Alora Hospitality Group adds chef Amy DiBiase as co-owner in Frisco

Amy DiBiase is no longer just shaping the menu at Alora Hospitality Group. Her move into ownership as an operating partner and co-owner gives one of North Texas’ better-known hospitality figures a larger say in where the Frisco company goes next, from new concepts to the way its restaurants are staffed and run.

That matters in a city where food and development now move together. Alora was founded in 2024 by Donny Churchman and Jason Young, and DiBiase was already part of the venture before the ownership change. She had served as the company’s chief operating officer and culinary director, and she developed the menu for Elaine’s Cocktail Kitchen, Alora’s first concept, which opened in downtown Frisco in July 2025 at 8763 7th Street in the Rail District. The restaurant brought 44 indoor seats and a small patio to a compact space that has become part of Frisco’s downtown identity.

The promotion suggests Alora is not treating DiBiase as a back-of-house talent but as a strategic partner. Her role now places a chef with more than 20 years of experience closer to decisions about future concepts, expansion, and the kind of dining experience the group wants to build across Collin County. For a fast-growing suburb, that shift points to a wider trend: restaurant brands are increasingly leaning on culinary leadership as a business asset, not just a creative one.

DiBiase’s background gives the move added weight. A New England native and Johnson & Wales University graduate, she has worked at the InterContinental Hotel in San Diego, Tidal at Paradise Resort and Spa, a California restaurant group, and most recently the Sanderling Resort in North Carolina. That résumé helps explain why Alora would elevate her beyond a single concept and into ownership, especially as the company looks to deepen its footprint in the region.

Alora is also tied to 1902 Prosper at 209 W. Broadway Street in Prosper, a project named to honor the year the town was founded. The company’s ambitions line up with broader growth in Frisco, where the city says its investment in the Rail District redevelopment exceeds $80 million. Main Street construction began in July 2024, the public parking garage was slated to open in June 2026, and 4th Street Plaza was expected to follow in August 2026.

That backdrop helps explain why chef ownership now carries real significance. Frisco’s population was estimated at 245,470 in 2025 after growing more than 450% since 2000, and the U.S. Census Bureau estimated it at 236,955 on July 1, 2025. In that kind of market, Alora’s decision reads less like a title change than a bet that the next phase of Frisco dining will be shaped by chefs with a seat at the table.