Robert Anderson of the Ahwahnee
Hotel
Considered one of America's
most distinctive hotels, the Ahwahnee is a great American
castle nestled in the middle of Yosemite Valley, California.
Massive and warm, with huge cathedral ceilings and enormous
stone hearths, the hotel was designated a National Historic
Landmark in 1987. Every year, hundreds of thousands travel
to Yosemite National Park and the Ahwahnee to enjoy the
breathtaking scenery and to sample refined cuisine prepared
by the Ahwahnee's Executive Chef, Robert Anderson. A
graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Anderson
supervises a staff of 60. He is also responsible for all the
food served at the hotel's special events, including the
Ahwahnee's famed Bracebridge Dinner.
An 18th Century English Christmas
A pageant held each
Christmas, the Bracebridge Dinner is adapted from
descriptions in Washington Irving's "Sketch Book" of a
Christmas Day in 1718 at Squire Bracebridge's Old English
Manor. At the Ahwahnee, the main dining room serves as the
dining hall at Squire Bracebridge's Manor. It's decorated
with elaborate wreaths and massive banners all displaying
Yuletide traditions. The entire dining room is a stage for
the Bracebridge dinner performance. Chimes and heraldic
trumpets announce the arrival of Squire Bracebridge and his
family at the great hall. The Bracebridge Singers, the Lord
of Misrule (a jester/juggler), a band of villagers, along
with the Squire and his family all entertain the 1,675
guests accommodated during the five, three-hour dinner
pageants.
What is
the holiday menu you prepare for your guests at the
Ahwahnee?
The Bracebridge menu
is far from typical. Menu selections from past years have
included dishes from caviar, ragout of duck and pheasant in
a puff pastry with chestnuts, roasted tenderloin of beef
with cabernet sage au jus, along with a traditional plum
pudding. Every time I sample an interesting entree, I think
of ways that I could change it to make it better or slightly
different.
What type
of planning goes into the preparations for the Ahwahnee's
Bracebridge Dinner?
I finish writing the
Bracebridge menu by the end of August. Before that, I'm on
the phone with my suppliers to explain the ingredients I'm
looking for. When the Bracebridge event draws near, I sit
down with my staff to explain what will take place. The
Bracebridge event is a race against the clock because there
is a limited window of time -- five minutes -- in which
everything has to be ready to be presented to the guests all
at the same time.
What is the most challenging task you face
as the Executive Chef of the Ahwahnee?
Our remote location
in Yosemite Valley plays a large part in our operations. At
times it's a challenge to get our staff members and
necessary ingredients to the hotel. Through the years, I've
faced numerous uncontrollable events that have disrupted
production. We have had 70 to 80 mph winds roar through the
valley, forest fires and floods. But that's part of signing
on at a hotel located in the middle of a National Park.
Where do
you get your inspiration?
I am continuously
thinking about food. I eat out a lot and spend time reading
food trade publications. My wife and I also travel to
various cities to sample the culinary delicacies that other
cities have to offer. I always say a person is able to
"steal with their eyes." Being out and about also helps.
Living in such a beautiful environment helps to clear my
head which is when I come up with my best ideas.
Sample recipes from
Executive Chef, Robert Anderson:
Minestrone of
Lobster
Wilted
Escarole
Chocolate and Hazelnut
Biscotti
More recipes check
back to last year's holiday menus:
Chef Malouf from New
York's Rainbow Room
Harriet Roth's Tempting
Chanukah Feast
More Cooking Around
the World with Whirlpool
Recipe
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