Blythe Beck serves Mother's Day memories, more

Photo courtesy of Evans Caglage

Chef Blythe Beck has been serving sweet and savory treats at Central 214 for more than 18 months.

She’s already prepared a special menu for Mother’s Day. We caught her for a quick Q&A:

Q: What is your favorite offering from your Mother’s Day menu at Central 214?
A: I would have to say that it is our huge Steamship. It is a big piece of meat that we carve to order. It is mammoth and impressive and I love to cook it… It is cooking at its naughtiest!

Q: When you prepare special menus like this one, how do you decide what to serve?
A: I always try my best to make the right food for the right occasion. It is so important to me that my guests enjoy their time with me. I am not just serving food. I am creating moments.

Q: What is your favorite Mother’s Day memory?
A: Every time you can celebrate with your mom it is special and she and I are very close. But the first year after my Dad died she came up to spend Mother’s Day with me in Dallas.

Well I had the biggest, fattest, lobster I could find flown in from the East Coast. I named him Pedro. I even went to Sur la Table to get the perfect platter for him. It was somewhat worrisome because when you get a lobster that big sometimes they are tough or they are hard to cook.

I made a beautiful cooking bath for him and when she arrived, I delivered him. It was such a great moment. By the way, Pedro wasn’t tough; he was sweet, delicious, and cooked perfectly! Thank you Pedro!

Q: Where do you love to shop for food in Dallas?
A: Well, because I cook for a living I don’t do a whole lot of cooking at home. I heart places that have things ready to go. I heart Eatzi’s (plus, they have the best iced tea ever), Jimmy’s and Market Street.

Q: You’re a busy person. What is your favorite meal on the go?
A: This will ruin my reputation forever but I don’t care. I love fried fish, mac and cheese and green beans with a large iced tea from Luby’s. It is so good to me and reminds me of home and being a little kid eating that after little league. I like what I like!

Q: What do you eat when you travel?
A: I love to eat everywhere from swanky, chef-driven restaurants to hot dog trucks in Chicago. One time in Italy, I had the best sandwich ever at a train station. You just never know. I love food that is made with passion and love.

Beck’s favorite dish from her mom is spaghetti with turkey balls. On a recent visit, Beck arrived late to a plate of her favorite. “The house smelled like the best smell in the world and there she was waiting for me with a hug and a big plate of spaghetti and turkey balls,” said Beck.

To try Beck’s contemporary regional American cuisine, visit Central 214, adjacent to Kimpton’s Hotel Palomar Dallas. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Weekend brunch is also available. For reservations, call 214-443-9339.

Getting there:
Central 214
5680 N. Central Expy. at Mockingbird Lane
Dallas, TX 75206