The forthcoming Waldorf Astoria Texas Hill Country in Fredericksburg isn’t messing around when it comes to luxury. The posh hotel has drafted Dominique Crenn, one of the most influential chefs of the 21st century, to helm its signature restaurant, opening in 2027.
Best known for her appearances on Iron Chef and other Food Network programs, Crenn has had one of the culinary world’s most stratospheric careers. In the 1980s, she helmed the Intercontinental Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia, becoming the nation’s first woman head chef. She became a household name after moving to California, opening her signature restaurant Atelier Crenn in 2011.
She was awarded the Best Female Chef Award in 2016 by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. In 2018, Atelier Crenn was awarded its third Michelin Star — making Crenn the only woman chef in the United States to have achieved that top honor. The food showcased in the 2022 horror classic The Menu? All Dominique Crenn.
“Chef Crenn is an extraordinary talent with a rare ability to draw out the essence of every ingredient, crafting a culinary experience unlike any other,” said Mark Harmon, developer of Waldorf Astoria Texas Hill Country, in a release. “With Chef Crenn, we aim to further elevate Fredericksburg’s identity as a leading wine and culinary destination by creating experiences that feel local, inspired, and enduring.”
Crenn’s restaurant will be the showpiece of the posh Fredericksburg hotel.Rendering courtesy of Waldorf Astoria Texas Hill Country
The unnamed restaurant will showcase Crenn’s unique approach to cuisine, a style she calls “poetic culinaria.” While rooted in French techniques, it will incorporate global flavors, premium seafood and meats, and locally sourced ingredients to showcase Hill County terroir. Guests can also expect a little avant-garde edge.
“The Texas Hill Country has a culinary rhythm all its own,” said Crenn in a statement. “This collaboration is a chance to celebrate the land, the people, and the seasons through a new lens — one that’s deeply personal, rooted in nature, and elevated by imagination. I’m honored to bring this vision to life in Fredericksburg, and to be partnering with such an excellent team of hospitality legends to see it through.”
Crenn will have some fancy digs to show off her culinary finesse. The Waldorf Astoria Texas Hill County, the first Texas hotel for the chain, will include 60 hotel rooms, 37 multi-bedroom resort villas, and 50 private residences. In addition to lodgings, the resort will also contain five food and beverage concepts — an all-day restaurant, a specialty restaurant, a bar and lounge, a pool bar, and a grab-and-go juice bar — a spa, a fitness center, and two resort-style pools.