The 210-room Thompson Dallas hotel welcomed Matthew Demery as its executive chef in mid-September. He brings nearly 20 years of culinary experience to the role, most recently serving as executive chef at Miraval Arizona Resort and Spa in Tucson, where he championed a dining program centered on sustainability, seasonality, and mindful eating.
At the Dallas property, Demery oversees all food and beverage operations, including for the hotel’s Little Daisy bistro, Catbird restaurant and rooftop lounge, pool bar, in-room dining services, and events and banquets.
“Chef Demery brings extensive culinary experience leading kitchens across Hyatt’s portfolio in the U.S. and Asia, with particular strength in banquets and large-scale events,” says Jack Murray, director of sales and marketing at the hotel, in a prepared statement. “He builds collaborative teams and translates that into food people remember, and that carries through everything from Little Daisy and Catbird to weddings and galas in The National Ballroom.”
Demery’s culinary career began with his time serving in the U.S. Coast Guard, during which he shadowed the ship’s chef and learned to make his first pot of étouffée (a classic Cajun and Creole dish featuring shellfish in a flavorful gravy served over white rice). He then graduated from the now-closed New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont, with an Associate of Arts and Sciences degree in culinary arts and chef training, followed by professional stints at hotels in Washington, D.C.; San Francisco; Indonesia; and China.
“Food should tell you something true about the place where you’re eating it,” says Demery. “That starts with a team that trusts each other enough to bring their own point of view to the table, whether it’s a technique from Shanghai or a flavor from someone’s own family. At Little Daisy, that means French technique built around Texas produce. At Catbird, it’s smaller plates that reward a night out. Dallas has one of the most ambitious food scenes in the country right now, and my goal is for our kitchen to be part of that conversation.”
Among Thompson Dallas’ meeting spaces are The National Ballroom, which spans 14,000 square feet, as well as several smaller boardrooms. Catbird’s dining room and two patio spaces are available for event rentals, with the former accommodating up to 174 people. The restaurant’s L-Shaped Patio is an outdoor venue for up to 100 attendees, while its Events Terrace comprises an indoor and outdoor space that, when combined, suit up to 180 attendees.
