Growing up in East Texas, David Uygur accompanied his Turkish father to Dallas and Shreveport to grocery shop in Middle Eastern markets, and in turn, "ate food that wasn’t like the other kids’ food."
Uygur always felt drawn to food, whether he was learning about Turkish dishes from his father or watching his grandfather garden, but he didn’t imagine himself working in restaurants. He thought he’d more likely follow in his mother’s footsteps and become a teacher. In college, he majored in philosophy, but after two years, he decided there was nothing he could do with a philosophy degree that he couldn’t do without one. He ditched college and went to culinary school.
In the early 2000s, Uygur rose to prominence in Dallas as chef of the now-defunct Lola The Restaurant. There, his 10-course tasting menu showcased the meat-curing techniques that would later define Lucia.
A year after Lola’s closure in 2009, Uygur and his wife, Jennifer, opened the Italian restaurant Lucia, where Uygur dedicated himself to crafting every dish from scratch—kneading the dough for pasta, seasoning the olives, curing the meats, and baking the bread. The restaurant, which had only nine tables, was an instant success. In 2018, the Uygurs opened Macellaio, a Lucia spin-off that focused on charcuterie. When it didn’t survive the COVID-19 pandemic, the Uygurs relocated Lucia to Macellaio’s former space in the Bishop Arts District, where it remains today.
From 2013 to 2017, and again in 2019, Uygur was a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation's Best Chef: Southwest award. In 2024, he was a finalist for the James Beard Foundation's Outstanding Chef award. Also in 2024, Lucia earned a Bib Gourmand from the Michelin Guide, an honor recognizing restaurants that offer exceptional food at reasonable prices.
Even after 15 years, Lucia continues to book out months in advance. No matter how busy he is, Uygur, who frequently alters the menu depending on seasons and his own whims, carves out time to experiment in the kitchen. "As I got into managing, my job satisfaction went up, but my fun went down. I always want to make sure the fun sticks around. I always leave room to play with food."
