Chef Wes Whitsell Transforms Dallas’ Georgie to Southern Comfort Food Haven With a Fine Dining Twist

Just over a month ago, we announced that one of the most talked-about restaurants in Dallas over the past couple of years, Michelin-recommended Georgie, would be switching things up again in Knox-Henderson. Parent company Travis Street Hospitality (Le PasSage, Knox Bistro, Frenchie) had brought on North Texas-born Wes Whitsell as its new executive chef. The menu has now officially been transformed, and we got a first taste of Whitsell’s Southern comfort cuisine with a fine dining twist.

Born in Princeton, Texas, Chef Whitsell started out working on his family’s Whitsell Farms. The McKinney High School grad went on to Sam Houston State University. But it was in California that he realized that he wanted to become a chef.

“I’d always dreamed of living in California, so after college, I packed up and made the move,” Whitsell tells PaperCity. “I didn’t realize I wanted to become a chef until I got there and met Travis Lett. Helping him open Gjelina and connecting with the local farmers opened my eyes to what food could be: honest, seasonal, deeply rooted in community. That’s when I knew being a chef was my calling.”

Whitsell’s experience also includes Los Angeles concepts Osteria La Buca, Manuela, Blair’s, and Hatchet Hall — where he earned the restaurant a Michelin star. Most recently, he opened The Beach by Ours in Bali. He was not unfamiliar with Travis Street Hospitality (TSH), as he served as Executive Chef at Up on Knox (now Knox Bistro) in 2017. He says that he stayed in touch with TSH founder Stephan Courseau over the years and took the opportunity to move back home when it was offered.

“Coming back to Texas was about family, both being closer to them and helping move our family farm into its next generation,” Whitsell says. “The opportunity itself was really intriguing, and I was drawn to the challenge. I’d never worked in fine dining before, and stepping into that space felt out of my comfort zone, but that’s where the growth and the glory live.”

A New Direction at Georgie

If you didn’t know about the new direction at Georgie, you’re in for a surprise when you dine in.

Instead of intricately plated microgreens and creative twists on classic French cooking (which was delicious in its own way, earned the restaurant a Michelin nod, and gained former Executive Chef RJ Yoakum a James Beard Award finalist nomination), diners will delight in elevated comfort food made with Texas ingredients. Georgie’s new menu will rotate seasonally, as Chef Whitsell incorporates vegetables from his family’s North Texas farm. Currently, you’ll find Whitsell Farms’ okra and braised purple hulled peas under the vegetables portion of the menu.

“The inspiration really comes from the way I like to eat — simple, honest food that’s deeply connected to family and the land,” Whitsell says. “I grew up around people who cooked what they raised and made the most of what they had. That sense of comfort and connection is what I wanted to bring to this menu.”

A First Taste of the New Menu at Georgie

On a recent visit to the Travis Street spot, we started with the Anson Mills cornbread — a dish that Chef Whitsell has been cooking up for many years. It’s something you can still order at Hatchett Hall in Los Angeles. It comes topped with a big dollop of butter and features Texas honey, Padron nardello, and shishito. It’s the perfect starter to a meal at Georgie.

Whitsell says that most of the other dishes were created just for Georgie, including the pimento cheese gougères, his grandma’s dinner rolls, the Texas venison loin, the Castelfranco salad, the halibut, the duck, the hand pies, the banana pudding banoffee pie, the chocolate cheesecake, and the rice pudding.

“Even the baked potato,” he says. “I’ve made it a thousand times, but never actually put it on a menu before.”

He continues: “Some of the dishes are versions of things I was cooking back in California. I needed to tap back into that part of myself to anchor this menu. The cooking will always have that Southern lean, but we’re constantly evolving. My CDC [Chef de Cuisine], David Vatran, is a big part of that process — we’re always creating and refining together to keep things fresh.”

We highly recommend trying the Castelfranco salad. It was a favorite because of the Medjool dates, pear, and shallot vinaigrette — making it a light, but flavorful starter. We also loved the venison tartare with a deliciously savory tonnato sauce, and Amberjack crudo topped with apple, horseradish, citrus vinaigrette, and smoked chili oil.

For mains, our server suggested the Sakura pork chop. I’m usually skeptical of pork chops, because my dad always overcooked them growing up (sorry, Dad). Still, he did always serve them with applesauce and a Peter Brady impression, so there was a great sense of nostalgia when I saw that Whitsell’s iteration came with apple butter. They were also the most tender pork chops I’ve ever had. Order it.

We also enjoyed the dry-aged duck breast with braised endive and a crême fraîche with blueberry agrodolce. For sides, you can’t miss the simple and comforting loaded baked potato, but it was the Japanese sweet potato that had just been added to the menu that I found most intriguing. A handful of two-bite-sized potatoes is served with coconut yogurt with mint, smoked Fresno chili oil, and crispy shallots. I can’t stop thinking about them. Which, for someone who goes to new restaurants every week, is a rare thing.