Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Reale.
Hi Chris, 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?
I’m a lifelong Fort Worth native, raised in kitchens filled with the smells of scratch-cooking and big family gatherings. From the start, I knew food was my passion—I landed my first kitchen job as a teenager at Del Frisco’s, then really grew under the guidance of chef Lou Lambert, who became my mentor and later business partner.
I’ve worked every station in restaurants, from line cook to management, while earning my degree in Food & Nutrition from TCU. Along the way, I helped relocate and operate Flores Barbecue (which evolved into Campo Smokehouse) here in town.
In 2020, when many businesses were struggling, I saw a chance to step up. I partnered with Lou and others to take on two of Fort Worth’s most cherished spots: the historic Paris Coffee Shop—a nearly 100-year-old diner beloved for its house-made pies, chicken & dumplings, and classic comfort food—and the iconic Roy Pope Grocery, a West Side staple since 1943 that we’ve reimagined with a fresh coffee/wine bar, local products, and a strong community vibe. (Note: While Lou and I later stepped away from operations at Roy Pope in 2024, we continue our work together on Paris Coffee Shop. Westfork Fitness, and Promise Coffee Co.)
To stay well-rounded and give back to the community in a new way, Lou and I also became partners in Westfork Fitness, a boutique 24/7 gym in the West Side River District along the Trinity. It’s a full-service, high-end spot with top-tier equipment, limited memberships to avoid overcrowding, personal training, and that same member-first focus—creating a premium, welcoming space for Fort Worth folks to get strong and healthy.
I pour my heart into keeping these legacies alive—honoring their traditions while making them fresh and relevant for today. To me, Fort Worth has that special “small-town feel in a big city,” and I’m proud to be a hometown guy contributing to its incredible food and fitness scene, one plate, one revitalized landmark, and one workout at a time.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road to success in restaurant operations is rarely smooth—it’s a demanding path filled with long hours, late nights, and weekends that don’t exist in the traditional sense. While most people are enjoying family time or downtime, you’re often in the kitchen or on the floor, making sure everything runs just right. Fifty-plus-hour weeks aren’t the exception; they’re the norm.
COVID fundamentally reshaped our industry in ways we’re still navigating. Guests have become far more price-sensitive, many rediscovered the joy (and convenience) of cooking at home, and overall alcohol consumption has trended downward—hitting a key revenue driver hard for places like ours.
In this environment, operators have to stay sharper than ever. The days of clipboard management are gone; success now demands rolling up your sleeves, getting your hands dirty, and leading from the front. I’ve had to evolve my own approach—adapting to shifting societal norms, tightening operations, and staying laser-focused on value, quality, and the guest experience. And I know the journey will keep changing as market demands and consumer behaviors continue to evolve.
It’s challenging, no doubt, but it’s also what makes this work so rewarding—building something resilient in a city like Fort Worth that still feels like home.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My world revolves around food and hospitality. With a deep-rooted background in cuisine, I naturally gravitate toward the kitchen every day—though I’m equally at home taking on any responsibility within the four walls of a restaurant.
What I specialize in is breathing new life into historic, community-loved spots while keeping their soul intact. I take places that are part of Fort Worth’s fabric and update them just enough to thrive today without losing what made them special yesterday.
I’m most proud of keeping Paris Coffee Shop going strong through some of the toughest years the restaurant industry has ever seen. We’ve preserved traditions that go back generations—daily pie baking, scratch cooking, that classic diner feel—while adapting to make it sustainable. Seeing multigenerational families come in, regulars who’ve been coming since the 1950s sitting next to new neighbors, that’s what gets me. Same with Westfork: building a gym that feels like a local spot rather than a corporate chain.
What sets me apart is that I’m truly hands-on and local to the core. I grew up here, started washing dishes at Del Frisco’s as a teenager, worked every station in kitchens across town, and earned my Food & Nutrition degree at TCU while still grinding in restaurants. I don’t manage from an office with a clipboard—I’m in the dining room, in the kitchen, tasting pies, fixing equipment, whatever needs doing. The industry has changed dramatically since COVID: guests are more price-conscious, many cook more at home, alcohol sales are down across the board, and margins are tighter than ever. To succeed now, you have to stay sharp, adapt constantly, and lead from the front. That’s how I run things—rolling up my sleeves, staying close to the community, and always putting quality and hospitality first. Fort Worth still has that small-town heart in a growing city, and I try to reflect that in everything I do.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Think that is all
Contact Info:
- Website: https://pariscoffeeshopfw.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pariscoffeeshopftw?igsh=OWRjcDRyeDRkbno3&utm_source=qr
