“Cuisine unique” is how chef Douglas Dale of Wolfdale’s describes his culinary fare and his restaurant. It is also the title of his new book, “Wolfdale’s: Cuisine Unique.” The book is part memoir and part cookbook and the project took more than three years to complete.
Douglas Dale at work in the kitchen
The labor of love took Dale and his family back to Japan where, as a young man, he once studied pottery, Aikido and fell in love with Japanese cuisine and culture.
Wolfdale’s was established in 1978 in Homewood and moved to its current location in Tahoe City in 1986. The building was a logger’s home built in 1889 and originally constructed in Glenbrook. It was moved across the lake to Tahoe City in 1901. Back in the day, the home housed many unique characters, including Constable Harry Johanson. The original gate to the cell where the constable once locked people up is still in the wine cellar of the restaurant. The history of the building is as colorful as the man who now owns it.
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“I try to make food that is true to the environment I am in.
I try to carry (my clients) forward and expand their horizons.”
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Dale initially went to Japan to study Japanese culture on an internship during college, but life had other plans. He found himself living in a temple with the caretaker’s family. Dale became an apprentice studying under a master artist of functional stoneware and traditional Raku tea bowls. He learned the process of making pottery. The mother of the house was a fabulous cook who prepared an ancient Buddhist cuisine called, Shojin ryori, also known as a purification food. Dale not only partook in the food but also helped prepare it. The ingredients are seasonal, locally harvested and vegetarian. This, according to Dale, sent his life on a different trajectory.
Chef Douglas Dale opened Wolfdale’s in 1978.
After college, Dale studied with a highly revered Japanese chef in the 1970s before celebrity chefs were even a concept. He eventually made his way to Tahoe and opened Wolfdale’s. When the restaurant first opened, no one was serving Japanese cuisine but eventually Dale’s magic prevailed. After a few years he outgrew the Homewood location.
“I try to make food that is true to the environment I am in. I try to carry (my clients) forward and expand their horizons,” says Dale.
Douglas Dale’s newest creation, “Wolfdale’s: Cuisine Unique.”
According to Dale, his restaurant is not set in stone. “It’s a constant evolution. We work hard during the season and then take time to rethink and reflect to put the game plan back together, thinking of new things, food trends, wine and spirits. But it’s the people that work for me that keep me engaged. I am part of a team. I have to perform. My life in the mountains is great and I get to mingle with people I know and like. The people that live here are some of the most immensely talented people I’ve met.”
Douglas Dale with the women who taught him Shojin ryori cuisine and whom he calls mother.
The restaurant hosts numerous events throughout the year, whether it’s the annual abalone night, locals’ two-for-one night or a special night for Grammy award-wining artist Trey Stone, who performs before the Thanksgiving weekend, something is always cooking at Wolfdale’s.
While working on his book, he went back to visit the woman he calls mother and who introduced him to Shojin ryori cuisine. She is in her 90s now and still preparing food as art. The book released two weeks ago is a beautiful retrospective of Douglas Dale’s career as one of the most celebrated Tahoe chefs. The recipes, many classics of Wolfdale’s, are beautifully photographed.
Seafood stew
At Wolfdale’s, the food speaks for itself. Most of his staff has worked at the restaurant for 15 to 20 years. The community in which Dale and his wife, Kathleen, have raised their children are part of who he is, part of who his family is and why he’s still cooking after all these years.
The book is currently available at Wolfdale’s in Tahoe City and at wolfdales.com.
Priya Hutner is a writer, health and wellness consultant, and natural foods chef. Her business, The Seasoned Sage, focuses on wellness, conscious eating and healthy living. She offers healthy organic meals for her clients. She may be reached at pria78@gmail.com or visit theseasonedsage.com. Visit TheTahoeWeekly.com to read more.
