2023 Chefs

Fort Smith, Arkansas

Chef Blythe Beck is known for bother her passion for food and passion for life. She is currently the Executive Chef and General Manager of MovieLounge in Fort Smith, Arkansas, former executive chef of acclaimed Central 214 in Dallas, and star of the Oxygen reality show, The Naughty Kitchen with Chef Blythe Beck.  She creates rich, inviting “New American Cuisine” described as “the food you grew up on…only I make it naughty.”  With her engaging wit, earthy zest, and cayenne-red hair, Blythe’s recognizable dishes not only please the palate but also warm the heart.

The feisty native Texan launched her career in Dallas restaurants, including the famed Mansion on Turtle Creek.  During her four-year tenure at the Mansion, she moved quickly through the ranks under renowned Chef Dean Fearing, developing her skill and determination to produce unique dishes of the finest quality.  In October 2004, restaurateur, Hector Garcia, tapped Blythe to become sous chef at his new restaurant.  Hector’s on Henderson, where she was promoted to executive chef.  Blythe was named executive chef at popular Central 214 restaurant at Kimpton’s luxury boutique Hotel Palomar Dallas in early 2009.

Blythe has been featured by a variety of national media, including NBC’s Today show, People, InTouch Weekly, and OK! magazines.  Active in the community, Blythe is often recognized for both her culinary skills and her charitable hear.  Most recently, she was recognized as one of Dallas’s top chefs and by Modern Luxury Magazine’s “The Five Factor” Award, as well as being named one of NBC DFW’s “25 Most Interesting People.”  Blyth is a member of the prestigious Dallas Morning News Wine Panel and was recently honored with the University of North Texas’s 2010 Hospitality Management Outstanding Alumni Award.