UPDATED: Oak Restaurant in Dallas’ Design District hires ex-Mansion chef Jason Maddy

He competed with chef David Bull on Iron Chef.

DALLAS — Oak, the restaurant in the Design District being opened by Tommy DeAlano of Candleroom fame and his partners Richard & Tiffanee Ellman, has hired chef Jason Maddy as chef.

"Jason Maddy will be our executive chef at Oak," said DeAlano. "We'll have a formal release next week."

(Well, actually, what he said at first was, "Who told you that?")

Netting Maddy is a big deal. A native of Austin, he was hired by John Tesar to be his chef de cuisine at the Mansion on Turtle Creek in 2008. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, he was chef de cuisine at Danube in New York City, and worked with David Bull at the Driskill Hotel; he was part of Bull's team when he challenged chef Bobby Flay on Iron Chef America.

UPDATE: On November 14, Oak announced more staffing for the kitchen with the hires of sous chefs Brian Zenner and Sarah Green, as follows:

Oak, a new restaurant opening soon in the Design District, is pleased to announce that Sous Chef Brian Zenner (formerly of The Mansion on Turtle Creek) and Sous Chef Sarah Green (formerly of The 2nd Floor Restaurant and Bar) have been hired as Sous Chefs to round out the kitchen team at Oak alongside Executive Chef Jason Maddy.

Sous Chef Brian Zenner began his culinary career in Austin, Texas in 2003 at the Driskill Hotel and graduated from the Texas Culinary Academy in 2004. After working at The Paggi House and Café Caprice in Austin, he moved to Portland, Oregon in search of new ingredients and inspired food. In Portland, Oregon he helped open Fenouil, a French brassiere, as a Sous Chef under Chef Pascal Chareau. Fenouil quickly became a star of Portland cuisine. From Fenouil Chef Zenner went on to open Matchbox Lounge as the Executive Chef and boasted a menu of organic and sustainable foods with a focus on small, elegant plates offered in a relaxed lounge setting. Returning home to Dallas in the summer of 2010, Chef Zenner took a position at the highly esteemed Mansion on Turtle Creek under Executive Chef Bruno Davaillon and Chef de Cuisine Jason Maddy.

Sous Chef Sarah Green, relatively new to the Dallas culinary scene, has spent the last three years working closely with Executive Chef J. Chastain at The 2nd Floor Restaurant and Bar. During her time there, she has taken over the entire pastry menu, as well as much of the brunch and many savory menu items. Currently she is anticipating her upcoming feature in the December issue of Dessert Professional, where she will be showcasing one of her signature desserts. Sarah is thrilled to be joining the top-notch team at Oak, as the next step in her blossoming career.