Dallas' Restaurant Industry Mourns the Loss of Joshua Bonee

Dallas chefs were stunned to learn of the loss of one of their most beloved colleagues with the news of Joshua Bonee’s passing on Tuesday, Jan. 9. Bonee, who was 36 years old, died from pneumonia, according to the Dallas County Medical Examiner.

Since arriving in Dallas in 2016 from Tennessee, Bonee impressed diners and fellow chefs alike with his talent and skill in the kitchen combined with a modest attitude and a beaming smile.

Bonee started in Dallas working for Stephan Pyles at Flora Street Cafe, then moved on to the chef de cuisine role at Fine China in the Statler Hotel. Bonee quickly assumed the executive chef title for all concepts at the Statler.

In 2019, Bonee was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological disorder in which the immune system mistakenly attacks part of the nervous system. The disease took Bonee out of work, and in response, the Dallas industry rallied to support him with a fundraiser called For the Love of Josh.

“Overall, my heart and soul are full of joy and gratitude,” Bonee said at the time of the benefit. “To be shown love and support like that by our industry and the Dallas community is something I'll never forget. Words can't begin to describe the range of emotions. This community is an amazing family that more than takes care of their own.”

Bonee was able to recover and collaborated with Vandelay Hospitality to launch Lucky’s Hot Chicken on Gaston Avenue; the Nashville hot chicken joint was a nod to Bonee’s Tennessee roots. Bonee then stepped into the executive chef role at Meddlesome Moth, where we lauded his fresh updates to the menu of the Dallas gastropub. More recently started his own chef consulting business, supporting local concepts including the recently launched Columbian Country Club in East Dallas.
We caught up with Bonee last year when, along with his partner Grace Koo, owner of Teriyaki 4 U in Carrollton, he contributed to the menu of the Asian fast-casual spot that we added to this year’s Top 100 Restaurants. Bonee also found time to give back to the community, volunteering his time and talents to groups like Chefs for Farmers, Profound Microfarms and Independence Gardens.

Social media has been awash in tributes to Bonee from his friends and colleagues, with recurring themes of Bonee’s talent as a chef and his positive outlook that lifted the spirits of those around him. Dallas chefs Diana Zamora and Randall Braud have coordinated with Bonee’s family to organize a Celebration of Life for Josh Bonee this Sunday, Jan. 14, at El Centro College’s North Campus for Culinary, Pastry and Hospitality. The event begins at 4 p.m.