Stars Grill Room has announced a new head chef, Daniel Wade, reigniting a wave of updates which began in September with the rebrand of the restaurant’s rooftop terrace now known as Satellite Bar.
Chef Daniel Wade’s culinary journey began working under a Michelin star chef in his home state of Texas. While he didn’t possess formal culinary schooling, Daniel quickly realized he had the backbone and passion to make the kitchen his home and committed to driving two and a half hours each day to gain valuable, hands-on experience from Chef Ken Wilkinson.
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After honing his skills under the guidance of Chef Ken, Daniel ascended through the culinary ranks at various prestigious kitchens including the Baylor Club in McLane Stadium where he catered to gatherings of up to 2500 guests at a time. He then took on the role of executive sous chef at Barnett’s Whiskey House before assuming the position of executive chef at Moroso’s Fine Italian. In a true testament to his dedication, Daniel extended his culinary expertise to private dining experiences including whiskey pairings and wine dinners.
These kitchens provided him with opportunities to experience new techniques before Daniel opened his Argentinian live-fire pop-up in Waco. Without a kitchen, food truck, or brick-and-mortar, Daniel utilized the live fire and a few tables to share the locally-sourced vegetables and meat that he loved to cook – his favorite dish being smoked lamb shank over cactus grits.
When it was time to move on from the pop-up, Daniel threw a dart on a map and took a bold leap of faith to head south and serve as the executive chef at Stars Grill Room. Daniel’s goal is to bring Stars back to its original glory, introducing his extensive and diverse culinary experience to breathe new life into the space.
Stars Grill Room is located at 495 King St. Stay updated on upcoming announcements and offerings by visiting @starsrestaurant.
