Before becoming the head chef at 1898 Public House in April 2016, Chef Tyler Schwenk worked at Beverly’s at the Coeur d’Alene Resort for 23 years! He was born and raised in Coeur d’Alene and he started at Beverly’s when he was only 14 years old prepping, at 16 he moved to banquets, and then became the kitchen supervisor at 18. When he turned 21, he was given the amazing opportunity to travel around the world as sous chef on the “Lady Lola”, super-yacht. During this year, he traveled along the Riviera and in and out of Europe. After that, he returned to CDA, and was back working at the Coeur d’Alene resort in July 2003 as Beverly’s banquet chef and eventually took over as head chef in 2008.
Tyler won the “People’s Choice” Award & “Outstanding Entrée” featuring his Lobster Mac & Cheese at the Epicurean Delight last year.
Why did you decide to become a chef?
After working as sous chef on the “Lady Lola”, he began pursuing his career as a chef. He quickly found his passion in learning about different types of food and different styles of cooking. He is really into charcuterie and cured meats. With no “formal” training, Tyler has learned everything he knows about cooking from other chefs, training, seminars, and even YouTube videos. He learned about Dragon’s Breath Popcorn and how to make it from YouTube, and eventually taught some classes on cooking with chemicals. If you haven’t seen videos of people eating Dragon’s Breath Popcorn, it’s quite the site. I’m thinking Tyler should add it to the menu as a monthly special at 1898 Public House. *hint, hint
What is your favorite cooking show?
No Reservations : Anthony Bourdain
Is there a chef you admire the most? Why?
Thomas Keller (Chef, Restauranteur, and Cookbook Writer), Tom Douglas (Seattle Kitchen).
He admires chefs that take simple concepts and make great food without overthinking things.
What set of skills or characteristics do you have that you think set you apart?
Tyler likes to take a bold classic dish and make them new, with a new twist. Exhibit A: The fan-favorite, Lobster Corndog. He is all about that “Wow Factor” and I guarantee that the one word that comes to your mind when your meal at 1898 Public House is presented, will be “WOW”!
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Golf, fly fish, and ski. He also enjoys spending time with his family: 11 year old son, 13 year old daughter.
Where do you like to eat around Spokane/CDA?
Syringa, Moontime, Midtown Bluebird.
Do you have a signature dish?
Some of his favorites are the Ahi Poke Tuna and Lobster Mac & Cheese.
What ingredients do you like to work with?
Duck Fat. At 1898, they cook all their breakfast potatoes in duck fat and you can taste the difference, trust me. Schwenk tries to use seasonal, local ingredients as often as possible. Sometimes this means removing menu items that people love, but he wants to stay true to what is in season and fresh.
What is your favorite thing on the menu at your restaurant?
Asian Pork Sliders, Crab Bruschetta, Kale Brussel Sprouts Salad, Halibut (I fully agree with these last two)
You’re on death row, what would your last meal be?
Big fat BBQ’d bone-in rib eye, with a side of corn on the cob and some oysters dipped in duck fat. Tyler agrees that there is shame and no counting calories with this meal.
What is your favorite cereal? You can tell a lot about a person based on their favorite cereal…
Cinnamon Toast Crunch (Same Here!)
The Future of 1898 Public House looks bright and I can’t wait to see how chef Tyler Schwenk and the staff continue to transform this gorgeous property. If you are a golfer, you’ll definitely want to try to snag one of their available Tee times and admire this course or use their state of the art indoor Golf Simulator.
Hi! I'm Chandler, owner of Spokane Eats, and I think life is too short for the mediocre. Our team is here to help you discover why we fell (and continue to fall) in love with Spokane Washington!
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