After the recent and swift departure of its executive chef, Dallas restaurant Georgie will get a new leader who isn’t actually new at all.
Chef Bruno Davaillon — who opened the short-lived but lauded restaurant Bullion and who serves as the culinary director for Georgie’s parent company Travis Street Hospitality — will be the restaurant’s permanent executive chef.
In an interview with The Dallas Morning News, Stephan Courseau, founder of Travis Street Hospitality, said Davaillon will take over the kitchen after Thanksgiving.
“It’s a natural evolution,” Courseau said. “Bruno is the best I can think of to be at the helm there.”
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Davaillon would have taken over Georgie’s kitchen earlier this year when its previous executive chef RJ Yoakum abruptly departed, Courseau said, but at the time, the restaurant group was opening Frenchie where Davaillon was needed.
Instead, chef Wes Whitsell, who was the executive chef for one of Courseau’s Dallas restaurants in 2017, was hired in September as Georgie’s new executive chef, but that lasted a little more than a month and a half.
Whitsell’s departure last week was a mutual decision, Courseau said.
“We’ve always had a great relationship,” he said. “The truth is, I think he never really found his footing there. I believe that he was expecting something different and wasn’t really happy at the end of the day. That’s all there is. Wes is a fantastic talent. I don’t want people to think we didn’t believe in him.”
Courseau made it clear Davaillon’s appointment is not a temporary fix; it’s a new era.
“We are not going to look for anyone else,” Courseau said. “He is going to be the guy. I don’t foresee any changes happening over there for a long time.”
In what direction Davaillon takes Georgie is entirely up to him, Courseau added, but he expects the French chef to lean into what he knows and is known for — French fine dining.
Georgie executive sous chef Reilly Brown prepares for dinner before the live stream presentation of the Michelin awards, November 11, 2024. Georgie was invited to the awards ceremony in Houston and received a Recommendation.
Tom Fox / Staff Photographer
Davaillon’s takeover of Georgie’s kitchen comes at an interesting time. Michelin is keeping a close eye on the restaurant as its anonymous inspectors have twice included it amongst Recommended restaurants in the Michelin Guide Texas. Courseau said getting a Michelin Star was a goal for Yoakum, but he doesn’t think it will be for Davaillon.
“If Michelin recognizes the work, great, because I certainly believe he deserves one,” Courseau said, “but that’s not the quest, that’s not the goal.”
Davaillon’s menu changes, at least significant ones, likely won’t happen until mid- to late January, Courseau said. He said they are pretty happy with the menu currently in place and will keep the status quo through the busy holiday season ahead.
While Georgie will be his full charge, Davaillon will still serve as culinary director for Travis Street Hospitality.
Georgie is located at 4514 Travis St., Suite 132, Dallas. georgiedallas.com.
Stephan Courseau (right) and chef Bruno Davaillon, who is the culinary director for Travis Street Hospitality, opened Le PasSage along the Katy Trail in Dallas last year.
Tom Fox / Staff Photographer