Top Dallas Chef Reveals His Dream Restaurant, Movie Star Double and More as He Preps for TACA Party Spotlight

A number of creative individuals are coming together to create this year’s TACA Lexus Party on the Green and it’s time to get to know them better. In addition to the on-staff team at TACA, this annual event brings together talented chefs, top minds from the performing arts world and visual artists to create a truly magical evening.

Today, PaperCity is spotlighting Eric Dreyer. (For this week’s story on Dallas Theater Center artistic director Joel Ferrell, click here and for last week’s story on visual artist Carmen Menza, click here.) Dreyer is the executive chef of the soon-to-open Ellie’s, located in the HALL Arts Hotel. Dreyer brings an extraordinary amount of experience and culinary perspective to the team at Ellie’s, one of Dallas’ most anticipated new restaurants. He is most notably known for his time as executive chef at Fearing’s at the Ritz-Carlton, Dallas.

Chef Dreyer and HALL Arts Hotel will together curate a Napa-inspired menu that is approachable, modern and refined, reflecting Ellie Hall, the late mother of hotel owner and HALL Group founder Craig Hall.

Dreyer was born in Houston and raised in Dallas, but found himself in his early twenties working in California where he began to explore the culinary landscape. He studied at the California School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena and then secured a post in the kitchen of the renowned Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey in 1999.

And who doesn’t love being able to share that they are one degree of separation from Oprah Winfrey? Chef Dreyer most recently served as the executive chef of Promised Land, the luxury Montecito, California estate belonging to Oprah herself. Now, Dreyer is returning to Dallas for the opportunity to lead Ellie’s and will be one of the featured chefs at this year’s TACA Lexus Party on the Green.

In advance of the hot ticket event, which takes place this Friday, October 4 in the Dallas Arts District, we emailed Chef Dreyer PaperCity’s preferential treatment questionnaire.  

Where are you right at this moment: In the HALL Arts offices, pondering all the papers on the desk and carefully choosing my words

The zip code you call home: 75248

Style of residence: Single-family home.

Pajamas or in the buff: Depends on the weather.

Early or late riser: Early

Coffee or tea: Generally coffee

Morning beauty/grooming ritual: Wake up, get out of bed, drag a comb across my head. . .

Evening beauty/grooming ritual: Mud mask, fresh cucumbers

Go-to daytime ensemble: Comfy chef pants and white v-neck.

Ideal evening look: Comfy chef pants and a white v-neck

One thing you always keep in mind when getting dressed: Is my fly zipped?

Your happy place destination: Snow-covered mountains.

The hotel you call your home-away-from-home: HALL Arts Hotel

Travel bag: V-neck shirts, socks, underwear, jeans and shorts.

Last person you cocktail’ed with and what was your poison: My wife, cucumber/mint gin & tonic

Dream concert: Led Zeppelin

Store where you wish you had an unlimited charge account: Ted Baker

Items currently on your coffee table: Cards Against Humanity game.

Last movie you saw: Downton Abbey

Hall pass for a dalliance: Never given it a thought.

Who would play you in the movie of your life (living or dead actor is fine): Ralph Macchio

If you weren’t in your current profession what would you be doing: I couldn’t imagine doing anything else!

Secret skill: Taking on multiple fix-it projects at the house.  I am getting better about completing them

Guilty pleasure: Lime popsicles

Favorite restaurant (it can be anywhere in the world): Mathis Food Affairs, St. Moritz (now, White Marmot Restaurant & Bar)

The top international destination where you find culinary inspiration: Tokyo, Japan

Do you have a “go-to” quick recipe you often use at home: Balinese Pork Dish, braised in Sweet Soy Sauce

What would you want as your last meal: An amazing, gooey, thin patty cheeseburger.

The 2019 TACA Lexus Party on the Green is Friday, October 4 at 6:30 pm, Elaine D. and Charles A. Sammons Park at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.