New sous chef at Dragonfly in Truckee

Dragonfly has welcomed a new addition to their staff, sous chef Chris Watkins. Watkins’ extensive background and many talents will help him bring new expertise and experience while continuing to push culinary boundaries with the rest of the Dragonfly team.

After graduating from Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Watkins began his culinary career at the Grand Hotel Zermatterhof in Switzerland. Following his endeavors abroad, Watkins moved back to the states where he spent six years working at several different restaurants in San Francisco including Jardiniere, Frission, Elizabeth Daniel, Coi and Campton Place.

As the lead line cook or sous chef he perfected his skills working with local farmers and preparing high quality menu items, as well as supervising fellow staff. In 2006 he became the executive sous chef at The Plumed Horse in Saratoga, Calif. In more recent years Watkins gained experience in Truckee while he worked at the West Shore Café and most recently, at Plumpjacks.

Chef/Owner Billy McCullough is excited about Watkins joining the Dragonfly team. “It’s always fun to bring new people into the mix at Dragonfly.  The people I surround myself with often offer learning experiences for me as they bring their expertise to the restaurant, which is different from my culinary background.”

McCullough knows that Watkins has the ability to be able to keep up with Dragonfly’s inventive approach to food, “I’m excited for Chris to bring his talents to the Dragonfly kitchen.  He is able to be creative with the quality products we use.  Dragonfly has led the way locally pushing culinary boundaries, and Chris is the perfect fit to help us continue in this endeavor.”

Dragonfly Restaurant and Sushi Bar is located upstairs at 10118 Donner Pass Rd., right in the heart of downtown Truckee. Reservations for dinner are recommended. The Sushi Bar is first come, first served. Check out Dragonfly on the web here or call 530-587-0557.