MEET THE STAFF

Michael began his culinary career at age 15 working with his father with a national restaurant company in Texas, who later opened a family-style restaurant in Ohio, and had Michael do all the cooking. Michael formalized his culinary training with Paris-trained chef Arnauld Briand at the Palace Court at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, as saucier for five years. Michael has grown up in Arlington and relocated back in 1993 to join The Mansion on Turtle Creek, working under the guidance of celebrity chef Dean Fearing. He worked up through The Mansion’s culinary ranks over the next eleven years to Executive Chef in his final year. During that period, he was the Executive Sous Chef (immediately behind Fearing) for more than three years, and worked along side some of the most famous names in culinary, including Julia Child, Jacques Pepin, Wolfgang Puck, Emeril Lagasse, Norman Van Aken, and Bobby Flay. While at the Mansion, he cooked for four presidents and two queens, and has personally cooked at some of the largest homes in Dallas, including those of Jerry Jones and Tom Hicks.  He joined Colonial in January of 2007, and lives in Arlington with his wife, Cris.

    
Sue Tennis
Banquet Manager

Sue started her career in her home town of Aberdeen, Scotland, working in the hotel industry with Scottish and Newcastle Hotels. She made the transition to Private Clubs after moving to west Texas holding management positions at the Petroleum Club in Odessa, the Plaza Club and Greentree Country Club in Midland until May 2005. Sue joined the Colonial team in May 2005 as the Terrace Room manager and then made the move to the Banquet department in March 2009. She is a native of Scotland, mother of four children and has four grandchildren.