Knife Steakhouse, the acclaimed dining destination at The Highland Dallas, announces it will embark on an exciting new chapter, reintroducing itself in January 2025 as Knife Steak & Seafood. With this transformation, Chef John Tesar aims to create a more approachable version of Knife & Spoon, his restaurant located at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, which earned a Michelin star in 2022 and 2023.
Chef Tesar’s vision for Knife Steak & Seafood is to bring the best of both his steak and seafood expertise to Dallas. “After ten incredible years as Knife Steakhouse, it’s time for a new adventure,” says Tesar. “We’re taking what we’ve learned over the past decade, combined with the successes from Knife & Spoon in Orlando, to create an updated offering that gives Dallas the Michelin-star experience it deserves, especially with the Guide now entering our city.”
This reconceptualization coincides with a $13 million renovation of The Highland Dallas, under new management beginning in November 2024. The transformation includes a complete overhaul of guest rooms, bathrooms, a full renovation of the lobby, and a multi-phase upgrade to the restaurant. The first phase of the restaurant’s upgrade will introduce a sophisticated cocktail lounge extending from the bar into the lobby, with the official transition to Knife Steak & Seafood set for early 2025.
Pat Lowery, Co-Founder and Principal at Lennox Capital Partners, shares his enthusiasm for the project: “We’re excited to begin a comprehensive $13 million renovation at The Highland Dallas, which will position the hotel as one of the top destinations in the city for years to come. The refreshed design and the new Knife Steak & Seafood will offer a dining and hospitality experience that matches the dynamic culinary scene in Dallas, especially with Michelin’s arrival.”
A key element in this next chapter is the legacy of Spoon Bar & Kitchen, Tesar’s critically acclaimed Dallas restaurant that operated from 2012 to 2014. Spoon received national and worldwide recognition, including being named one of Bon Appétit’s Top 50 Best New Restaurants in 2013 and featured in Conde Nast Traveler’s “The Best New Restaurants in the American South” and “70 Best New Restaurants in the World” lists in 2013. It also made Texas Monthly’s list of Texas’s Best New Restaurants in 2014. Spoon’s innovative approach to seafood and elevated dishes provided the foundation for what would later become Knife & Spoon in Orlando, and now, it serves as an inspiration for the new iteration of Knife Steak & Seafood.
Reflecting on the decision to make this change now, Chef Tesar explains, “Knife has been open for ten years, and while our business remains vibrant, it feels like the right time in my life to return to Knife and get back to its kitchen. With the launch of Knife Steak & Seafood, I want to reconnect with the restaurant and give back to the Dallas dining community that has supported me over the years.”
In addition to Tesar’s signature dry aged program, guests can look forward to an array of new seafood dishes, drawing inspiration from beloved dishes from both Knife & Spoon (Orlando, FL) and Spoon Bar & Kitchen (Dallas, TX 2012 -2014), but adapted to suit the Dallas location’s ambiance. The result will be a more affordable, approachable version of what Chef Tesar has successfully created in Orlando.
Fans of Knife Steakhouse can still enjoy their favorite dishes at the Plano location, which will continue operating as Knife Steakhouse. For those craving Chef Tesar’s signature dry-aged steaks paired with Italian-inspired dishes, his new restaurant, Knife Italian Steak, at The Ritz Dallas, Las Colinas, is the perfect destination.
Chef John Tesar’s illustrious career spans over six decades, with a notable gastronomic footprint in the Southwest and East Coast. Known for his classically trained approach to seafood and steakhouse cuisine, Tesar has been touted for reinventing the steakhouse dining experience. Knife Steakhouse, which opened in May 2014, has earned numerous accolades, including being named one of the “40 Most Important Restaurants of the Decade” by Esquire in 2019.
