Spencer Taylor Memorial Scholarship Fundraiser
Joanne Bondy
An American chef since an early age, she holds the position of Executive Chef of The Old Hickory Steakhouse
at the Gaylord Texan. Prior to this she held the position of Executive Chef/Partner of Ciudad D.F.. A restaurant,
where the food is contemporary, authentic and creative…and was placed on Esquire’s list of 20 Best New Restaurants
in America, 2001.
Joanne grew up in Lakeland, Florida. She discovered an interest for food through travel and odd jobs in
restaurants during her teens. She was surrounded with fresh and adventurous flavors, as she grew up in the
southeastern United States, an area rich with many southern delicacies, Cuban delights, and coastal Floridian
cuisines. Her Southern heritage was passed from her grandparents to her parents, who shared a joyous appreciation
for the celebration of food with their children. (Joanne's grandfather owned the first grocery store in Bradenton,
Fla.)
While graduating with a degree from Appalachian State in Banking and Finance, it didn’t take long for Joanne to
realize her passion and desire to work with food. She stepped into a world full of many surprises and has never
looked back. Joanne began her training with the Marriott Corporation in Tampa, Florida. At the Westshore Marriott
she learned basic culinary and managerial skills. These skills took her to the Worthington Hotel in Fort Worth,
where she was soon promoted to Sous Chef and then to Bakery Chef and Manager.
Joanne then moved to Atlanta, where she was Executive Chef for two fine dining restaurants. She then formed her
own business, specializing in cheesecakes, pastries and wedding cakes. With private catering and freelance work,
she continued to evolve her culinary talents.
Due to her exciting abilities, Joanne was recruited to open the exciting new restaurant venture formed by Muriel
Hemmingway, Sam’s Café. The restaurant, specializing in southwestern cuisine, introduced a new implosion of flavors
to Dallas!
The most challenging position soon followed, as Joanne joined the culinary renowned Fairmont Hotel. As the Banquet
Chef, she was praised for designing the most imaginative and creative food events for Dallas’ Society, with revenues
exceeding 10 million dollars annually. In 1994, Joanne was awarded Manager of the Year at the Fairmont, a celebration
of her leadership and inspiration, garnering the praise and admiration of her peers.
The Arizona Biltmore, recognizing Joanne’s accomplishments, sought her as the Chef de Cuisine for Wright’s, their award
winning, and gourmet-dining restaurant. While at the Biltmore, Joanne became involved in the local community,
representing the culinary team in the media and many local events. She then had the extraordinary experience of
working with prestigious winemaker’s for Wright’s wine dinner series. Through these wine dinners, she was extended
an invitation to attend the American Harvest Workshop, sponsored by the Cakebread Winery and was featured in Culinary
Trends Magazine.
Finally the last of her corporate adventures, Joanne then accepted a position with the Beau Rivage Resort in Biloxi,
Mississippi, part of the Mirage Hotel Group. There, she was charged with the role of designing and developing the menu
concepts of three restaurants for the opening of the resort, exceeding all expectations.
Through a friendship with Monica Greene, a renowned Dallas restaurateur, Joanne, becoming restless to create a new concept,
sought a new adventure. Therefore, Ciudad came to fruition.
The excitement of exposing a misunderstood cuisine was their motivation. The history and cuisine of the French, Spanish,
Aztec and Mayan, made for an enticing and historically new culinary venture, never before experienced in Dallas. This
created a new arena for Joanne to share the varieties and techniques of her food through teaching culinary courses around
the city.
The food and staff at Ciudad continues to receive many accolades. In Paper City, John Mariani has designated Ciudad as one
of the top 10 restaurants in the state, as well as receiving 4 1/2 stars by the Dallas Morning News. Metropolitan Home
featured Ciudad as “the real zing”, which relates to Joanne’s fondness for creating an enjoyable environment for food and
drink. Joanne and the staff at Ciudad cooked for a sell out crowd at the James Beard House for Dia Des Los Muertos. Joanne
was also invited back the next year to cook for the James Beard Annual Culinary Awards Ceremony.
Joanne’s philosophy continues to focus on fresh ingredients, a creative working environment and most importantly, the ability
to grow and be adventurous. To be able to share her love for what she enjoys, and to share that love with others, brings her
great satisfaction. After all, she simply wants a place where people can come to create memories, and enjoy an unforgettable
dining experience.
This year Joanne has been involved with several newly published cookbooks and has been filmed on The Food Network, The CBS
Early Show and several PBS Documentaries including "A Tribute to Julia Childs."
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