RJ Yoakum Is Out As Executive Chef of Georgie

Editor's Note, 6/16/2025, 1:12 p.m.: This article has been updated to include a statement from Travis Street Hospitality.

R.J. Yoakum, the James Beard-nominated executive chef of Georgie, is no longer with the restaurant, according to Sarah Blaskovich of The Dallas Morning News.

“It was my decision,” Georgie owner Stephan Courseau told DMN of Yoakum’s departure, but no other explanation was given. Courseau heads Travis Street Hospitality, which counts Georgie, Knox Bistro and the recently opened Le PasSage and Rose Cafe among its restaurants.

"Travis Street Hospitality has parted ways with Chef R.J. Yoakum," said Stephan Courseau, founder of Travis Street Hospitality, in a statement provided to the Observer. "We recently became aware of multiple violations of company policy that do not align with our company's values. Georgie’s success is rooted in the strength of our team, and we are confident in our continued ability to deliver an exceptional dining experience."

We reached out to Yoakum for comment, but received no response to our messages.

Since arriving at Georgie early in 2023 and assuming the executive chef role later that summer, Yoakum transformed Georgie from a stoic high-end steakhouse to one of Dallas’ most creative fine-dining destinations. In our review of Georgie’s reimagination at the end of 2023, we lauded the inventiveness that Yoakum brought to the menu, with an array of new dishes that allowed Yoakum’s talents to shine. We added Georgie to our list of Top 100 Restaurants in 2024.

The praise didn’t stop with us; Georgie landed positive reviews from diners and media outlets alike, including a top 10 spot in D Magazine’s top Dallas restaurants and inclusion in the inaugural Michelin Guide of Dallas’ best restaurants. In April of this year, the James Beard Foundation announced that Yoakum was one of five finalists for "Best Emerging Chef.” The Beard Foundation plans on announcing the winners on June 16.

In a recent profile with Dining Out Dallas, Yoakum shared that despite his public success, he had been dealing with personal struggles behind the scenes. Yoakum has been grieving the loss of his grandmother, with whom he was particularly close. In the June story, Yoakum mentioned he had been sober from alcohol for 80 days as part of his path of healing.

Yoakum’s departure is the latest shakeup in a long line of recent culinary talent moves in Dallas. In less than two years, the city has witnessed Ross Demer abruptly close Cry Wolf, Junior Borges' exit from Meridian, Misti Norris closing Petra and The Beast, and most recently, AQ Pittman leaving her role as the head of Jose. Norris has emerged as the culinary director of Far Out in East Dallas, and Pittman's announcement that she was leaving Jose was paired with an announcement of her own restaurant, Eledi, later this year.

Before learning the news of Yoakum’s exit, we had made reservations later this week at Georgie. Ostensibly, this was for a personal visit, but we regularly revisit restaurants in our Top 100 to note any potential changes. We’re not sure what to expect with this latest news, but we will report back with our findings.