Knox Bistro Dallas - French Bistro

Welcome to the French table. At Knox Bistro, there’s a true expert presiding. While classically trained at Ferrandi Paris (the internationally recognized school of culinary arts), Armand Brunner began his career with an apprenticeship at the French Senate, the upper house of the French Parliament, where he studied gastrodiplomacy. Focusing on the strategic use of cuisine to promote foreign policy goals and cultural appreciation, Brunner knows the value of l’art de la table – the art of eating well, refined service and table etiquette. In addition to his knowledge of gastrodiplomacy, the Zurich-born/Paris-raised Brunner has worked in the Paris kitchens of chef Frederic Simonin (one Michelin star) and chef Pierre Sang (two Michelin recommended restaurants). He also served as sous chef at Le Beurre Noisette, the beloved Parisien farm-to-table restaurant serving iconic bistro dishes marked by seasonal flavors and technical precision. At Knox Bistro, Brunner is prepared to bridge French tradition and Texas hospitality. How’s that for international culinary diplomacy? Come experience it for yourself.

It’s never a bad idea to have true Gallic heritage and classical European training within the kitchen brigade at a French restaurant. Thanks to Cedric Vernin, Knox Bistro’s menu of French classics is invested with no small measure of authenticity and artistry. A native of Roanne, France, Vernin received his culinary education at Lycee CFA Francois Rabelais in Lyon. He moved to the U.S. in 2015 where he worked at the beloved Bistro Provence followed by the highly rated Pizaro’s Pizza Napoletana. For two years until he moved to Dallas, he was an instructor at the much-respected Culinary Institute Lenotre, the cooking school known for its French cuisine and pastry arts. He joined the Knox Bistro kitchen as chef de cuisine in July 2025, working under fellow European Arman Brunner. Together they are cooking up a new era of new and classic dishes at Dallas’ iconic French bistro.

In recognizing Knox Bistro in its first Texas survey, Michelin Guide commended the “experienced team of French émigrés” responsible for the abundant Gallic charm of “this bright and breezy bistro.” And that’s where Emma Villatel comes in. Born in the Loire Valley and raised in Paris, Emma is among the French-born staffers that have made Knox the city’s most popular French bistro. After graduating with honors from Arizona State University with a degree in special education and international education, Emma moved to Dallas to pursue a teaching career. Through her father who worked at Knox Bistro, Emma became well acquainted with the restaurant world and eventually fell in love with Knox Bistro. She applied for a job and, as she puts it, “the rest is history.” Teaching’s loss is Travis Street Hospitality’s gain.