Hotel Dax, which will bring a new era of boutique hospitality to Addison when it opens in the coming weeks, has hired a restaurant veteran to lead its culinary program. Executive Chef Dustin Lee has already begin working with the four restaurants on property, including American bistro Top Brass, lobby-based Bar Dax, outdoor pool lounge Low Key, and Brewed, operated by the popular local coffee brand. Lee will also oversee in-room dining and catering at Hotel Dax.
Lee grew up in the oilfields of West Texas. After studying art at Stephen F. Austin University, he traveled the world, curating events for clients, investors and foreign dignitaries at some of the world’s finest restaurants and venues. Lee has studied the art of cooking in more than 40 countries including China, Argentina, Kazakhstan and India.
Lee was the chef-owner behind Beast and Company in Fort Worth, where his team earned critical acclaim and accolades including a spot on the Best New Restaurants list in Fort Worth Magazine upon its opening in 2022.
After Beast and Company closed, Lee led the opening of the dining outlets in the Loews Arlington Hotel including The Bar, Tomar el Sol, and Farena, the Loews’ award-winning signature Italian fine-dining concept.
Recently, Lee was tasked with transforming the food and beverage program at the Hilton College Station Hotel and Convention Center after its $28 million renovation. During his tenure, Lee overhauled the Banquets and Events offerings and changed the concept of the flagship restaurant, The Dean, to a wildly popular retro steakhouse. The Dean won OpenTable’s Diner’s Choice award in 2025.
“Chef Dustin has such an interesting background, studying food from around the world through his travels,” said Hotel Dax General Manager Erik Pedersen. “His global influences will definitely be felt on the culinary side of our new boutique hotel.”
Lee understands the importance of food as an experience in people’s lives.
“My favorite part of working in the hospitality industry is getting to help people celebrate special events in their lives with great food,” he said.
Designed for bold, curious travelers and local tastemakers, Hotel Dax marks a significant shift in Addison’s hotel market with a lifestyle-focused property designed to function as both a destination for travelers and meeting planners and as a social hub for locals. Located at 14315 Midway Road, the hotel will open with Phase One renovations completed, including nearly 32,000 square feet of beautifully redesigned meeting space, a resort-style pool, a Top Golf Swing Suite, and design-forward interiors by Dallas-based Merriman Anderson Architects.
A second phase of development planned for 2027 will include the reenvisioning and renovation of the hotel’s 426 guest rooms and suites, which already feature contemporary design and upscale finishes.
About Hotel Dax
Confident, connected, and unapologetically authentic, Hotel Dax leads a new era of boutique hospitality in Addison. Designed for bold, curious travelers and local tastemakers alike, Dax brims with neighborhood charm, equal parts design hub, social hangout, and culinary playground. It’s where Addison’s creative pulse meets its social heartbeat, turning every stay into a story worth sharing. Owned by Centurion American Development Group and managed by Dreamscape Hospitality, Hotel Dax is home to 426 beautifully appointed guest rooms and suites, nearly 32,000 square feet of meeting space and four unique dining and drinking establishments. For more information visit HotelDaxAddison.com.
