Scott Gottlich

A Dallas native, Scott Gottlich began his culinary career as the most adventurous eater in his parents' kitchen where he always perceived food as a complete and sensual experience rather than mere physical necessity. After earning his culinary arts degree at Johnson and Wales, Scott moved to California to work at the 40-seat Aubergine under Chef Tim Goodell. Gottlich shared Goodell's passion for French technique and under his mentor, honed his skills creating tasting menus around both seasonal and unusual ingredients.

After a year as Chef de Partie on fish, Gottlich moved on to New York and Le Bernardin, where Scott learned from Chef Eric Ripert's ability to manage and execute a large kitchen through serious, intense organization. There, Chef de Cuisine Chris Muhler ran a team of almost 30 cooks and Gottlich saw first-hand how Muhler orchestrated the flow of the kitchen and maintained Ripert's incredibly high standards in every aspect of the restaurant - from the reception of products to methods of production. With a clear sense that food quality and integrity comes first, Gottlich returned for another stint with Tim Goodell at Aubergine, this time as Executive Sous Chef.

At 26, Goodell left to pursue his other restaurants, and Gottlich quickly learned how to run the kitchen before returning home to Dallas in 2003 as Executive Chef of Lola. There, Gottlich got to know the Dallas market, its staff and purveyors bringing food costs to historical lows at the restaurant while increasing standards and sales.

Scott left Lola to consult with veteran restaurateur Alberto Lombardi at Café Toulouse before taking on the executive chef position at Bijoux, where he has a way of gently balancing the often underappreciated flavors of bitterness and acidity to create grown-up dishes that direct the palate's attention to just a few specific flavors. Products like skate wing and pork belly are refined by Gottlich's technical precision with temperature and texture, resulting in crisp skins and tender centers. While the menu is rooted in French and Italian classics, like a simple Cippolini onion soup that celebrates intense, bright, and clean flavors of mushroom and onion, Gottlich enhances his menu with international flavors like red Thai curry without losing his strong sense of culinary identity or confusing the diner.