Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Lane.
Hi Michael , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Michael Lane has 30 years of corporate, restaurant, and fine-dining chef experience. He attended the Culinary Institute of America in New York, while simultaneously working for the largest tri-state catering company in Franklin, New Jersey (Market Basket). Returning to Texas, he trained under renowned chefs Tim Keaton, Robert DeGrande, and Dean Fearing. Five years later, he founded Michael Lane Cuisine, Inc., which he managed for more than 20 years, preparing approximately 3,000 meals a day to large corporate clients and hedge funds, as well as musicians and athletes. Grossing more than $43 million in revenue, Michael sold the business to City Café in 2009.
For 6 years, Michael held a business development position at TriMark USA – one of the largest restaurant equipment and design vendors in the country. In 2021, Michael left TriMark to focus his attention on building the best BBQ restaurant in Dallas, and many might say, Texas! As Founder and Owner of OAK’D BBQ Dallas – a Top 100 BBQ Restaurant in Texas – Michael is exceeding expectations in the community and is humbled by the accolades OAK’D continues to receive. Notable recognitions include, but are not limited to, the following:
– Best desserts in Texas by Texas Monthly
– Recognized as the best chicken fried steak in Dallas by the Dallas Observer
– Top 100 BBQ joints in Texas by Texas Monthly
– Top 2 best BBQ joints in Dallas by the Dallas Observer
Michael brings his culinary skills to the brand and thrives on the attention to detail that’s needed to create and serve the highest-quality food and experience.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Ha—no road has been smooth. Is any road ever truly smooth? The truth is, challenges, adversity, failure, and hardship are what forge the strongest people, and they’ve shaped me into someone who refuses to quit. Nichole and I are building multiple concepts, with our next one already under construction and slated to open in late 2026. We have a vision, a plan, and the resilience to face every obstacle head-on—that’s just how we’re built.
I’m the type of person who turns doubt into fuel; if someone thinks I can’t do something, it only pushes me harder to rise to the top. Running a business and building a legacy isn’t easy, but the difficulty is part of what drives me. I’m here for the challenge—and I intend to keep moving forward.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a professionally trained chef, educated at the Culinary Institute of America, and I’ve had the privilege of serving as a personal chef for several members of the “billionaire club.” I began with barbecue because it gave us a foundation we could carry into every future concept, and today we operate two OAK’D BBQ locations in Dallas and Addison. With those established, we’re excited to expand into new culinary arenas—including Mexican, Italian, and more.
Nichole and I are deeply committed to giving back to our military members, police officers, first responders, and their families. We’ve hosted send-off celebrations for troops preparing for deployment—praying over them, feeding their families, creating moments of joy with music, dancing, and bounce houses for the kids. My mantra has always been, “If you’re not giving back, you’re not moving forward.”
Years ago, when I realized there wasn’t a local effort dedicated to honoring our military in this way, I founded LANE American Hero. Over the last five years, with Nichole and a team of dedicated volunteers, we’ve served more than 15,000 meals to these brave men and women.
As we continue building new venues and restaurant concepts, one of our greatest goals is to create spaces that allow us to host these celebrations on an even larger scale. Giving back to our community is at the heart of everything we do. Providing jobs, offering meaningful entertainment for families, and creating a sense of safety and connection—this is what drives us forward, and we truly love it.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Nichole and I are excited to continue building concepts that bring joy, connection, stability, and great experiences to this community, and we look forward to sharing our journey with you as we build our future. We’d be honored to have you visit us at OAK’D—just ask for us. We’d truly appreciate the chance to meet you and serve you some of the best BBQ in Dallas.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://oakdbbq.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oakdbbq/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oakdbbq
