Meet Chef Toby Archibald

VISIT DALLAS: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR CURRENT TASTING MENU IN ONE SENTENCE?

Chef Toby: It is the best way to experience Quarter Acre.

VISIT DALLAS: WHAT INSPIRES YOUR APPROACH TO A TASTING MENU? IS IT DRIVEN MORE BY SEASONALITY, TECHNIQUE, STORYTELLING OR SOMETHING ELSE?

Chef Toby: Mainly storytelling, but it's a great outlet for an ingredient that is so seasonal that the window to use it is short. We can only run it on the tasting menu for a short time instead of on the permanent menu.

VISIT DALLAS: WHAT DO YOU WANT GUESTS TO FEEL OR EXPERIENCE AS THEY PROGRESS THROUGH YOUR MENU?

Chef Toby: I want them to feel transported. They have left Dallas and could be dining in any major dining and culinary cities of the world.

VISIT DALLAS: WHICH DISH ON YOUR TASTING MENU ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT RIGHT NOW, AND WHY?

Chef Toby: The sardine. It is a one-biter that guests are given as part of their first course snack. The fish themselves are from Western Australia, and we pickle the filet with a chili pickle, then we blow torch it and brush it with a Thai caramel. It is such a unique bite, and it really sets the tone for how the rest of the night will proceed.

VISIT DALLAS: CAN YOU SHARE A MOMENT WHERE A GUEST’S REACTION REMINDED YOU WHY YOU DO WHAT YOU DO?

Chef Toby: I had a guest come up to me recently, where I was busy working and plating food. They proceeded to explain to me how the sausage dish they had just eaten reminded them of their childhood, and how it was the best sausage they had ever had in their life. The sausage they spoke of is a dish that reminds ME of my childhood, and will only be on the menu for a week or two more as we run out of our annual supply of Ramps, a seasonal spring ingredient that I designed the entire dish around.

VISIT DALLAS: WHAT DOES BEING A CHEF IN DALLAS RIGHT NOW MEAN TO YOU?

Chef Toby: I feel that being a chef right now in Dallas is a time filled with opportunity. Thanks to the introduction of the MICHELIN Guide to the city and state, the restaurant scene has risen to the challenge and the dining public is proving that they too, are open to new ideas and better experiences.

VISIT DALLAS: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE DALLAS DINING SCENE IN THREE WORDS?

Chef Toby: Too much steak.

VISIT DALLAS: IS THERE ANOTHER LOCAL DALLAS CHEF OR RESTAURANT THAT EXCITES YOU RIGHT NOW?

Chef Toby: Travis Wyatt at Mirador. Great guy, talented Chef.

VISIT DALLAS: YOU’VE COOKED ALL OVER THE WORLD, FROM NEW ZEALAND TO MICHELIN KITCHENS. WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE DALLAS WAS THE PLACE TO OPEN QUARTER ACRE?

Chef Toby: Easy answer, my wife is from here and Dallas is home.

VISIT DALLAS: HOW DOES YOUR NEW ZEALAND HERITAGE COME THROUGH IN THE DISHES YOU SERVE AT QUARTER ACRE?

Chef Toby: When we reference New Zealand at Quarter Acre, it is less about heritage and more about the nostalgia of my upbringing in NZ. I grew up in a working-class home that was filled with love, and tasty, classic New Zealand meals and treats.

VISIT DALLAS: QUARTER ACRE HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS A MODERN BISTRO WITH A KIWI TWIST. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU AND HOW DOES IT SHOW UP IN THE TASTING EXPERIENCE?

Chef Toby: What it means to me is that Quarter Acre is deliberately a little different for here in Dallas. It gives me the opportunity to showcase my culinary back ground and technique alongside my New Zealand story and culinary journey.

VISIT DALLAS: YOU RECENTLY LAUNCHED THE “DRIFTER” DINNER SERIES. WHAT INSPIRED THAT CONCEPT AND HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM YOUR REGULAR MENU?

Chef Toby: The Drifter Dinner Series is inspired by my lifelong quest to travel and experience new people, cultures, and cuisines. During the course of my career around the globe, I have met so many fantastically talented Chefs, the series gives me the chance to invite four of these chefs every year to cook alongside me at Quarter Acre. During the evening we serve food in the guest Chef’s style. They provide half of the dishes and I create the other half to match. It is a novel way to create and it gives both the guests and my team a chance to experience something different for one night in their own backyard.

VISIT DALLAS: WHY SHOULD A FIRST-TIME VISITOR TO DALLAS CONSIDER SPENDING AN EVENING DINING WITH YOUR TEAM AT QUARTER ACRE?

Chef Toby: Because we are f##king awesome!