Has been involved in charity work with Burgers 4 Babies, an initiative he engaged in jointly with the Fort Worth NICU Helping Hands Foundation and Spoon Across America
Was honored with a nomination from the James Beard Foundation for his Food Network program "Cowboys on the Trail․"
He has previously been honored as the official chef of the annual Austin City Limits festival
A prominent citizen of the Dallas-Forth Worth area, he has owned and been executive chef for several local establishments, including the White Elephant Saloon and the Love Shack
He and his restaurant have been featured in multiple episodes of "Top Chef," including two where he was the competition's guest judge
His flagship restaurant, the Lonesome Dove Western Bistro, is located in the historic district of the Forth Worth Stockyards
Finished third in the first heat of a 2009 competition for "Top Chef Masters․"
His cuisine of choice is often referred to as "urban western․"
A staunch supporter of Texas cuisine and culture, he is known to wear a signature cowboy hat instead of the toque that most of his culinary peers prefer to use