Chef’s Thoughts with Wes Tyler

Wes Tyler, CEC, CCA, has a prestigious title beyond that of Executive Chef of The Club at Carlton Woods.

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Chef’s Thoughts is sponsored by barillafs.com.

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Wes Tyler CEC, CCA, is the Executive Chef of The Club at Carlton Woods (The Woodlands, Texas), a position he’s held since June 2020. Prior to Carlton Woods, Tyler was with The Clubs at Houston Oaks.

1. You’d be surprised to learn that I am a Lord and I have the certificate to prove it!
2. If I could trade places with one chef it would be Jeffery Baker. After an amazing career as a club chef, he stepped out of the kitchen and started an extremely successful pepper farm.
3. One of my most memorable meals was at Oxhearts with my parents when they came to visit for the first time after I moved to Houston. 
4. My go-to drink is water in the kitchen and a good red wine outside it.
5. My last meal would be my mom’s fried chicken and mashed potatoes.
6. My worst culinary creation was a Frenched Tomahawk Beef Rib. I couldn’t get it to keep its shape. It looked awful and it was embarrassing because I had already put it on the menu.
7. My favorite junk foods are Cheez-Its, chips, and any crunchy snack. Oh and popcorn, too!
8. If I wasn’t a chef, I’d love to be a farmer.
9. I knew I wanted to be a chef when I started cooking for my close friends in college and they really enjoyed my food. It reinforced my confidence and drive for cooking.
10. You’ll never see chicken hearts or gizzards on the menu at my club because I can’t stand them.
11. The most ridiculous member or guest request I’ve ever had was Sweet n’ Low with a salad (and yes they sprinkled it over the salad).
12. I love being a club chef because I can express myself through food. Sometimes flavors speak more than words.
13. When I’m not in the kitchen, I’m usually with my wife and son.
14. My biggest mistake when I first started as a chef was trying to do all of the work myself.
15. I cook frozen pizza at home, but I’d never cook it at the club.
16. If I could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, it would be Fernand Point.
17. The most valuable piece of career advice I’ve ever received was, “Stay true to yourself and be honest with your work.” 
18. My favorite celebrity chef is Anthony Bourdain because he wasn’t afraid to break the rules or push the boundaries.
19. The most important thing in my kitchen is my team.
20. I want to learn more about baking and pastry because it appears to be some sort of foriegn language I haven’t figured out yet.
21. My favorite ingredient is fresh thyme. Truffle is the most overrated ingredient. Bay Leaves are the most undervalued ingredient. I detest anchovies, and I can’t live without salt.
22. I don’t like to brag, but our culinary team is awesome!
23. My most embarrassing moment in the kitchen was when I dropped a bottle of sesame oil in the chef’s office. The whole office smelled like sesame oil for days. The second most embarrassing moment was when I accidentally set the dumpster on fire and the fire department came.
24. I’d like to see more club chefs involved in community outreach programs.
25. My favorite cookbook is Le Guide Culinaire.
26. My favorite kitchen hack is the immersion circulator.
27. I am motivated and inspired by my peers and colleagues in the industry.
28. The hardest service of my career was a 1000 person outdoor wedding with several stations and food varieties.
29. The most popular item on my menu based on sales is a tie between the burger and open food.
30. I’d lose my job if I took gumbo off the menu.
31. Honesty and dedication are the most important qualities in a sous chef.
32. My favorite culinary quote is: “We are ladies and gentlemen, serving ladies and gentlemen” —Escoffier