Chef John Tesar is getting the old band back together for Knife, his new Dallas steakhouse


Chef John Tesar says he hasn’t been sleeping much, which means he’s either manic (yep, that’s possible) or whelmed (which is slightly less than overwhelmed) with getting Knife, his new steakhouse, ready for its debut.

He’s already hired an old friend and colleague as Knife’s chef. Now, he’s confirmed two other key players have joined the band: Sabrina Snodderley and Scott Barber.

Snodderley was formerly Tesar’s sommelier at Spoon until she left to become the sommelier at Gemma. Snodderley will soon be the former somm at Gemma and the new somm at Knife.

Barber, says Tesar, is crafting the wine list for Knife. If you’re playing along at home, you might remember Barber was Tesar’s somm and wine director at their ill-fated Commissary in One Arts Plaza and the guy who put together Spoon’s eclectic first wine list. (Barber moved to Napa to work at Meadowood Resort, a gig which ended a few months ago.)

And man-about-town Brad Murano looks to be reprising his role as Tesar’s Reubin Kincaid: he’s created Knife’s high key logo and graphics package.