Dare to Be Innovative

Coming Soon 2020

A chef-inspired gastronomic experience carefully crafted using local and seasonal ingredients. Enjoy this delectable culinary journey in an intimate atmosphere conveniently located at Tin Lizzie Gaming Resort on Main Street, Deadwood.

About Chef Tucker Walton

My philosophy of food and hospitality comes down to respect. The land in which we plant seeds, the farmer whose hands have sown and harvested the product, the chefs whose creativity has constructed the meal, the waitstaff who delivered that creation to a table, and ultimately, the guests who enjoy it all must be respected. Chefs and service professionals are in a very honorable industry. We take care and nourish our fellow humans. This industry is collaborative, and it takes an incredible amount of effort before a plate hits the table. When we respect one another other and the entirety of the process, magic happens. Mother Earth has done a wondrous job providing us with the most whimsical ingredients we can imagine. It is our job to respect those ingredients and do our best to honor the bounty she has provided.  

I grew up in a traveling military family. My love for food began at my mother’s kitchen table. We may have moved all over the world, but every night I returned to a home-cooked meal. My global childhood and care from my mother instilled a vast appreciation and love of culture and cuisine in me.  

My first job in the kitchen was at a small catering company in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I was only a freshman in high school when the dish-pit there became my sanctuary.  I was spellbound by the entire experience in the kitchen. I loved the space so much that I applied and was accepted into my dream college, The Culinary Institute of America, in Hyde Park, New York. I learned about the cuisines and beverages of the world while gaining a passion that is now my craft. My time spent in the city was humbling and beneficial for myself as a young chef. On my days off, I was eating and staging in some of the world’s greatest restaurants. 

Per the advice of my professors, Charles Garibaldi, and Stephen Kolpan, I moved to San Antonio, Texas and was given the chance to run my own wine program. I worked countless hours and slept minimally, but the program became an enormous success. San Antonio, at the time, had very little wine culture. We quickly became the most talked about wine establishment in one of the largest cities in the United States. It was there, through the coaching of my wine mentor, that I was able to pass two sommelier certifications. 

Inspired, I moved to Boulder, Colorado where I worked under Master Sommelier, Bobby Stuckey, at his establishment, Frasca Food and Wine. The education I received was unparalleled. I met some of the most influential Chefs, Sommeliers, and Wine Makers in the industry, and was exposed to some of the best products our world has to offer. I am honored to say I was part of the Front of the House team when Frasca won the James Beard award for Wine Service. Since then, they have also taken the award for Remarkable Service. Frasca is an industry leader when it comes to wine service, and the skills I learned there have set my standards of the “guest experience.” 

Furthermore, during my time in Boulder, I was offered the General Manager position at an incredible operation, Black Cat Bistro, and their sister restaurant, Bramble and Hare. They are one of the largest farm–to–table operations in the United States. The empathy and humility brought forth through this program’s way of treating food was one of the most impactful times in my career. It shaped my beliefs and philosophy for our craft. 

From there, I split my time between private chef and sommelier work back in San Antonio. I was also able to work with one of my dearest mentors in my time there, the mega-talented Olaf Harmel. We opened an incredible bar together, The Modernist, in a small bungalow in a booming area of San Antonio. I used this experience to refine my craft cocktail making skills and take my culinary knowledge and pallet into the bar. 

On a whim, and in need of a culture shock, I moved to the small fishing village of Playa Gigante, Nicaragua. I wanted full immersion in a foreign culture. Here I was able to fish with the locals, take that catch, along with the produce from local farmers, and cook anything my heart desired over a wood fire. I refined my craft while living in a dirt floor home with no running water. It was a humbling and powerful life experience.  

Eventually, I landed in South Dakota, to visit my mother, and had no intention of staying. I was only here for a visit, but the universe presents you with beautiful opportunities. I am humbled and honored to introduce my philosophy of food and service to the South Dakota area. We anxiously await having you as a guest! Until then, be well!