Join us on Saturday, October 4th at 7:30PM for an extraordinary evening in The Blue Room as we welcome William Chris Vineyards, one of Texas’ most acclaimed wineries. Guests will have the rare opportunity to share the evening with Chris Brundrett, Co-Founder & Owner of William Chris, and Chris Hillin, Vice President of William Chris, who will guide the dinner with stories of their craft and vision for Texas wine.
This intimate five-course dinner, curated by Executive Chef Preston Paine, will highlight the artistry of both food and wine. Dishes include Mussels Escabeche with grilled sourdough and confit garlic aioli, Seared Duck Breast with polenta, roasted mushrooms, and pumpkinseed gremolata, and a decadent finale of Double Chocolate Cake with espresso buttercream and whipped Mill-King cream. Each course will be paired with William Chris’ most expressive wines, including the vibrant Petillant Naturel Rosé, elegant Mary Ruth White, bold Mourvèdre from the Texas High Plains, a Crescent private label red blend, and a sneak preview of an unreleased port-style wine.
Learn MorePreston Paine is a Dallas, Texas, native and the Executive Chef at Emilia’s. Preston most recently competed in Food Network’s newest cooking competition, Ciao House, where he made it to the finals.
Starting at a young age, after spending time in the kitchen with a close family friend, Preston knew he wanted to create exquisite cuisine for people to enjoy. After graduating from Tulane University in New Orleans, where he studied business development with a focus on restaurant design, Preston returned to Dallas where began developing menus and design concepts for restaurants. He also had the opportunity to spend a year working as an onboard chef and traveling extensively along the Coast of Italy, which enabled him to develop his craft creating authentic Italian cuisine.
Prior to beginning his role at Emilia’s, he was the Executive Chef for Exxir Hospitality, working at Paradiso, Tejas, Mermaid, Botanist, and Casablanca, all found in the Bishop Arts District of Dallas. Preston is also the co-founder of Shug’s Bagels, one of Dallas’ best bagel shops. He has also served as the Culinary Director at Apheleia Restaurant Group, Chef De Cuisine at Catbird Restaurant, and was Chef de Partie at Eleven Madison Park, which retained its 3-Michelin Star status during his time with the restaurant.
We are thrilled to announce that The Blue Room has been nominated for Best New Restaurant at the 2025 CultureMap Fort Worth Tastemaker Awards!
