Growing up, Matt Balke never pictured himself anywhere other than working in a kitchen. Balke’s philosophy of self-discipline has propelled him forward in his cooking career. With his extensive education and training, his dedication to detail shows in every dish.

Hailing from the rural town of Uvalde, Balke is a born and raised Texas native with a penchant for hard work. With degrees in business marketing and hotel restaurant management from Texas Tech under his belt, Balke pursued his love for the kitchen and attended the Culinary Institute of America, where he graduated as salutatorian in 2007. His passion for wine pairings is only outmatched by his love for cooking, and he says that if he was not in the food industry, he would be the wine industry.
After graduation, Balke was taken on by James Beard Award-winning chef Sharon Hage of York Street in Dallas where he gained insights to local and seasonal food. He credits his success to Hage, and says that despite a college education and formal training, his real culinary education came from working under her. Balke’s tenure at York Street prepared him for his move, Bolsa and Bolsa Mercado where he became the executive sous chef. He spent two and a half years with Bolsa before his stint as the executive chef of The Rustic in Dallas, from there he moved to SMOKE where he worked at Bolsa’s sister restaurant for nearly two years. After SMOKE, Bolsa gladly welcomed Balke back as the executive chef.

Balke appreciates the small-town feel of his kitchen and thinks of his team as family. “You fight, eat, share, teach, respect and care for each person in the building because you usually spend every waking moment with them,” he explains.

Finding your passion in life may never happen, however, that’s not the case for Zak. After a childhood filled with countless weekends travelling the globe playing hockey, unexpected injuries lead to a future of the unknown. After graduating from the University of Iowa, Zak experienced careers in sales, advertising and fitness. Ultimately, he could not escape his true passion for hospitality, especially bartending, which allows him to showcase his love for creativity. When he is not behind the stick, you can find him working on his fitness, playing golf at Stephens Park, or sipping on a cocktail with his friends and lovely wife.