Chef/Partner, Fearing’s Restaurant 

The creator of “Elevated American Cuisine – Bold Flavors, No Borders” with his namesake restaurant Fearing’s, chef/partner Dean Fearing has developed one of the hottest restaurant concepts across the country. Named “Restaurant of the Year” and “Table of the Year” by Esquire Magazine shortly after opening and then receiving continued praise from The New York Times, Newsweek, Texas Monthly, among others, and a James Beard Foundation nomination for Best New Restaurant, Fearing’s has created quite a buzz with distinct dining venues, a spectacular farm-to-market seasonal menu, and personal presence of Fearing himself.

Long known as the “Father of Southwestern Cuisine” and now the creator of a new generation of highly-flavorful dishes, Chef Dean Fearing has spent his life cooking for people who love good food. After 20-plus years at The Mansion on Turtle Creek, he opened Fearing's in August 2007 at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas. His personal vision and design, the lively, comfortable restaurant offers seven stylish dining settings, including the most distinctive alfresco experience in Dallas and a hugely popular interactive display kitchen offering ringside seating for true foodies.

The son of a Kentucky innkeeper, Dean Fearing grew up with grandmothers who knew all about food and who appreciated the finer details of Southern cooking and barbecue. He still uses and treasures their recipes, and they remain one of the most important inspirations of his culinary life. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, he can be seen these days in Fearing’s wearing a crisp white chef’s coat with colorful boot embroidery, blue jeans and brightly-hued, custom-tooled Lucchese cowboy boots. When not in the kitchen, he is often found strumming his vintage Fender Telecaster guitar, one of an impressive collection, with his all chef alternative country band The Barbwires, having released their first CD “Bliss and Blisters.” He is also known to spend his spare time searching the countryside for Texas culinary inspiration. The state’s rich variety of peppers, dried chilies, jicama, cilantro, tomatillos, fruits and vegetables, cheeses, Gulf seafood and Hill Country wild game play a major role in his ever-changing cuisine.

The exuberant, ever-friendly Dean Fearing was winner of the James Beard Foundation Restaurant Award for “Best Chef in the Southwest.” People across the country are raving about Fearing’s signature dishes such as the infamous Tortilla Soup, the Barbecued Shrimp Taco, Rib Eye Mopped Over Live Mesquite, Maple-Black Peppercorn Soaked Buffalo Tenderloin, and Pan Roasted “BBQ Spiced” Filet and Chicken-Fried Maine Lobster, which has been described as “a taste of Texas,” enlivening the sense of place that Fearing set out to create. 

 
Chef De Cuisine Fearing's Restaurant

Native Texan Eric Dreyer was born in Houston and reared in Dallas, but the pursuit of a culinary career led him to California at the young age of 20. Selected to work for several high-profile Southern California catering firms, Dreyer also enrolled in the California School of Culinary Art in Pasadena, coincidentally home to the nearby Ritz-Carlton, Huntington. In 1999, he was invited to work with the Ritz Carlton Hotel Company, rotating through a variety of culinary departments to master his craft.

In 2001, a five-million-dollar renovation and new concept were brought to Jer-Ne Restaurant at The Ritz Carlton, Marina del Rey, and Dreyer was invited to become sous chef for the famed establishment. His position brought him into close collaboration with celebrated chef and James Beard award-winner Troy Thompson, and Jer-ne was quickly named best fusion restaurant in Los Angeles for 2003. The next year, Chef Dreyer was given the opportunity to re-launch another AAA Four Diamond property, joining The Ritz-Carlton, Dearborn. During his tenure at the Michigan luxury hotel, the regional American fare of “The Grill” was blended with other global influences to become one of greater Detroit’s top ten restaurants.

With the opportunity to return to his Texas roots in 2005, Dreyer became Chef de Cuisine for the Grand Hyatt DFW, along the way being nominated by The Ritz-Carlton as “Rising Young Chef” for 2004 and being awarded the “Grand Hyatt Rising Star Award” for 2005.

In 2007, Dreyer was recruited to the pre-opening team for Fearing’s at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas, where he now serves as Chef De Cuisine for the multi-venue restaurant

 
Pastry Chef, Fearing's Restaurant, The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas

Jill Bates’ childhood home was filled with the joy of cooking. As a child she gained remarkable insight into the culinary world through her father and grandmother. Bates later chose to study Restaurant, Hotel and Institutional Management at Texas Tech University. After graduating from Texas Tech, she headed west to earn a degree in Culinary Arts at San Francisco’s California Culinary Academy. She remained in the city and gained valuable experience by wearing multiple hats as a pastry, pantry and line cook at various restaurants. While in San Francisco, she developed a passion for creative desserts and decided to return to Texas to become a pastry chef in her own right.

Bates launched her Texas career as Assistant Pastry Chef for culinary legend Dean Fearing. She later opened Dallas’ Dragonfly Restaurant as Pastry Chef and Craft Restaurant in Dallas, serving as Assistant Pastry Chef until joining the pre-opening team of Fearing’s at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas.

“What an amazing and exciting opportunity to work with Dean Fearing again,” says Chef Bates. “I love creating memorable desserts for the restaurant, using fresh, seasonal, local products while adding fun twists and a funky flair to long-time favorites.”

Bates is the recipient of multiple awards for culinary and managerial excellence, and she appreciates the basic fundamentals of cooking, product quality and the craft of cooking. Longtime fan Nancy Patton of The Haute Goat Creamery has designated a triple crème cheese as the “Jilli” in Bates’ honor.

“My favorite ingredients are vanilla bean, fresh ginger, wine and cherries,” adds the popular young chef. “I could put them in anything.” In addition to cooking, she enjoys traveling with her family and friends, gardening, reading, and fishing in the open waters.