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hef James credits his family, especially mom, for planting the culinary seed at a very young age. Mom’s excellent palate for superior cuisine and tradition and dad’s encouragement of culinary experimentation aided in his early interest.

It all began at age six with icebox fudge and creative milkshake “surprises”, which then developed into his role as weekend breakfast chef. Mom’s deft hand with seasoning and presentation created a very discriminating young diner who would eat only food that was “up to par.” This picky attitude forced James into the kitchen at an age when a stepstool was needed to reach the burners. From that point on, little Jimmy, as he was known then, knew he wanted to be a chef. Feeling privileged to know his calling, James’ first challenge in the industry was at Ninfa’s Mexican restaurant. Although washing dishes was not his idea of real cooking, this initial experience provided many invaluable lessons that must be understood to successfully run a first-class kitchen. James’ first real experience with a chef came when le french Master Chef Bernard Herrmann, then at the Houston Club, offered him a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: chef’s apprentice. This is when the true fun began and continues to this day. His lessons learned from a proven chef helped form the work ethic and culinary foundation needed to succeed in this competitive business. It was Chef Bernard who encouraged James to pursue his passion in the culinary capitol of the world: Paris, France.

In 1988-89, James entered Le Cordon Bleu and completed Le Gran Diplome in August of 1990. His first test came while working as a stagier at a neighborhood parisian bistro owned by a chef instructor’s friend. He quickly realized, as the chef was shouting orders in French, that his schooling had provided him with the knowledge base he would need to cook with the best of them.

While completing his Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management at The University of Houston, James worked under award-winning chef Robert McGrath at Deville in the Four Seasons Hotel. Upon graduation, James moved on to the renowned Tony’s Restaurant in Houston, where he gained a new appreciation for hard work under executive chef Mark Cox. Chef Cox rewarded James by giving him his first sous chef opportunity while opening the new Vallone restaurant, La Griglia. After James had proven to himself that he had what it takes to successfully operate his own restaurant, he was lured away to an easier life in the country club world where he could pace himself until his dream of owning his own restaurant could be realized.

The pace and excitement of working in an a la carte kitchen drew James back to the restaurant scene when he accepted the position of Pastry Chef in the five star French Room in the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas. James rounded out his skills as a chef and learned the mind and approach of a top pastry professional.

Brookhaven Country Club was James’ next challenge where he led a brigade of twenty chefs over five kitchen outlets. The business side of the profession was one of the more valuable lessons learned while working with B.C.C., one of the largest country clubs in the U.S.A. Feeling he now had a firm grasp of everything needed to successfully operate his own establishment, there was one more test before he would lay it all on the line.

Chef James opened Al Biernat’s restaurant in May of 1998 as its Executive Chef. There he tested his own plans of how to open a restaurant kitchen, from the development of the menu to its final stages of execution of the food. James received four stars from The Dallas Morning News and was also honored as the chef of one of the top ten new restaurants in Dallas for that year. National critic John Mariani also praised Chef James’ talents in the kitchen in various publications including The Wine Spectator.

Tramontana is a chef’s dream restaurant with twenty tables accommodating up to eighty people. The neighborhood bistro is a chef-driven establishment that has also received four stars by The Dallas Morning News. With the focus on food, Chef James strives for continual improvement knowing that you’re only as good as your last meal served.