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A fresh face in the River Ranch kitchen |
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Written by Paul Raymore
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Monday, 14 January 2008 |
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The River Ranch Lodge, long known for it’s beautiful setting, inviting atmosphere and hearty food, has recently hired Julia Walter as their new Executive Chef. Formerly the Chef de Cuisine at Moody’s Bistro & Lounge in Truckee, Walter hopes to bolster the Lodge’s reputation as a must-visit restaurant in the Tahoe area.
Walter’s culinary background began at Johnson & Wales, one of the nations’ top culinary schools, where she graduated with high honors. During culinary school, she started working under Chef Sal Parco at the Mustard Seed, and within two years, she moved her way up to Executive Chef. The Mustard Seed is a well known restaurant in South Carolina that specializes in fresh organic produce with a focus on seafood and vegetarian delights.
 Walter moved to the Truckee area in 2002 where she was hired as the Sous Chef and most recently was Chef de Cuisine of Moody’s Bistro and Lounge. While working under Mark Estee, she incorporated his commitment to fresh, seasonal cuisine into her own cooking style. With her passion and commitment, the menu should match the restaurant’s ambiance and beautiful setting on the Truckee River.
Sidebar:
Dinner at the River Ranch is served nightly starting at 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays starting at 5 p.m. Lunch is served Saturday and Sundays starting at noon. For reservations, call (530) 583-4264. The River Ranch is located at the corner of Hwy 89 & Alpine Meadows Road just five minutes from Tahoe City and 10 minutes from Truckee.
The Q&A:
The Tahoe World’s Paul Raymore stopped by the River Ranch to ask Julia a few questions about her history in the kitchen, her new job, and what changes patrons can expect to see on the River Ranch menu.
Tahoe World: Tell our readers a little bit about your history in the kitchen and how you came to be a chef?
 Julia Walter: I grew up watching my grandmother cook and loved cooking. I went to college in Virginia and always worked in restaurants in the front of the house. Then, after I finished college I decided I wanted to go to culinary school so I moved to Charleston, South Carolina and went to Johnson & Wales. Then I worked in a couple of restaurants in Charleston — I was the Executive Chef at a restaurant called the Mustard Seed — and that’s how I got into it. That was about 13 years ago.
TW: How did you end up in Tahoe?
Walter: I moved out to Lake Tahoe right when I finished college with three of my girlfriends and a huge group of people from Virginia who ended up moving here. I lived out here for three years and worked in restaurants waiting tables, and that’s when I moved back to Charleston and went to culinary school there back on the east coast.
TW: So what brought you back?
Walter: I married a guy from here. He’s lived out here for 18 years. He moved to Charleston for 18 months, then we came back out here in 2002.
TW: Is that when you got the job at Moody’s?
Walter: Yes. He knew Mark Estee, the owner of Moody’s, and I interviewed there and worked there for about six months and then they gave me the Sous Chef job and I did that for three years, and for the last year I was the Chef de Cuisine.
TW: So does making the jump from Chef de Cuisine to Executive Chef at a new place come with a whole new set of responsibilities?
 Walter: I think I have more responsibilities here just because it’s my kitchen, whereas at Moody’s it’s Mark’s. But it’s good. It’s going really well.
TW: So how long have you actually been at the River Ranch?
Walter: A month. I’m very new. For the first two weeks it was very slow, and then the last two weeks have been absolutely nuts. So I was pretty much thrown into it. I took a little six-week break in between jobs though.
TW: Is it difficult coming in right at the height of tourist season up here?
Walter: I’m glad we had those two weeks to kind of get familiarized with at least their ordering procedures and to get to know the kitchen a little bit. It’s been pretty hectic for the last two weeks but I think everything went pretty well.
TW: In your own words, how would you characterize your cooking style?
Walter: I like to cook based on pretty much what’s in season. So right now I’m into hearty foods, comfort foods, winter vegetables... In summer there’s great produce... So basically I cook what’s in season.
TW: Have you introduced any new dishes to the River Ranch menu so far?
Walter: I really haven’t done any menu changes yet. Probably in the spring. Right now my creativity is going to go into the specials and see what people want. And then in the spring I’ll make a change, and hopefully be changing seasonally. But for now I’m just trying to perfect the menu that they have. They have a lot of things that have been on the menu for a long time, so there are some things that will definitely stay on the menu. But I want to introduce some new things as well. So, with the nightly specials for the next three months I’m just going to get a feel for what the clientele here wants and then we’ll make a pretty substantial change in the spring.
 TW: So what are you excited about with this job?
Walter: I guess just being able to run my own kitchen. Instead of being under someone else it’s now mine — it’s all my responsibility.
TW: Were there certain jobs you’ve held or other experiences in your career that have had a big influence on your cooking?
Walter: Moody’s played a big role in my development as a chef. I learned a lot working there. I worked there for four years; it’s a great restaurant with great products and they really let you use your creativity. They write the menu every day and they let chefs and even line cooks experiment with food and try out things they want to try. I learned more at Moody’s than at any other job I’ve ever worked in. It was a great experience.
TW: Do you have a sense of what Tahoe diners’ tastes are like? Does it compare to anywhere else you’ve been?
Walter: I think a lot of people here do have a commitment to sustainable and organic food; more so than in other parts of the country, definitely.
TW: Are there any special challenges to cooking at River Ranch?
Walter: There are some challenges. It’s a little different clientele than what I’ve done before. And the biggest challenge is probably going to be the menu change in the spring. But there’s also the fact that I’m working with a whole new kitchen and just learning the way they work. There are definitely challenges, but it’s also really fun. It’s a great spot and I think they’ve got a lot of return customers who have been coming back for 35 years for their food. So it’s fun.
TW: Anything else you’d like to say?
 Walter: I’m just trying to get the River Ranch known for their good food. That’s my goal. I think people [already] come here for the atmosphere and lots of reasons, but I want them to come for the food as well.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 14 January 2008 )
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