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| DAVE HERMANN Executive Chef and Co-Proprietor Dave Hermann's original ambition as a youngster was to be a ski bum. So how did this native New Yorker become the Co-Owner and Executive Chef of The Range , one of the finest restaurants in relatively snow-free Central Texas? It's all due to a serendipitous event that landed him in his first professional kitchen. Working as a waiter during his college years, Hermann was drafted into the kitchen one night by the chef at the Bull's Head Inn , a Continental restaurant in Orange County, NY, where Dave grew up. Once inside, he had an epiphany. “I saw cooking in a whole different light,” he says. “It not only allowed me to express myself creatively, but also use my managerial skills.” As Dave worked every station in the kitchen, he found that it was a place that "allowed me to utilize the full range of my skills and interests." Hermann's talents are clearly evident at The Range , where the fresh and imaginative New American fare is matched by a warm and classic atmosphere, and service that's welcoming and attentive from the moment diners enter the restaurant. For Dave and his wife and business partner Katie Shull Hermann, The Range is a labor of love that offers a complete dining experience. Hermann studied business administration and management in college prior to his shift in ambitions, which led him to attend the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. “It provided me with a strong overall foundation in culinary fundamentals,” he reflects. “I had a chance to master the kitchen, perfect a vast range of cooking skills, and learn the ins and outs of restaurant management.” During a Culinary Institute internship at Handke's Cuisine in Columbus, OH, Dave was immersed in the magic of old school European cooking working under Certified Master Chef Hartmut Handke. A graduate fellowship at the Institute's American Bounty Restaurant further enhanced his real world restaurant experience, and gave him the opportunity to hone his expertise as a cooking instructor. Dave was chosen for the opening team at the Culinary Institute of America's new West Coast campus, working at the Wine Spectator Restaurant at Greystone in California's renowned Napa Valley. By then, Dave was engaged to marry Katie Shull, a fellow Culinary Institute student. Their shared dream of having their own restaurant became reality when they lucked upon the historic Barton House in the picturesque town of Salado in Central Texas, where Katie was raised. For Dave Hermann, The Range not only offers a forum where he can exercise his culinary creativity, but also a rich existence outside the kitchen. “We knew we wanted to have a restaurant that wasn't in a large city, and we also wanted a life outside the kitchen. In Salado, we're part of a wonderful community, and it enables us to have a quality family life as well as a restaurant we are very proud of.” Owning and running a restaurant also offers Hermann the challenge of “wearing a lot of different hats.” Overseeing the renovation of Barton House from a residence into a world-class kitchen and dining facility before opening in 1997, and sharing his vast knowledge and skills in the monthly cooking classes he offers at The Range. “I feel like we are able to bring integrity and honesty to the table,” says Hermann of the culinary philosophy that drives the menu at The Range . “The cooking techniques here are drawn from classic French styles. But the key to excellence is working with the finest and freshest provisions, produce and ingredients. If you start with the best, the less you have to do with it.” And yes, just in case you were wondering: regardless of whether a snowfall in Central Texas is a rare event indeed, Dave Hermann still loves to ski. |
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