Best Bests

BEST GOURMET INSTRUCTOR: Jean-Claude Prevot

Art of Cooking, 4813 W. Lovers Lane

Phone:352-7211

Hours: by class

Cost: $120 for six lessons

While most boys were playing soccer, 15-year old Jean-Claude was beginning his culinary career in Europe’s finest schools. Now nearly 20 years later, the tousle-haired Frenchman has a delicious school for food lovers. With classes limited to eight, his students themselves decide what they want to learn (a cheap dinner for ten; a quick, easy-to-make supper for the in-laws; an exotic usually-hard-to-make chocolate souffle). At the end of each class, the lesson is eaten in the school dining room. His students include business executives, top notch cookbook worms, house-wives, college students and, on the weekend, children – who claim the ice cream recipe is the best in the world. Some classmates have been known to have reunions, while others are trying for their master’s with their fifth set of lessons.



BEST WALLPAPER HANGER: Leland Chamness

Self-employed; makes “house” calls.

Phone: 348-5359

Hours; by appointment

Cost: depends upon extent of work

Dallas’ leading interior decorators coo and rave about Leland with the simple praise, “He’s great. You should see what he can do with fabrics and wall coverings. Molding is nothing to Leland.” He evidently has never met a cabinet he couldn’t cover. May be hard to reach during working hours… but keep trying. It’s worth it.



BEST BOOT REPAIRER: Cleeve DeBrewe

Shoe Craft Western Repair, 1307 Commerce

Phone: 748-1543

Hours: Mon.-Sat., 8-6

Cost: depends upon extent of work

He’s been in the shoe trade a long time. “I guess I was 16 or 17, when I started in the Red Star Saddle and Pony Shop in Oklahoma,” recalls Cleeve, now 61 going on 62. He worked on St. Paul for some 15 years, but moved his operations to Commerce. Because of lack of space, he has focused on boot work, but he is still fondly remembered for his fine craftsmanship with luggage and shoes. Come July, Cleeve will be handing over the reins of his shop to his son, Billy Joe, who has worked with his dad and is presently finishing college. He’s got some big boots to fill.

BEST CAKE ARTIST: Flo Curts

The Cakery, 2800 Routh (the Quadrangle)

Phone: 748-3903

Hours: Mon. thru Sat.; hours vary, generally 9-5:30

Cost: starts at $9 for a 9″ by 13″ sheetcake

Flo and her staff make an ordinary birthday cake a Cecil B. DeMille production. The standard flowered cake just doesn’t cut it with this bunch. Examples of their artistry can be found in the scrapbook kept on the counter: cakes shaped like Coke bottles, three-dimensional Dallas skylines, the front pages of the local newspapers (with date, headlines and logos), and anything else worthy of their honorees. The popular frosting portraits are done by the capable hands of Flo’s son James, the Rembrandt of the cake world. Bring in a photo of your favorite birthday boy or girl. Next thing you know, it’ll be a big tasty reprint. Call early … they’re perfectionists and like enough time to do it right.

BEST FARRIER: O. C. Gooden

Self-employed; makes house calls (or is it horse calls?)

Phone:691-0367

Hours: by appointment

Cost: depends upon extent of work

Working the Dallas horse circuit since the ’40’s, Dr. Gooden’s professional concern is the condition of the horse’s feet. A master farrier (equivalent to a college master’s degree), he does more than just make sure the shoes stay on. The type of work he does depends upon the type of work his “customers” do. As a simple example, jumpers need pads plus shoes to soften the impact weight put on the hooves. If you call for an appointment, you might talk with Mrs. Gooden, who assists her equine podiatrist.



BEST NAILWRAPPER: Pat Roberson

Marie Leavell’s, 147 Inwood Village

Phone: 357-6441

Hours: Tues. thru Sat. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (last appointment)

Cost: $15

When nails are short or broken, Pat uses her New York technique for first aid. The year-old process consists of wrapping tissue paper (with special solution) around the nail and shaping it. Even clients swear they can’t tell the true from the tissue. But the best is yet to come. While clients flaunt their exquisite fakes, the natural nails are growing protected by the tissue. While other fake nail methods have been found to do more damage than good, the end result of Pat’s technique is long, strong, tapered nails. For some of her old time customers, Pat makes emergency house calls.