Matthew McCallister

“Food is simple,” says Chef Matthew McCallister, executive chef of Commons Club at Virgin Hotels Dallas. “That’s what I excel at. I try to take ingredients at the height of their season and prepare them simply without fussing over it too much.”

Before opening his Highland Park hotspot Homewood in 2019, McCallister built his reputation in Dallas’ Design District at the now shuttered FT33 where he earned spots on Bon Appétit magazine’s Best New Chef and Top 50 New Restaurants lists, and nominations for multiple James Beard Awards. From the start, McCallister’s approach to food has always been about his relationship with local farms where he sources fresh, seasonal ingredients. “Cooking with local ingredients that are in season is the most sustainable approach,” says McCallister.