As a fifth-generation Texan and a celebrated chef and cookbook author whose career spans four decades, it’s no wonder that Chef Stephan Pyles is one of the most revered culinary voices in America. With a pioneering spirit, he helped define a new era in Dallas dining, and is regarded as one of the founding fathers of modern Texas cuisine. Over the years, his boundless creativity has led to the opening of 23 restaurants across seven states, each one a testament to his innovation, artistry, and deep connection to his Texas roots.
He helms the kitchen at the Seeker today, a landmark restaurant located at the Interstate Inn in Stephenville. The boutique lodging destination is a Mod Motels property, and has swiftly become a destination among foodies, largely in part to its star chef.
The Chef
Pyles’ experience with hospitality dates back to his early years when he worked at his family’s Truck Stop Cafe in Big Spring, but it wasn’t until he experienced haute cuisine for the first time during a trip to France, that his love affair with cooking began. A young Pyles was invited to the Great Chefs of France Cooking School at the Mondavi Winery where he was a chef’s assistant and honed his chops alongside such lauded names as Michel Guerard, Jean and Pierre Troigros, Alain Chapel, Paul Bocuse and Gaston LeNotre. It was also here that he met and worked with Julia Child, who inspired him through her craft and a budding friendship.
In 1983, Pyles opened his first restaurant in Dallas, Routh Street Cafe, which was awarded an illustrious five stars from the Dallas Morning News, and earned him countless accolades from outlets in Texas and beyond.
While Pyles went on to build a robust career in hospitality, Dallas remained the fire that fueled him from within. “When I’ve opened restaurants in different cities and states, people assume I live there, and I say ‘No, no no, I would never leave Dallas’” he says. “It’s been good to me and my inspiration.”
He credits the city’s energy, its ability to evolve, and the influence of Texas on his culinary philosophy as the foundation of what continues to inspire him today. “I’m a fifth-generation West Texan; there’s no way of getting that out of my blood,” he says. “Texas was an inspiration to me long before I knew that it was.”
The Restaurant
At the Seeker, his version of modern Texas cuisine is on full display in all of its glory. The menu showcases a combination of classic dishes and family recipes that Pyles has adapted to make his own.
Honey fried chicken with mashed potato tots and buttermilk biscuits was created from his grandmother’s recipe and reads like pure tradition. Pyles takes “poetic license” to elevate it by brining and cooking the chicken sous vide, then injecting a baster of warm local honey into the flesh after it’s cooked. “I hope my grandmother isn’t rolling over in her grave,” he says, laughing. “I think she’s fine with it.”
Pyles is nothing if not one to take risks and creative liberties. Looking back, it was his undaunted approach to becoming a restaurant owner, and his fearlessness, that paved his way forward. “I opened a restaurant that cost one million-five, back in ‘83,” he explains. “There was a lot of risk involved, but I didn’t see it.”
He acknowledges a whole new generation of chefs and restaurateurs that are manifesting an “exciting time” for Dallas dining, of which he proudly laid the groundwork for. He takes a page from his own journey to offer words of encouragement. “You have to take the dive,” he says. “If you feel it in your heart and bones, and you’re good at it, it will probably work.”
The Takeover
Pyles is giving readers a chance to get a sneak peek of his life at the Seeker when he takes over DiningOut’s Instagram on Thursday, October 2. The celebrated chef will take viewers inside the kitchen, and share the nuances of prepping ingredients alongside his team. He will share the step by step process of and making some of his famed dishes, and give viewers some insight into his brilliant technique.
Check out the Instagram takeover on Thursday, October 2 to get an inside look at a day in the life of chef Stephan Pyles, and tune in for the chance to win a $100 gift card to the Seeker.
