At the 6am buzz of her iPhone, Tracy Rathbun leaps out of bed and heads to … where else … the kitchen. For this 45-year-old entrepreneur, restaurateur and wife of a nationally acclaimed chef, the kitchen truly serves as the epicenter of her home.
“Kent takes care of dinner,” she says of her husband, who owns Abacus, Jasper’s and Rathbun’s Blue Plate Kitchen, as well as Zea Woodfire Grill. “But I am usually the one in charge of breakfast.”
To that end, this über-busy mom of Max, age 7, and Garrett Leigh, 4, whips up kid-friendly faves like scrambled eggs or pancakes in the large kitchen of the 19th floor penthouse at The Heights at Park Lane. Max frequently dons his own chef’s coat and Garrett Leigh, her tiny apron, to stir, scoop or sample alongside proud mom, who describes both kids as good eaters.
“I love our mornings together,” says Tracy. “We’re all so busy that it’s really important family time to me.”
Time and food are twin themes with the Rathbuns, who intend to break ground within the next six months on their dream home. Tracy and Kent have purchased a gorgeous lot in tony Bluffview. They’ve also hired local architect Jessica Stewart, who designed both Shinsei (the chic Inwood Road pan-Asian eatery Tracy opened in 2006 with business partner Lynae Fearing) and DUO (Tracy and Lynae’s latest venture, an event/high-end kitchen space with a retail component, a few doors down from Shinsei). DUO debuted in December.
“At DUO, we wanted the place to feel like an upscale loft so we used walnut modular cabinets, dark green soapstone on the counters and beautiful dark brown Viking appliances,” says Tracy. (Those items are for sale, as are culinary tools from Joseph Joseph along with sofas and chairs by BKind3.)
The kitchen in Tracy and Kent’s new home will boast honed granite countertops and a pair of islands topped in Carrera marble.
“It’s a home that will be made for entertaining,” explains Tracy over the blueprints for the 7,000-square-foot, horseshoe-shaped house. And entertain this dynamic duo does. Tracy, Kent and the kids host guests at least twice a week at the penthouse.
“For most people, the stress of entertaining offsets the pleasures,” Tracy says, “but I’ve been doing this most of my life, and I truly enjoy having friends over.” Menu staples at Chez Rathbun include steak and roasted beet salad. Visitors inevitably comment on the sweeping views outside and soothing, soft-contemporary décor within. The luxury amenities, including a stainless 36-inch refrigerator, matching freezer and a four-foot gas range, make the penthouse kitchen function as well as it looks. The granite countertops, meanwhile, withstand the rigors of daily life and the demands of Kent’s beloved Lincoln Centurion knives.
The children, says Tracy, adore the building and the treetop view of their city. Tracy loves the commute—or lack thereof. The Heights at Park Lane is a short hop in her Volkswagen Routan (or spiffy Lexus) to the children’s schools, their nanny and the Rathbun’s various enterprises.
The overarching aesthetic of high-rise living appeals to her, too.
“I really like clean and modern, but with warmth,” she says. “About the only thing we don’t do is clutter.” (Both Max and Garrett Leigh pitch in by cleaning up their toys.)
The Rathbuns, who likewise love art, do double duty as curators and connoisseurs—and not just of crayon masterpieces. This spring, the couple will host their eighth annual Rathbun Art Party, which showcases the works of talented friends and locals like Mindy Collins, Rick Griggs, Scott Harben and Tamara White. The event raises money for the March of Dimes as well; for information, visit artpartydallas.com.
This year’s fête will take place on the 2,000-square-foot penthouse patio. Guests will feast on Kent’s superlative cuisine (his signature lobster shooters, perhaps!) and bid on original artwork. Both Rathbuns clearly relish the opportunity to combine their various passions into a single event: philanthropy, food, family and friends under one roof.
