winner of Fort Worth Magazine’s Top Chef competition in 2015 and received additional accolades from the publication—including “Best Comfort Food” (2014), “Best Use of Bacon” (2014) and “Best Brunch” (2014 – 2015).
In 2016, Stefon moved further down south to oversee menu development and culinary operations at 51fiften Cuisine & Cocktails located at Saks Fifth Avenue in the Galleria Mall in Houston, TX. Even though the restaurant received critical acclaim, Stefon’s tenure was brief—as he was too far away from his family and he missed the collaborative culinary community found in Fort Worth. Upon returning home, Stefon served as executive chef for Texas Bleu Steakhouse before forming a partnership with Kyle Bryson and Wallace Owens in 2017 to open approachable, upscale dining experiences throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.