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As executive chef at Austin's Driskill Grill, Bull was nominated for Best New Chef Southwest by the James Beard Foundation, and his restaurant topped the Statesman rankings for three years in a row. During that time, Bull also made a celebrated appearance on the television show Iron Chef America, cooking secret ingredient wild boar against celebrity chef Bobby Flay.
Bull left the Driskill in 2007 and now works as the executive chef at Bolla, a modern Italian restaurant at Dallas' Stoneleigh Hotel & Spa. He got his start in Dallas, working at The Mansion on Turtle Creek and becoming the youngest sous-chef in the restaurant's history.
Austinist is a proud media sponsor of the 2009 Texas Hill Country Food and Wine Festival, which runs April 16-19 at venues throughout Austin. [Homepage|Participants|Locations|Tickets]
What types of dishes have you become known for at Bolla? Is the Italian cuisine closer to your roots than the Southwest-inspired fare at the Driskill?
Italian cuisine is definitely closer to my family roots but we still play off of what is in peak season and what are guests are telling us. We are also in the process of opening up the menu to a variation on new American cuisine as well. We have become well-known for our minestrone soup, our roasted beet salad, and our osso bucco.
What are the differences you've found between the dining scenes in Dallas and Austin? What has remained the same?
There are so many more restaurants in Dallas versus Austin, which raises the bar and creates a constant state of pressure. There are no "off nights". On the same note it makes all the restaurants better. The competition breeds a better product overall.
You found success as a young sous-chef at The Mansion on Turtle Creek. What advice would you give aspiring chefs coming out of culinary school?
Ask a million questions and don't settle. Work for a chef that is willing to teach and train you. Challenge yourself every day to learn from everyone around you.
How was your experience on Iron Chef America? Would you consider doing the show again?
Absolutely! it was a pure thrill and a memory that I will have for a very long time! When it came time to hit the board, (chef de cuisine) Josh (Watkins), (sous chef) Jason (Maddy) and I never looked back. It was probably the most seamless, streamlined "service" that I have every had; we knew each other's moves and could anticipate every step. It was an amazing experience.
What do you enjoy about participating in the Hill Country Wine and Food Festival?
The festival has always been about the heart and soul of Texas. It represents real people, real food, and the good times when people come together. There is no pretension or assumption; come as you are and have a good time. You don't find that at a lot of food festivals.
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