Morris Salerno

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Morris began his culinary career in the 1970s at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas, Texas. At the age of 27, he joined the prestigious Lowes Anatole Hotel in Dallas.  Probably best known for his local restaurants, Morris has operated three fine dining establishments in Texas – Salerno Restaurant in Flower Mound (1985 – present), Gibbs Station in Coppell (1989 – 1999) and the Grotto in Highland Village (1994 – present).  

In 1989 and 1991, Morris earned "Dallas Chef of The Year" by the Texas Chef Association. The Dallas Times Herald picked him as one of the "Top Ten Young Chefs of Dallas". Morris has participated in and judged many Culinary Art Shows in the Southwest. In 2005, Morris and two of his cooks from The Grotto, won the "Iron Chef of The Southwest" and took home the only gold medal in the competition hosted by the Texas Chefs Association.

Morris Salerno has been a competing chef of the American Team since 1992, winning numerous awards with the World Master Chefs Society Team USA in competitions in France, England, Ireland, Germany, Canada and Sweden and most recently, Thailand.  He serves as the current President of the Epicurean World Master Chefs Society

Success is something Salerno knows about. In the1970s, he worked in the famous kitchen at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas. In the 1980s, at the age of 27, he became one of many chefs at the prestigious Loews Anatole Hotel in Dallas. Probably best known for his local restaurants, Salerno said every working chef’s dream is to open their own restaurant. He did, not just one, but three: Salerno Restaurant in Flower Mound (1985-present), Gibbs Station in Coppell (1989-1999), and The Grotto in Highland Village (1994-present).

You might call Morris Salerno of Dallas, a symbol of the American Dream. Morris draws from his traditional Italian family to make his restaurants a success. 

Award-winning, charismatic owner-chef Morris Salerno opened the Grotto in 1994 as a New American adjunct of his Italian staple, Salerno's. Both were in areas just beginning to blossom with development; now both serve decidedly notable food in established, decidedly upscale neighborhoods. The Grotto in particular has earned a reputation as a destination restaurant.