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Things are changing at Morton’s Best Western Ashland House Inn.
After a major renovation project last year, which gave the now 12-year old facility’s guest rooms, lobby, ballroom and conference center a facelift, a new chef has been recruited to help spice things up in the kitchen.
Chef Tim Mahony has joined Executive Chef Sergio Mantalvo in the Ashland House kitchen, preparing faire for the facility’s banquets as well as Paddy O’Flaherty’s, an attached, full-service Irish pub.
“I think this was a needed thing,” said food and beverage director John Finney. “We’ve had a major renovation and we’ve just got to do what we can to keep up (with the competition). Tim coming in fits that as well.”
Mahony, a native Washingtonian, spent the last 25 years gaining experience in exclusive country clubs and restaurants in Naples, Orlando and Tampa, Fla
He recently moved back home and now shares his experience at the Ashland House and Metamora Fields, working in Morton about 20 to 30 hours a week.
“When I moved from here in 1986, I started bussing tables in a country club and I eventually just kind of moved into cooking,” Mahony said. “They call it the school of hard knocks.”
While in Florida, Mahony said he worked with chefs from all over the world, which vastly expanded his culinary repertoire.
“I have been very lucky to work with so many people from different parts of the world,” he said. “Florida is really a melting pot, not just for people from all over the country, but for people from all over the world.”
Mahony now brings that experience home to central Illinois.
“One of the deciding factors in bringing him on was to bring in some of his creativity in terms of display and plate presentation,” said Theresa McCabe, the Ashland House’s director of sales. “His work has a lot of culinary flare to it.”
While the menus at Paddy O’Flaherty’s and the banquet center are set, McCabe added that there is room for Mahony to be flexible and incorporate what he has learned over the years.
“I think one of his key roles is to be a little more creative within our client’s budget and still produce something that might look a little more high end while being budget friendly,” she said.
Now in central Illinois, Mahony uses his gained expertise to add aesthetic appeal and cultural diversity to the food he prepares.
Things are changing at Morton’s Best Western Ashland House Inn.
After a major renovation project last year, which gave the now 12-year old facility’s guest rooms, lobby, ballroom and conference center a facelift, a new chef has been recruited to help spice things up in the kitchen.
Chef Tim Mahony has joined Executive Chef Sergio Mantalvo in the Ashland House kitchen, preparing faire for the facility’s banquets as well as Paddy O’Flaherty’s, an attached, full-service Irish pub.
“I think this was a needed thing,” said food and beverage director John Finney. “We’ve had a major renovation and we’ve just got to do what we can to keep up (with the competition). Tim coming in fits that as well.”
Mahony, a native Washingtonian, spent the last 25 years gaining experience in exclusive country clubs and restaurants in Naples, Orlando and Tampa, Fla
He recently moved back home and now shares his experience at the Ashland House and Metamora Fields, working in Morton about 20 to 30 hours a week.
“When I moved from here in 1986, I started bussing tables in a country club and I eventually just kind of moved into cooking,” Mahony said. “They call it the school of hard knocks.”
While in Florida, Mahony said he worked with chefs from all over the world, which vastly expanded his culinary repertoire.
“I have been very lucky to work with so many people from different parts of the world,” he said. “Florida is really a melting pot, not just for people from all over the country, but for people from all over the world.”
Mahony now brings that experience home to central Illinois.
“One of the deciding factors in bringing him on was to bring in some of his creativity in terms of display and plate presentation,” said Theresa McCabe, the Ashland House’s director of sales. “His work has a lot of culinary flare to it.”
While the menus at Paddy O’Flaherty’s and the banquet center are set, McCabe added that there is room for Mahony to be flexible and incorporate what he has learned over the years.
“I think one of his key roles is to be a little more creative within our client’s budget and still produce something that might look a little more high end while being budget friendly,” she said.
Now in central Illinois, Mahony uses his gained expertise to add aesthetic appeal and cultural diversity to the food he prepares.
“I do a lot of banquet work here and I like to make food look nice,” he said. “A lot of people eat with their eyes.”
Joining a team that has been working together for years can be somewhat intimidating, but Finney said the relationship between Mahony and Montalvo “flows.”
“It’s definitely a team effort,” Finney said. “Some of our bigger events could almost be compared to a sporting event. You’ve got adrenaline going and when it’s complete it’s like a victory, so they definitely have to work well together.”
“It’s been great working with Tim,” Montalvo added. “I’ve been learning a lot from him.”
And while Mahony has learned a lot throughout his career, he said he knows there is more to learn from his coworkers at the Ashland House.
“With every person I work with, from the dishwasher to the head honcho, I can always pick something up,” Mahony said. “It’s great.”
“We’re really big on team work,” Finney said. “We spend as much time with each other as we do with our families, so it’s important that we get along. We really do have a good time, and Tim fits right in.”
