Ray Conner
Sports Editor

A home grown cook serves up creative dishes in the club house kitchen.

Amadeus Mitchell, a 2001 graduate of Kern Valley High School is now in charge of the kitchen at the Kern Valley Golf Course.

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Mitchell, who is behind the counter in the club house, has many creative ideas that he plans to put on the table.

He wants to see the kitchen side of the golf course pull it’s own weight and be one of the places that people, not just golfers comes to enjoy a meal.

In this way he will build up a repeat clientele and get the word out.

Currently the club house kitchen is open from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. for breakfast and lunch. Of course as in most places, you can get breakfast anytime.

You do not have to go out on the golf course to enjoy the fruits of Mitchell’s labor. The club house kitchen is open to the public.

So if you want to enjoy a meal at the golf course, while sitting on the patio and watching the golfers out on the course or just taking in the beautiful landscape of the valley that is perfectly acceptable also.

But if someone wanted to make a day of it, they could enjoy a meal and then take a trip around the golf course.

As of right now, after 2 p.m. when the kitchen is closed Mitchell offers those golfers playing the course a cold spread to enjoy a little snack before they go back out to play the back nine.

Another area of the golf course is the spacious function room for up to 100 people. You could hold your own little party in there. Whether it be a wedding of just a chance for a group of friends to gather to have a good meal.

Mitchell can coordinate the set up, the feast, the bar and the overall good times available at the club house dining room.

If you have an event coming up and want to check out the golf course as a possible venue, call 376-2828.

As in most places on the golf course, the 19th Hole club house is a chance to sit with your group, enjoy the full service of the bar and swap those memorable moments from playing your round of golf.

Mitchell is in charge of that area also. He described himself as a jack-of-all-trades as he also does the bartending, the starter at time and of course the cook.

“We want to let the people out there know that we are here and we can create good food,” Mitchell said.

When asked why he likes being the head cook at the local course Mitchell said, “I love being home. I’ve cooked in Sacramento, Fresno and different areas of Bakersfield. I really like being back home and cooking for the local people I’ve grown up with. I enjoy that.”

Mitchell has come a long way in his cooking. He remembers the attraction of food in this way, “I have nine brothers and sisters. Mom and dad worked long hours. One day I decided to stop cooking Hot Pockets and burritos. I got a top sirloin and some potatoes and started from there. I fell in love.”

Mitchell does not have a degree in the culinary arts, but has had many hours of hands on training in the cooking field.

He said, “I am self taught. I watched the Food Network channel and they had little classes on chopping and dicing. I walked into a job position as a head cook. You don’t necessarily need a degree if you have the passion for it.”

In closing, Mitchell had this to say, “We have a great crew inside the club house and out on the golf course. We have a new attitude. You ask and we will do the best we can to deliver. With the kitchen being available to the public and not just to golfers, you need to come out and give it a try. It’s just going to get better and better.”

With all the recent changes at the Kern Valley Golf Course, if you haven’t been there lately, maybe now is the time to check it out. Enjoy a good meal, play a round of golf or visit the 19th Hole for your favorite cocktail beverage.