The Crescent Hotel team recently gave PaperCity exclusive access to Sean Malek, who succeeds Paine as Executive Chef at Emilia’s.

“We are going to continue building on what we have and make sure that our guests leave here feeling like family,” Malek says.

A Chicago native who grew up in Tennessee, Malek began cooking immediately after high school and later attended culinary school in Phoenix. Before joining The Crescent Hotel Fort Worth as its executive sous chef in 2024, Malek honed his craft in several of Fort Worth’s most notable kitchens, including Tim Love’s restaurant group and Ellerbe Fine Foods.

Now, he is working to strengthen ties with the community, explore new collaborations, and transition the restaurant from Mediterranean to Italian cuisine while retaining a focus on local ingredients.

Building on Emilia’s Italian Identity

Malek and his team decided to lean into Italian fare for several reasons, he says. Because the restaurant was already named after Fort Worth’s sister city, Reggio Emilia, a more focused regional menu made for better storytelling while allowing for more efficient ingredient sourcing.

“One of the biggest things that I love about Texas is that we have everything here,” he says. “Think of the regions from the north to the south. Pretty much everything grows somewhere in Texas year-round. We work with Texas farmers, winemakers, and even cheesemakers. That allows us to focus our Italian menu on Texas ingredients.”

His goal is simple: make every guest feel like famiglia. Malek and the other chefs now make rounds, greeting guests at least once while they dine.

“We’ve started to do special things for anniversaries and birthdays that really make people feel super special when they’re here,” he adds. “We want every chef from the back kitchen to have their voice. When it comes to menu design, I’ll let everyone submit dishes.”

New Collaborations, Events, and a Focus on Mentoring Upcoming Chefs

On Emilia’s new menu, guests will find a handful of light, nutrient-dense items specially crafted for visitors at nearby Canyon Ranch Fort Worth. The spa and fitness center operate separately from the hotel, but both are popular destinations that often trade guests. Malek and his team provide meals for weddings and other large gatherings at the hotel, and catered meals now more closely resemble the dishes served at Emilia’s, he says.

Whether it’s a first-time participation in DFW Restaurant Week, collaborations with the Culinary School of Fort Worth, or participating in local food festivals and fundraisers, Emilia’s is always open to partner and collaborate. In the kitchen, Malek takes the time to mentor and train his team, passing along two decades of experience working in top restaurants across the country.

Monthly wine pairing dinners regularly sell out, and this summer will see a fun spin on the series. Rosé on the Patio will bring chef-crafted bites, live music, and rounds of rosés to the courtyard patio as the strikingly beautiful Blue Room opens its doors to the outdoors. While Chef Preston Paine’s culinary vision helped put Emilia’s on the map, Malek says his leadership style begins with investing in his team.

“My goal is to promote growth for everyone here and not just myself,” he says. “If the restaurant succeeds, it’s because we’re a team.”