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Family traditions like baking pies and Sunday supper, interspersed with daily chores on the farm, fill his childhood memories. Hawkins has always been driven by his natural curiosity for food, cooking and the outdoors. Growing up, he helped his family preserve fruit and pickle vegetables, and he joined with community neighbors in the annual seasonal rituals of making maple syrup.

All of this instilled a deep-rooted respect for seasonality and tradition which Dale took with him to Pennsylvania Culinary.  Here it fused with an interest in building on those traditions to make ordinary food—extraordinary.  His success in these efforts brought him (after graduating from Pennsylvania Culinary) to such acclaimed kitchens as Victoria and Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Beach Resort where he spent two years honing his culinary skills.  Under the tutelage of some of Disney’s finest chefs, he was drawn to the diverse use of unusual culinary delights such as antelope, dragon fruit and specialty micro greens and vegetables. 

When you meet Chef Dale Hawkins, you quickly sense his genuine warmth and playful humor.  As you learn more about his background, it becomes evident that this dynamic young chef is living and sharing his life's passion every time he steps into the kitchen.
Photo:  Myra Bonhage-Hale

When he returned to his home among the hills, Hawkins opened his own restaurant and catering business Culinary Creations.   Later ventures included joining forces with a local hotel in a bistro setting--Main Street Café.  In 2001, Hawkins joined Benchmark Hospitality at Glade Springs Resort.  There, as sous chef with Robert Wong, Hawkins absorbed still more pan Asian influence.

His next stop was his current one.  Assuming the leadership role of Executive Chef for Stonewall Resort’s opening season, fulfilled one of his life-long dreams.  Stillwaters’ menu features Hawkins’ New Appalachian Fare which is quite simply—global cuisines infused with local ingredients embodying a regional interpretation. The dishes, many familiar, are designed to first evoke a familiar and fond food memory as well as to create a new taste experience. It isn’t surprising that some of the dishes on the menu are family-inspired treasures, such as Caramelized Apple Crisp crafted from his mother’s recipe collection.  The preserved fruits and pickled vegetables inspired by his grandmother’s kitchen are another.

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