Tim Love
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Tim Love (November 11, 1971) is a well-known Texas chef, best-known for his creations of urban western cooking (see Cuisine of the Southwestern United States ), and his restaurant "The Lonesome Dove Western Bistro" (named as an homage to the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Larry McMurtry, "Lonesome Dove") in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards in Texas. Donning a cowboy hat instead of the usual chef's toque, he has become popular with Fort Worth's rising culinary scene and a proponent of enhancing the status of Fort Worth cuisine over its neighbor to the east, Dallas.
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[edit] Biography
Born in Denton, Texas, Love’s career as a chef began in a kitchen in Knoxville, Tennessee, where he worked to earn extra money while completing his degree in finance and marketing at the University of Tennessee. Love began volunteering in various kitchens between shifts in an attempt to gain experience and knowledge in the culinary arts. Since running his first kitchen at Kiva Grill, an upscale southwestern restaurant in Knoxville, Tennessee, Love has lent his signature style to diners at the Knoxville Radisson and hotels throughout the Southeast. Upon his move to Colorado, he soon became chef at the Uptown Bistro in Frisco, where he was awarded the Taste of Breckenridge Grand Award three years running and the Taste of the Mountains every year. Prior to opening the Lonesome Dove in 2000, Love served as Executive Chef at Mira Vista Country Club in Fort Worth and as a chef at Reata, one of the Fort Worth's premier restaurants.
His Fort Worth eatery, The Lonesome Dove Western Bistro, has garnered critical acclaim and spawned a second location which opened in New York City. Love has been featured in publications such as the New York Times, New York Post, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Morning News, Texas Monthly Magazine, CNN, D-Magazine, Southern Living and has received a James Beard nomination for his Food Network documentary, “Cowboys on the Trail.”
Recently in 2006, Chef Love opened his second restaurant, Duce, in Fort Worth, Texas. Straying from his wild game approach, Duce features a modern European cuisine modeled after the success of such Gastro Pub eateries in Spain and Great Britain. Featuring a tapas influenced menu, and cuts of meat from Latin America and Europe, it also segues into an after hours club featuring live contemporary jazz music and popular dj's from the D/FW metroplex DJ area.
In late 2006, Chef Love opened his third establishment and the sister to his popular Fort Worth franchise, The Lonesome Dove Western Bistro NYC. Located in Manhattan's Chelsea district, it features a smaller, more intimate dining room than his Fort Worth establishment, yet the same "Western Saloon" feel that permeates both venues. Occupying the space next door to the Lonesome Dove Western Bistro NYC is Justin's, popular hip-hop icon Sean Combs' (aka P-Diddy) restaurant and nightclub.
Love's Lonesome Dove Western Bistro NYC closed in March 2007 after six months of dismal reviews, including less-than-favorable critiques by the New York Times[1] and New York magazine[2]. The abrupt close came as a shock to many, but Love insisted it wasn't due to bad reviews. "The Flatiron District venue was reasonably popular despite mixed reviews, but it closed after six months when, Mr. Love says, he got a substantial offer for the remainder of the lease. The offer equaled what he'd have made in three years there, so he closed shop in Manhattan and is already planning another Lonesome Dove in Aspen, Colo."[3]
Love sold Duce - his Fort Worth tapas bar-turned-modern steakhouse - to a Chicago-based chef in April 2008. [4]
[edit] Trail drives
In 2003, Love celebrated his James Beard House invitation as a “Rising Star” and the 100th birthday of the late James Beard with his first annual trail drive. He traveled from Fort Worth to New York City with his horses and crew, stopping at local farmer’s markets along the way to pick up indigenous ingredients, which he used to prepare the dinner at the James Beard house.
In 2004, Love set out again for his second annual trail drive. This time, the trail moved westward in honor of his invitation to participate in the American Express Celebrity Chef Tour. Love and his kitchen crew stopped in various cities along the way to visit local farmers markets and prepared dinners benefiting Spoons Across America, a charity that supports children’s culinary education. This dining and fundraising adventure was captured by the Food Network for a one hour special, “Cowboys on the Trail,” (moderated by Country Music star Trace Adkins) further establishing Love as one of the foremost pioneers of western cuisine.
[edit] White Elephant Saloon
In 2002, Chef Tim Love acquired the historic White Elephant Saloon located in the Fort Worth Stockyards. This old time saloon, first opened in 1887, during the height of Fort Worth's pioneer days when it was known as the "Wall Street of the West". Being the first outpost on the frontier of Texas, the Fort Worth Stockyards became famous for Texas cattle & livestock auctions along with its vast array of meat processing facilities which transported meat & cattle throughout the West via rail lines running through the city.
The White Elephant Saloon is quite famous for having one of the most famous historical gunfights of the wild west. Saloon owner, Luke Short had developed an invested interest in the White Elephant Saloon. "Longhair" Jim Courtright, who was then Marshal of Fort Worth, reportedly had a protection rackett, in which he offered his "protection" to saloon and gambling house owners. Short turned him down, telling him he could protect his own place. This irritated Courtright, and many now believe that Courtright felt it was necessary for his other protection interests to make an example of Short as to what could happen if his services were declined. [5]
On a cold February 8 night, in 1887, Courtright called Short out of the White Elephant saloon. Courtright reportedly had been drinking, some words were passed, and the two men walked down the street about one block. There, facing one another, Courtright said something in reference to Short's gun, apparently to give the impression that the inevitable gunfight was in the line of duty. Short stated he was not armed, although he was. Short then indicated that Courtright could check for himself, and walking toward Courtright, he opened his vest. When he did so, Courtright said loudly "Don't you pull a gun on me.", and quickly drew his pistol. [6]
However, Courtright's pistol hung on his watch-chain for a brief second, at which time Short pulled his pistol and fired one shot. The bullet tore off Courtright's right thumb, rendering him incapable of firing his single-action revolver. As he tried to switch the pistol to his left hand, Short fired at least four more times, killing him. [7] [8]
The gunfight became a well known event due to the notoriety of both men. Courtright was given a grand funeral with hundreds in attendance, as despite his corruption, he had lowered Fort Worth's murder rate by more than half during his time as town marshal. No blame was held toward Short however, and although he was brought to trial for the shooting, it was ruled justified self defense. [9]
Today, the White Elephant Saloon is one of Fort Worth's historical landmarks and now is more famous for such country artists that continue to play its stage including the likes of legendary music outlaws Ray Wylie Hubbard, Don Edwards, Jack Ingram, Wayne Hancock, and Eleven Hundred Springs, and country music newcomers such as Stoney LaRue, Randy Rogers, and Jordan Mycoskie.
[edit] Personal life
Love is married to Emilie Love, whom he met working in Colorado at the Uptown Bistro in Frisco. They have three children, Tannahill, and twin girls, Ella and Anna. The family splits time in Fort Worth, Texas and New York City. When away from the kitchen, Love can be found coaching his son's baseball team, writing articles for the western magazine "Cowboys & Indians" as well as a column for Maxim Magazine on wild game.
