Chef Carlos Walker Creating Culinary Excellence in the Iditarod Trail
by pedro graterol
Executive chefs Carlos Walker and Nas Benhalim with first musher to Ruby, Nicolas Petit.
In the heart of Alaska’s Iditarod Trail, where the cold winds whisper tales of endurance and perseverance, a delicious banquet awaited the first musher to arrive at the Ruby checkpoint. This meal was carefully crafted by Carlos Walker, a seasoned chef renowned for his innovative cuisine, and who recently became Executive Chef at the South Restaurant. Carlos was tasked with crafting a gourmet meal for the first musher to arrive at the checkpoint, who in this case was Nicolas Petit.
A few days after the banquet, Sol de Medianoche News spoke with Walker about his trajectory and he shared insights into the journey that led him to this unique opportunity, which started far away from the kitchen. “When I was little, I used to aspire to be a professional skateboarder. I moved out to Arizona, and I started getting sponsors and stuff. But then, I realized that it didn’t pay.” So, he started to explore a different career path and that landed him a job in Subway, that sparked his love for cooking: “I just kind of fell in love with the idea of like food, and like preparing, like whatever I wanted,” Walker recounted.
Walker continued crafting his skills in various restaurants, including Bear Tooth Grill and Kinley’s. “I worked my way up to be the sous chef. I was the sous chef there for like two and a half years”. However, after the birth of his daughter, he decided he wanted to have a job that had more flexible hours and didn’t require working late nights so his old boss at Bear Tooth’s, Natalie Janica, approached him for a position as the morning Sous-Chef at South and he accepted it. Since then, he has assumed the role of Executive Chef, which involves not only cooking but also being responsible for food costing, specials, menu development and private events.
This year, Walker was approached by his boss, Laile Fairbairn, to cook the Iditarod’s Ruby banquet. The menu crafted by Walker for this special occasion was nothing short of exquisite. “We started off with appetizers, including seared scallops with butternut squash puree and crispy prosciutto, followed by an arugula salad with champagne vinaigrette, blood orange Supremes, and shaved fennel,” Carlos described, with great attention to detail.
For the main course, Carlos served a pan-seared ribeye with a delectable Gorgonzola truffle butter and Parmesan rosemary smashed fingerling potatoes, accompanied by sautéed Swiss chard. The culinary journey concluded on a sweet note with a strawberry Creme Brulee adorned with fresh fruit and shaved white chocolate. Nicolas Petit, the honored guest, really enjoyed the meal. “He loved it. He was really excited. He got in about 10:30 PM and then he wanted dinner at midnight. So, we prepared, and he loved everything. He asked for seconds of the salad. And then he also let us know that his steak was cooked perfectly,” Walker shared, beaming with pride at the positive reception. Carlos, a third-generation immigrant with Costa Rican ancestry, stands as a role model of creativity, perseverance, and passion in our state. As the conversation turned to an end, he offered important advice for aspiring chefs that applies to everyone in their respective field: “Don’t quit. You are going to burn stuff and not everything is going to taste good. Before you know it, you will be making gourmet food. Keep striving and driving.”
