Chicago Chef Danny Grant Brings Michelin Star Pedigree to a Pair of New Downtown Restaurants

Two-time Michelin-starred chef Danny Grant, who leads the kitchen at celebrated Chicago steakhouse Maple & Ash, has just announced the opening of two new restaurants in Dallas’s brand new ultra-ritzy Thompson Hotel. Monarch, a wood-fired modern Italian eatery, and Kessaku, a luxury sushi restaurant, are both slated to open in Spring 2021. They will be located on the 49th and 50th floors of Downtown’s historical National building, at 206 North Akard Street, alongside the newly-opened Thompson Hotel.

Grant first gained fame in 2011, when he earned a Michelin star for his work at the critically-acclaimed RIA in Chicago. He earned a second star the next year. In Dallas, Monarch will serve handmade pasta, steaks and grilled seafood, many dishes cooked in a wood-fired hearth at the center of the restaurant. The restaurant’s interior is expected to be ultra-luxe, with two floors, a grand staircase, a “towering” wine cellar and private dining spaces.

Kessaku, sharing part of the 50th floor with Monarch, will focus on lavish, high quality sushi and cocktails, with an extensive sake menu.

The arrival of Chef Danny Grant to Dallas is the second major restaurant announcement for the Thompson Hotel. Last month, the hotelier opened Nine, a vibrant breakfast and lunch spot, on its ninth floor, and Catbird, a swanky rooftop lounge and cocktail bar decorated with details like hand-painted wallpaper and Damien Hirst artworks.

• The Thompson Hotel Opens With Two Luxe New Restaurants in Downtown Dallas [EDFW]