Meridian has been on a quiet roll since reopening at The Village Dallas last fall under executive chef Eduardo Osorio, and now the restaurant is doing something genuinely interesting with the momentum. Starting this month, Meridian is launching the Chef Collective, an ongoing dinner series built around the relationships Osorio has curried in the Dallas dining scene over the past few years. One-night-only events, different collaborators each time, no two dinners the same.
It’s a smart move. Osorio came up through serious kitchens — Catch Hospitality, the 50 Eggs group, Yardbird — and he’s spent enough time in Dallas now to have a real network. This series is the payoff on that. Not a marketing exercise dressed up as a dinner. The chefs on this list are people he actually cooks with, eats with, respects.
“This series is about cooking with people I genuinely admire and creating experiences that feel personal to all of us,” Osorio said. “Over the last few years, I’ve built incredible relationships in Dallas, and Meridian finally gives us a place to bring those collaborations to life in a way that feels fun, creative and welcoming for guests.”
The series kicks off Monday, May 18 with a Bar & Bites Industry Night alongside Chef Peja Krstic of Pillar and Mot Hai Ba, with mixologist Julian Shaffer behind the bar. The evening runs 7 to 11 p.m. and is built around seven à la carte appetizers, cocktails, and a DJ — loud, loose, the kind of night the industry shows up for. Reservations here.
Then on Sunday, May 31, Chef David Uygur of Lucia joins Osorio for a tasting menu priced at $185. The two chefs met through Meat Fight, the Dallas nonprofit that brings chefs and pitmasters together to raise money for multiple sclerosis research, and this dinner honors that. Twenty percent of proceeds go back to Meat Fight. Uygur’s Italian-inspired cooking paired against Meridian’s hearth-driven approach is going to be a good meal. Reservations here.
“What I love most is that no two dinners are going to look the same,” Osorio added. “Some will feel loud and energetic, others more intimate and refined, but every chef is bringing their own perspective into the kitchen. That keeps it exciting for us creatively and gives guests a reason to keep coming back.”
The series runs through September. Here’s the full calendar:
Saturday, June 6 — Chef AQ Pittman of Oh Hi! Hospitality. A Latin wood-fire experience — ceviche, crudo, tostadas — called Crudo y Fuego. À la carte.
Monday, June 15 — Chef RJ Yoakum of Sushi Kozy. California-inspired tasting menu, $185.
Saturday, July 18 — Chef Travis Wyatt of Mirador. Tea service-style tasting menu, price TBD.
Wednesday, July 29 — Chefs Josh & Brenda Sutcliff of Shua. Live fire and Vietnamese with a Texas lean. Tasting menu, $165.
Wednesday, August 12 — Chef Phillip Halff. A garden-driven, seasonal tasting menu celebrating friendship and technique. $165.
Wednesday, September 9 — Chef Benoit Dewitte of Bernard Dewitte Restaurant in Belgium, which has held a Michelin star since 2012. Tasting menu, $185. This one is going to sell out.
Meridian is open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday at The Village Dallas. Happy hour runs Wednesday through Friday, 4:30 to 7 p.m., with half-priced one-hitters, a $14 Buzzed & Aged Burger, and reduced pricing on cocktails, wine, and beer. Details and reservations for each Chef Collective event will be released two weeks before the date. Follow along at meridiantherestaurant.com.
