Canyon Ranch Austin Welcomes Ali Larter to North Texas to Talk Women’s Wellness

Last night, I live-streamed the newly renamed The Actor Awards presented by SAG-AFTRA on Netflix. A few things in particular stood out:

• Demi Moore’s Schiaparelli Haute Couture dress that required 7,700 hours of embroidery work (containing 11,000 crystals)
• Michael B. Jordan’s win for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role in Sinners, which blew the Oscar race wide open (Timothée Chalamet in Marty Supreme has been the front-runner up until now)
• Ali Larter

I mention Larter, a star of Taylor Sheridan‘s hit Landman, because the actress turned 50 on February 28. One look at her on the red carpet, and it’s abundantly clear: Larter knows a thing or two about “wellness.”

I recently attended an intimate lunch in Dallas at Avra, where Canyon Ranch Austin (the upcoming wellness resort from the Fort Worth-based brand) tapped Larter to share some of her wellness tips. More on that, shortly.

Canyon Ranch Austin hosted the event to give us the skinny on the Central Texas resort that everyone is buzzing about. New news? The resort will begin taking reservations in mid-April, in advance of its opening in September. In addition, Canyon Ranch Austin announced that Michelin two-star Chef Val Cantú (from San Francisco’s Californios) joined as culinary director. Eating well and living well go hand-in-hand, after all.

Culinary Excellence as a Core Pillar of Wellness

Chef Cantú will lead the vision at Estella, the signature restaurant and culinary anchor of the property. The menu will showcase a wellness-driven interpretation of Mexican cuisine, shaped by Cantú’s “deeply personal connection to the footways of Texas.”

“Estella will be light, bright, fresh, and clean,” says Cantú, who was raised in Brownwood, Texas. “It’s a distilled version of what I do that will be focused on seasonality, sourcing, and the kind of delicious food that makes you feel good after you eat it.”

Canyon Ranch Austin’s appointment of Cantú underscores their commitment to culinary excellence as a core pillar of wellness, where food is “nourishing, cultural, emotional, and experiential.” Think a distilled version of Mexican cuisine that features seasonal ingredients that are carefully sourced and harmonious.

“Chef Val brings a rare combination of technical mastery, cultural authenticity, and emotional intelligence to his cooking,” says Mark Rivers, CEO at Canyon Ranch. “His approach aligns perfectly with how we think about wellness as intentional, thoughtful, and rooted in real life.”

“This is a homecoming for me. Cooking in the Hill Country allows me to return to the flavors, ingredients, and traditions that first shaped who I am,” says Cantu.

Women’s Wellness at Every Age

An emphasis on women’s wellness lies at the heart of Canyon Ranch Austin’s 600-acre wellness resort. It makes sense, then, why they tapped Larter for their Dallas event. The actress, in a tight asymmetrical leather dress, spoke to an intimate crowd of influential ladies who lunch (and learn) about the importance of wellness at every age.

I won’t bury the lede: Larter didn’t offer any secrets you haven’t heard before, unfortunately. She doesn’t take any shortcuts. She works hard, and the proof is in the (lack of) pudding:

• She swears by celery juice, which Larter drinks every morning.
• She eats a high-protein diet (“similar things each day”) and snacks on cashews.
• She works out at least five times a week. (“What I found is that you can’t take two, three weeks off, that just doesn’t work. It’s really staying disciplined.”)
• She moisturizes. Like a lot. (“I will put it on five times a day.”)

Looking every inch a movie star, Larter inspired the crowd of 5oish (in numbers and age) to sit a little taller… and get ready to book that trip to Canyon Ranch Austin. Surely that would kick off my wellness era in the most luxurious of fashions? When it opens, Canyon Ranch Austin will feature the largest spa in Texas and provide the most cutting-edge health and wellness services and innovations in the industry.

If you simply can’t get enough, perhaps you want to buy a place? Canyon Ranch Austin provides residents with access to 24/7 concierge medicine. Talk about a house call!

I must now wrap up this story. I have to moisturize (again)!