Four days. That’s all it takes for permanent pop-up restaurant, Kitchen LTO, to get rid of the old, and start over with the new. Most restaurants take, you know, at least a month to turn around a space, but lightning speed is what Kitchen LTO (Limited Time Offer) in Trinity Groves is all about. Round one with Norman Grimm and Coeval Studios is done, and now we’re onto round two of the Kitchen’s existence.
Chef Norman Grimm will be serving his last meal on February 1 for dinner. On February 5, the new Kitchen LTO chef, Eric Shelton, will begin lunch service with his New American menu. Check out the press release if you still have questions.
KITCHEN LTO ANNOUNCES CHEF and DESIGNER WINNERS FOR 2nd ROUND
DALLAS, TX – January 13, 2014 – Casie Caldwell, Kitchen LTO creator, announces Eric Shelton has won the position of executive chef and Stefania Morandi has won the appointment of restaurant designer for the 2nd round of the permanent pop-up restaurant.
Scheduled to open for dinner on Wednesday, February 5th and for lunch Thursday, February 6th, Chef Eric Shelton is proposing a New American menu. Caldwell says, “Eric will be a perfect fit into the LTO family. His proposed menu is obviously a crowd pleaser; he combines seasonal flavors that are comfortable and palatable for the masses but he’s also not afraid to get creative for the adventurous food lover. Eric has a lot of exciting things planned, and I think both our regulars and newcomers will be thrilled with what he has in store. He’s definitely one to watch!” Independent designer Stefania Morandi, whose work includes Souk, Casa Rubia, Four Corners Brewery and more, has proposed a “black and white wonders” theme. Caldwell continues, “ She is incorporating a lot of charcoal greys and whites with legitimate/funky artwork and pops of color to give the space life. What I like about Stefania’s concept is that the design and décor is minimalistic, so that the food is the emphasis.”
Caldwell explains, “ We were fortunate to have so many talented chefs and designers as finalists for our second pop-up. Each of them is so unique and brings an interesting perspective.” After an extensive review process with the selection committee of many potential chefs and designers, the public had a chance to vote on the finalists, which consisted of 5 chefs and 3 design firms. Caldwell continues, “There’s no doubt they would all be a great fit for the project, and that’s why I find it a little bittersweet that we can only vote for one chef and one designer.”
ABOUT ERIC SHELTON
Chef Eric Shelton has over 15 years of culinary experience. Native to the changing seasons of Mystic, Connecticut, his interest in food started while growing produce alongside his mother in their home garden. The combination of harvesting vegetables and consuming out of the ordinary produce from the local market sparked Shelton’s interest in food.
Shelton learned his fundamental basics at Grasso Technical School and continued on to Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. While in school, he worked alongside Chef Franco Paterno at the Blue Fin Restaurant, housed in the Providence Marriott. Following his time in Rhode Island, Shelton moved to New Jersey to work as a sous chef for the Wyndham Hotel.
In 1998, Shelton moved to Texas to accept the executive chef position at the Wyndham Hotel in downtown Dallas. On his days off, Shelton worked with Chef David McMillan at the Nana Grill and Chef Marc Cassel at the Green Room in Deep Ellum. In 2003, he moved to Austin, Texas where he assumed the executive chef position for Culinaire International. Between spending time in the kitchens of The Driskill Hotel and The Four Seasons in Downtown Austin, Shelton made his way back to Dallas where he has been the executive chef of “M” Dining at the Music Hall.
ABOUT STEFANIA MORANDI
With an appreciation for details and the way things are arranged, Stefania’s favorite style is contemporary design because she is able to maximize her imagination and creativity. Hailing from Brescia, Italy, Stefania studied at the Politecnico di Milano and earned a degree in Interior Design. She began her professional design work in Florence at Palazzo Strozzi before moving to Dallas in 2012.
Morandi was the lead designer for Souk, Four Corners Brewery, Casa Rubia and Kate Weiser’s pop-up Chocolatier at The Hilton Anatole. She also created the executive drawings for the façade of Amberjack and Resto Gastro Bistro.
Kitchen LTO – 3011 Gulden Lane, Suite 108 Dallas, Texas 75212 www.kitchenlto.com.
