Dean Brunner, Chef/Owner

          Dean has cultivated a life-long enthusiasm for the culinary arts and restaurant ownership. As a young man, Dean won several contests and merit badges for his cooking skills while in the Boy Scouts and went on to earn the designation of Eagle Scout. While in High School Dean gained experience in front-of-the-house restaurant practices by the traditional positions of dishwasher, bus person, and waiter. During his college years Dean worked to put himself through school by various means including a dinner cook at a hometown eatery where the owner aggressively taught and encouraged him...his talents became apparent. With a little encouragement, Dean choose to put his college education on hold and attend New England Culinary Institute to directly advance his quest for knowledge in technique and theory. Finishing NECI in early fall of 1994, Dean has worked passionately to gain and hone the skills necessary to make the aspirations of restaurant ownership a reality. In pursuit of these skills Dean has worked in half-a-dozen free standing and corporate restaurants; opening two. Most notably, Dean was the Sous Chef of the French Room culinary team when they won Zagat Survey's 1999 designation as #2 restaurant in the nation. The French Room at Hotel Adolphus in Dallas, Texas was second only to Le Bec Fin in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

          During his years as a line cook Dean honed his skills in a variety of different areas; the most significant of these are the talents gained in meat and fish butchery and portion fabrication. His talents have been influenced by many Chefs who themselves received legacies of knowledge from employment with American restaurants such as La Bernadin in New York City, The Ritz-Carlton, Hilton Head Island, Seeger's in Atlanta Georgia, and many of the "Holy Grail" restaurants in France.

         With the experience of meat and fish butchery/fabrication comes the experience of preparing and cooking these choice cuts to perfection. This also entails creating the quintessential sauces and accompaniments for these dishes.  These skills were acquired and honed in places such as: Creamery Hill in Washington, Missouri, Café de France in Saint Louis, Missouri, Nick’s Restaurant in Waco, Texas, Café Pacific and The French Room in Dallas, Texas.  Dean has gained much notoriety and respect within the industry for his abilities in theses areas.

             Since 1994 Dean has started with and subsequently earned the title of Sous Chef with many of the places where he has worked.  Café Pacific hired him into that role for his tenure there.  With that title comes responsibility in many areas including: inventory and cost controls, purchasing and receiving, ingredient storage and rotation, sanitation controls, personnel management and training, labor management, menu research and development, and the responsibility for being familiar with every production and execution station in the kitchen, the menu items, and how to prepare them.

              In late 2002 Dean moved to Fredericksburg with his wife Kimberly, and daughter, Hannah.  Dean and Kimberly were hired to be the Chef talent for Cuvée Bistro, Market, and Wine Bar.  They were jointly responsible for the design, equipment acquisition, and opening inventory for the kitchen.  Dean has established a reputation in the Fredericksburg community for his outstanding abilities in the area of menu creativity, flavor, and presentation.  As a reflection of that notoriety, Cuvée Bistro, Market, and Wine Bar won the Flavors of Fredericksburg “People’s Choice” Award in January 2005 for Dean’s creation of: “Green Curried Pork with Coconut Rice.”  Dean has also had favorable mention in several national and inter-national publications such as Fiery Foods Magazine for his Shrimp Piri-Piri and Gourmet Magazine’s reference to him as a “rising star” in the Texas Hill Country.