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Stephan Pyles is a chef, cookbook author, philanthropist, and educator. Pyles is also one of the founding fathers of Southwestern cuisine. His creative dishes blend elements of Southern homestyle cooking, sophisticated Southwestern fare, Mexican food and Tex-Mex food, as well as Cajun cuisine and Creole cookery. Pyles, along with his colleagues, Dean Fearing, Robert Del Grande, and Anne Lindsay Greer contributed to changes in the cuisine of the U.S. states of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Pyles spent more than 25 years in the Dallas’ restaurant circuit, and was further the main creator of New Texas Cuisine. His first two restaurants were the business casual Routh Street Cafe which was founded in 1983 as well as a miniature version of said restaurant called Baby Routh. These restaurants are known for being the flagship of the Southwestern Cuisine explosion of the 1980s and 1990s. Since opening Routh Street Cafe, Pyles has opened some 15 restaurants, including Samar in the fall of 2009.
Pyles, a fifth-generation Texan, has received numerous awards as well as nationwide recognition. Bon Appétit credited Pyles with almost single-handedly changing the cooking scene in Texas. The New York Times called Pyles "an absolute genius in the kitchen." The Dallas Morning News further stated,"If anyone can lead this town to its next level of culinary evolution, it’s Stephan Pyles." Among his awards are the AAA Five Diamond Award; Nation’s Restaurant News’ Fine Dining Hall of Fame Award; Restaurants and Institutions’ 'Ivy Award' and the American Academy of Achievement Award. He was the first person from the Southwest to win a James Beard Award for 'Best Chef.' He was further the first Texas native inducted into 'Who’s Who of Food and Wine in America.' On top of all this he was awarded, 'Outstanding Restaurateur of the Year' by both the Minnesota Restaurant Association and Texas Restaurant Association. .
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