Born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky, Dallas was shaped early by a table that reflected far more than one place. With roots spanning Serbian, Italian, Greek, and Southern traditions, food was never just food, it was identity, connection, and a way of bringing people together. At fourteen, he stepped into his first restaurant job washing dishes at Ramsey’s Diner, quickly realizing he was drawn not just to the kitchen, but to the rhythm and energy of the entire dining experience. He moved through every role he could—line cook, bartender, server—learning the industry from the ground up.

While studying finance at the University of Kentucky, Dallas opened his first restaurant at just 21: Bunk’s Burger Bar, a notable accomplishment that spoke to both his ambition and instinct for hospitality. He later earned a Master’s in Finance from Vanderbilt University, and spent 10 years in real estate private equity and investing, adding a strategic foundation to his approach.

Mileta is his return to the industry he loves—equal parts instinct, ambition, and refusal to do things the expected way. As Proprietor and Managing Partner, Dallas is deeply involved in every detail, from concept, to menu, to culture, creating a dining experience that feels both elevated and unapologetically personal.

For Dallas, it’s never been just about food. It’s about energy, people, and creating a place that leaves a mark.

When he’s not at the restaurant, he’s at home in Lexington with his wife, Courtney, their four children—Bronson, Dahlia, Mila, and Wolfgang—and their two silver labs, Franco and Lucia—still cooking, still hosting, still chasing the next idea.