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Restaurant Life Chef and Partner Chris Ward is acknowledged as one of the fastest rising stars in the culinary world. His specialty of combining ethnic cuisine, such as Euro-Asian and Global-American can be experienced in his award-winning Dallas restaurants The Mercury and Citizen. Both establishments have received numerous national and local accolades, including “Best New Restaurant in Dallas” by Food & Wine, Travel & Leisure’s “America’s Top 50 Restaurants,” Gourmet’s “America’s Best Restaurants” and The New York Times’ hot destinations (Mercury), and “Best New Restaurant” by The Dallas Morning News (Citizen, 1999; Mercury, 1998).

Ward formed a passion for fine cuisine as a young child. A self-taught culinary master, Ward and his family would take “eating trips” to cities such as New York, where he experienced duck with Smitane sauce at the Four Seasons, or Coq au Vin at Ernie’s in San Francisco. In his teenage years, Ward experimented and prepared gourmet meals with his mother in their home kitchen, and continued to hone his talent by making diverse, fusion dishes for friends while in college. These experiences led him to his dream of becoming a chef more than 20 years ago when he began his culinary career at Universal Restaurant Group’s upscale concepts Arthur’s and Old Warsaw.

Following Universal Restaurant Group, Ward became executive chef at the four-star rated Agnew’s. He then served as executive chef at the Pyramid Room, one of Dallas’ premier five-star restaurants located in the Fairmont Hotel. From 1995 - 1998, Ward was executive chef at the Bedford Village Inn in New England, a Four Diamond restaurant and DiRona Award recipient.

In 1998, Ward joined Dallas-based M Crowd Restaurant Group - owner and operator of Mi Cocina, Taco Diner and Mainstream Fish House restaurants - to head up its fine dining division, beginning with the opening of The Mercury. This year, M Crowd and Ward created Restaurant Life, a concept that combines fine dining and lifestyle by fusing global cuisine and cultural concepts into one setting, so that diners can enjoy the full, enriched experience in any of Ward’s restaurants. Ward and his restaurants, including The Mercury, Citizen and Fort Worth-based Chop House, serve as the core of Restaurant Life. Ward plans to add two concepts to the Restaurant Life group next year, including Paris Vendome, a French brasserie, and Barumba, a Euro-Latin restaurant and lounge.

Bring the roasted garlic cloves and cream to a boil. Pour the cream and roasted garlic mixture over the egg yolks and eggs. Add the pureed duck liver. Season with salt and pepper and the white truffle oil.

Pass the duck liver and cream mixture through a fine strainer. Place the cream mixture in the flan cups in a pan filled halfway with cold water. Cook in the 300° oven for 40-45 minutes or until the flan feels set. Reserve in a warm place.

Sauté the assorted diced mushrooms. Add the diced shallots and port wine. Reduce the wine mixture by 2/3. Add the veal stock and reduce until the mixture reaches desired consistency. Season to taste. Reserve.

Slice the remaining foie gras (duck liver) in equal portions. Season each piece with salt and pepper. Preheat a skillet until very hot. Place the foie gras in the skillet and sear for 10 seconds on each side. Drain the foie gras on a paper towel and reserve.

Place equal amounts of the mushroom ragout on the center of each plate. Carefully remove the flan from the molds, and place the flan on top of the ragout. Place a piece of sautéed foie gras on top of the flan and serve immediately.

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