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On verge of opening Houston restaurant, chef Dawn Burrell reflects on Olympics, 'Top Chef'

Burrell's restaurant, Late August, is expected to open in early June.

HOUSTON — Cooking isn’t inherently competitive, but Houston chef Dawn Burrell was determined to test her culinary skills in an intense, fast-paced competition.

"I don’t know another way to measure my success ... if I didn’t compete," Burrell said.

After several tryouts, Burrell made it on to season 18 of Bravo’s "Top Chef." The season was filmed in Portland and began filming in September 2020.

Despite the determination to come out on top, Burrell said the ongoing pandemic set the tone amongst her competitors.

"It was a troubling time for everyone," Burrell said. "So we were all there for each other and we gave each other grace and comfort instead of fighting."

Burrell placed in the top three, winning high praise from the judges.

She said many of the qualities that made her a stand-out chef -- drive, determination, diligence and discipline -- were honed during her days as a track star.

The Philadelphia native came to the University of Houston in 1991 on a track and field scholarship. During the Summer Olympics in 2000, she competed in the women’s long jump for Team USA. When injuries sidelined her career as a professional athlete, cooking felt like a natural transition.

"My aunts and my grandmother ingrained food culture in me because it was very important to them," Burrell said.

Burrell trained at the Art Institute in Houston. She worked at restaurants abroad and locally, including Kulture, whereas executive chef she earned her first James Beard nomination for "Best Chef-Texas."

Her focus now is on her highly-anticipated restaurant, Late August, which is set to open in early June. It will be in The ION -- the former Sears building near downtown. She said the food will be global comfort cuisine with African and Asian flavors.

Jumping from one major career to another, Burrell reflected on how far she has come in the industry.

"I’m a double negative: a Black female. So I realize the job I have to do is great in order to change the perspective of Black women in the kitchen," she said.

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