Stephen Pyles
Chef, Restaurateur, Cookbook Author
Dallas, Texas
An international authority on Southwestern cooking, Stephen Pyles is the chef/owner of Star Canyon, AquaKnox, and Fishbowl restaurants in Dallas, Texas and Star Canyon and Taqueria Canonita in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Stephen Pyles has received numerous accolades in publications ranging from Esquire to Gourmet Magazine. Bon Appetit declared that Pyles "almost single-handedly changed the cooking scene in Texas" which was clearly evident from the opening in 1994 of Star Canyon in Dallas. Resembling a sophisticated, contemporary Texas ranch, the restaurant and cuisine reflect the natural resources and heritage of Texas, along with the rich and diverse cultural heritage of the state. Star Canyon has received the AAA Five-Diamond Award, and was voted one of the Top 40 U.S. Eateries by Forbes Magazine (Spring, 1999). Also in Dallas is Pyles' AquaKnox, featuring "global water cuisine", and the adjacent, more informal Pan-Asian inspired Fishbowl. A second Star Canyon along with Taqueria Canonita has opened in Las Vegas at the world-renowned Venetian Hotel.
Pyles has always had a passion for ethnic ingredients and the creativity a visit to a fresh produce market inspires. He feels that one most always use the absolute best ingredients available, with attention focused on the season. The author of The New Texas Cuisine, New Tastes from Texas, and co-author of Tamales, with fellow Southwestern culinary pioneers Mark Miller and John Sedler, Pyles' is also the star/host of the PBS series The New Texas Cuisine's His latest book is definitely a departure from the quintessential Texas food repertoire of beef, barbecue, and barbecued beef. Stephen Pyles' Southwestern Vegetarian is a beautifully presented and photographed collection of approximately 200 recipes that showcase Phyles' mastery of Southwestern cuisine while at the same time displaying tremendous creativity. There's a bounty of vegetables, grains, legumes, chiles, and fruits that will be comfortably familiar and uniquely satisfying to lovers of Southwestern cooking.
One of only 5 chefs to prepare dinner for President Jimmy Carter's 70th birthday, Stephen Pyles has also cooked for HRH Queen Elizabeth II and for former Soviet Union Prime Minister Mikhail Gorbachev. He is also the Cuisine Consultant to American Airlines, Omni Hotels, and EuroDisney. Pyles' international activities include his position as a founding board member of Share Our Strength, the international hunger relief organization. He is also a lifetime board member of the North Texas Food Bank and co-founder of "The Hunger Link", a perishable food program that links restaurants and hotels with shelters and other feeding programs.
Stephen Pyles deserves a lot of credit for his culinary contribution to Southwestern and Texas cuisine, as well as for his work for those in need. At his Star Canyon restaurants, they say "the snakes are meaner and the grub is grander". I don't know about the snakes, but thanks to Stephen Pyles, the grub is definitely grander.
Restaurant Locations:
Star Canyon (Dallas)
3102 Oak Lawn Ave.
Dallas, Texas
(214) 520-7827
Star Canyon (Las Vegas)
Venetian Resort Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas, Nevada
(702) 414-3722
AquaKnox and Fishbowl
3214 Knox St.,
Dallas, Texas
(214) 219-2782
Taqueria Canonita
Venetian Resort Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas, Nevada
(702) 414-3773
