Buckner Senior Living and celebrated restaurateur Stephan Pyles have entered into an agreement to develop five dining and drink concept establishments within Ventana by Buckner®, a $140 million luxury high-rise Life Care retirement community in North Dallas opening later this year.
 
Per the agreement, Pyles, dubbed the father of modern Texas and Southwest cuisine, will devise and develop five food and beverage concepts exclusive to Ventana. Collaborating with a nutritionist, Pyles will craft breakfast, lunch, dinner and specialty drink menus that cater to the health needs of senior adults while also providing the acclaimed dining experience Pyles’ legacy is built around.
 
Pyles will also help locate, hire and train an Executive Chef and General Manager and work with his team to open and oversee all five concept establishments. The concepts will include one fine dining restaurant, one casual dining restaurant, one lounge and bar, one juice bar and one café.
 
The agreement marks the first time Pyles will lend his brand and expertise to a senior living community.
 
“My partnership with Ventana by Buckner is very exciting. I've never done anything like it, and it’s an opportunity to be a pioneer with Ventana,” said Chef Pyles. “I've done lots of consultancies, lots of license agreements and I've worked with a lot of people from airlines, to museums, to hotels. This one is unique because I see my base. It's my folks that I've seen. I've been in the restaurant business for four decades and so it's the people that I know. It really feels like it's an opportunity for me to bring my food to them instead of them coming to me.
 
“I want Ventana’s members to know they're in for a great experience when it comes to dining. It's not going to just be food for sustenance. It's going to be an experience. I want to deliver a restaurant quality experience at Ventana, so they're going to have choices.”
 
Ventana by Buckner is Dallas’ first and only luxury high-rise Life Care community. Its adjacent 12-story towers will house 189 independent apartment homes, including one-, two- and three-bedroom options and ranging from 950 to 2,000 square feet. Ventana also includes the full continuum of care for senior adults with assisted living, nursing care, memory care and a rehabilitation component.
 
The community will also include underground parking, spacious common areas, modern wellness and fitness centers, heated indoor pool, salon and spa, movie theater, rooftop garden, multiple patios and more.
 
“Every aspect of Ventana has elevated what our members should expect from luxury senior living, from our amenities and health services to our restaurants,” said Rick Pruett, executive director of Ventana by Buckner. “Stephan Pyles has already created an unrivaled legacy in the world of American cuisine, but his work with Ventana will offer him the chance to explore new territory with his creations while establishing himself at the forefront of fine dining for senior adults.
 
“We look forward to keeping our members and all of North Texas updated on our new adventure with Stephan Pyles. This is truly an evolutionary step for the senior living industry.”