Before Graham Elliot became a Michelin-starred chef in Chicago and later, a TV chef with appearances on the Food Network, Bravo, and PBS, the bespectacled celebrity was working the line at restaurants in Dallas. Recently, he returned to Texas to join forces with Felipe Armenta and Far Out Hospitality to open multiple concepts, including a steakhouse in Midland and a French bistro in Fort Worth, with additional restaurants coming soon.
Most recently, they opened Le Margot together, a “French-inspired,” from-scratch restaurant that made its debut in late June.
Elliot began partnering with Armenta after the pandemic settled down when he was looking for new opportunities.
“I had heard of Felipe Armenta and what he was doing. We connected, and it was serendipitous timing,” Elliot said. “He was looking for a culinary partner to grow and expand the brand. It was a great fit, and I’ve always loved Texas.”
Armenta’s Far Out Hospitality is behind a stable of popular restaurants in Fort Worth, including Pacific Table, Maria’s Mexican Kitchen, Tavern, Towne Grill and Press Cafe. Elliot joined the group nine months ago, and the two quickly got to work on Cowboy Prime, a fine-dining steakhouse in Midland that opened in December. Le Margot is the latest restaurant added to its portfolio.
Everything from the cuisine to the décor, staff uniforms and service is French-inspired at Le Margot. Starters range from oysters and beef tartare, to salads and a selection of tarte flambees, while entrees include steak frites, filet au poivre, Dover sole and lobster thermidor.
Guests can choose to sit at the bar, in the dining room, or at the chef’s counter, where they can skip the menu and leave their meal up to the chefs.
Far Out’s next project is F1 Smokehouse in Fort Worth, which Elliot described as an elevated barbecue experience.
“We’re still going to have great uniforms, service, a full bar and china,” he explained. “It’s not a plastic cup and a tray of meat. It will be something different, but a really cool spot with classic barbecue items and sides.”
The group is also opening another Cowboy Prime location in Fort Worth, and they’re working on a second Press Cafe location, this time in Aledo, Texas, a town about 20 miles west of Fort Worth.
Elliot is enjoying his time back in Texas and recognizes how things have changed since he left more than two decades ago.
“It’s incredible how many people are moving to this area from all over the country and the world,” he said. “Fort Worth is growing exponentially, and all these other suburbs are really booming, too, so you’re seeing a lot more restaurants.”
Elliot also noted that red tape seems a bit easier to navigate in Texas:
“You can open restaurants more quickly here and with less bureaucracy,” he said. “It’s much different than Chicago. This encourages chefs to do their own thing, and to open more genuine and chef-driven places. As the clientele is exposed to more types of cuisine, we can do even more cool things. I can’t believe how many foodies are here that are supportive of what we’re doing. As chefs, we can be spontaneous and fun.”
Elliot has also appreciated the chance to work in multiple Texas markets, from Fort Worth and nearby Aledo to Midland, as each locale presents new challenges and opportunities.
“It’s not a plug and play thing,” he said. “We’re coming up with cool concepts that make sense for each community. It’s how we stay excited.”
