Questioning the Locals |
Chef Timothy Grayson

Who is your favorite? Chef from South Park, the Swedish Chef, or (BAM!) Emeril Lagasse?

WHO: Timothy Grayson
WHAT: Executive chef of Sodexo Dining Services at UWEC
LIVES: Menomonie
IN THE CITY FOR: 4 months

Timothy has not been in the area very long, but he hopes to make a big culinary impact on the tastes and opinions in Eau Claire. He has received a masters degree in hotel and hospitality management from Cornell and a culinary degree from La Varenne Ecole’ de Cuisine in Paris. So he knows a thing or two about food and hospitality. Not to mention he owns a restaurant in Brazil and has worked as a chef in such unique locales as Disney Land, Churchill Downs (the Kentucky Derby race track), and aboard cruise ships.

What was Mickey Mouse’s favorite dish? (We know you know) It was Wisconsin cheese, of course.

What is one of the best cultural experiences you’ve had in the Chippewa Valley so far?
I have been involved in film and film festivals for many years, so I like the film series at the university. I saw a very good film called Lars and the Real Girl that I had not seen before.

Do you prefer cooking for college kids or Disney characters? Or maybe even horses? College kids are great. Disney characters and horses never watch The Food Network.

Will you be incorporating foods you made in Brazil and around the world into what you create at the university? We are able to meet the needs of multicultural cuisines desired for catering events, and we do focus on various international flavors daily at the Dulany Inn in Davies Center.

Are your friends always hitting you up to make them something scrumptious for dinner? For some reason, they always want me to make something that is served on fire. Why is that?

What is your favorite piece of culinary trivia? Pearls will dissolve when placed in vinegar.

Who is your favorite? Chef from South Park, the Swedish Chef from The Muppets, or (BAM!) Emeril Lagasse? Chef from South Park, til they killed him off. You bastards!

On your deathbed, you can get only one last meal from a local restaurant, what would it be and where would it be from? A hot beef sandwich with cheese from Ray’s Place. I think they have healing powers.

What frustrates you about the Chippewa Valley? There are not enough good ethnic restaurants. French, Russian, Indian, etc.

Water Street or downtown? Water Street has the quicker brew access for me.

Describe your last encounter with the police department. A while ago, after I arrived here, I got stopped for making a U-turn trying to go for a car wash. I didn’t know it was illegal, but he was cool and let me go with a warning.

If you could rename Eau Claire with a different French name, what would it be? Ville de Bonnes Gens (City of Good People)

Be honest: Burger King or McDonald’s? Burger King because at McDonald’s I think the apple pie and fish sandwiches are the same item.

What’s your favorite cooking apparel? Is it the hat? It’s gotta be the hats. You’re right, it’s the hat. It makes me look really tall. It also looks really cool when I wear it out to the clubs.

Girls have to totally love coming over for dinner right? Well, they love the cooking tips. They also ask me a lot of questions when I go to the supermarket.

What is something that you would like to see on the cafeteria menu that you feel it is currently lacking? Halle Berry.

Where do you see the dining services at UWEC in two years? Five years? I see a steady improvement in quality and selection for the students and in catering. I look forward to the new student union building being built with new dining options.