Interview with Chef Percy Whatley of the Ahwahnee in Yosemite, California

Richárde

Percy Whatley, Executive Chef at The Ahwahnee in Yosemite National Park, California, doesn't have to look very far for ideas: the local landscape instantly creates the perfect food environment.



"We look outside and get inspired by our surroundings. Although a small hotel as far as rooms are concerned (123), the food and beverage operation feeds 2,000 people daily. Maintaining this kind of volume here is both challenging and stimulating. Our windows are 20 feet high in the dining room. How can we not get inspired? Rot iron chandeliers, floor to ceiling windows, sugar pine beam rafters in the ceiling and walls - it all creates a feeling of being in the mountains," he says.

"We use a mix of old and new world cooking technologies in the kitchen. We utilize sous vide and combi-oven technology, as well as the classic preparations of roast, stewing and braising, sautéing and frying. Because we base our menu off of what's available seasonally and locally, dishes change all the time, but I'd say our Roast Prime Rib of Beef could be considered a signature dish, as it is always a great seller. Some of our clientele come from a continental dining era and this allows them to reminisce of days gone by."

"I love tomatoes! We have a very small local farmer that has her farm at 3,000 feet elevation. We do not see any of her tomatoes until well into August and she is able to pick well into October. Since her plants struggle some, the fruit that they bear has a higher brix (sugar content)."



"I arrived in Yosemite in 1989, never touching food as a profession before. Checking into the human resources department, I was given a choice of cooking hamburgers in a fast food restaurant, or to work as a housekeeper making beds. The choice seemed natural. I love to compete in culinary competitions, from small contests to the grand Bocuse d'Or USA.I won the prize for "Best Meat Dish" at the Bocuse, which was a huge honor."

To learn more about this very special restaurant, as well as the hotel that houses it, please visit their website at: http://www.yosemitepark.com/the-ahwahnee.aspx


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