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Everything is made from scratch at Storytellers, including more than 80 varieties of mashed potatoes and the soup du jour. Fresh fish is flown in from all over the world twice a week. Nate says his philosophy for managing Storytellers comes down to two factors: consistency and flavor.
As a northern Arizona native, Nate loves southwestern cuisine, which is obvious in the Storytellers menu. He works with regional ingredients from prickly pear to masa and chile and even agave as a natural sugar substitute. He says achiote and chilies such as poblanos are his favorites because each crop yields a different flavor. And in the 21st century even a steakhouse needs to offer items for vegetarians and vegans. Though not on the menu, word has gotten out that Nate will personally create vegetarian and vegan entrees for guests after a brief conversation about their likes and dislikes (by reservation only).
Nate knows it’s not traditional in Arizona to run a fine-dining establishment out of a casino—nor is it traditional for an executive chef to have no formal training. But he revels in being unique.
“I want to separate myself,” he says. “I don’t want to be traditional. I want Storytellers to have its own recipes, and I want what we do to be different from other restaurants. If everyone wanted the same thing, why would there be so many different restaurants?”
Storytellers at Cliff Castle Casino
555 Middle Verde Road, Camp Verde
928-567-7900
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