“I would like to share flavor’s from around the world in Pocola because flavor and food are the deepest connections between cultures.” “Get ready to experience a world’s worth of cuisine,” Wilson said. At Choctaw Casino & Resort-Pocola, he would like to put his background to use and add international flair to traditional American dishes. Wilson’s food is greatly influenced by his hometown of San Diego, California, where there was a melting pot of cultures and cuisines for a burgeoning foodie to experiment with. Wilson trained at the Culinary Institute of America in New York before going on to work for Marriott, Hilton and Hotel Del Coronado in California.

It’s so peaceful.”īefore Wilson came to Oklahoma, he spent years preparing for a moment like this.

You can smell the fresh air, see farmland and trees everywhere. “You work so much as a chef, but it’s worth it when you get to leave and go hunt and fish. I love the simplicity of it,” Wilson said. For what feels like the first time in his life, Wilson is getting a chance to tap into and learn about his Choctaw heritage. After visiting as a child, the native Californian grew to appreciate the peace and natural beauty of his family’s homeland. Wilson knows firsthand the significance food can play in someone’s life, and the fact that he gets to share that experience with others in southeast Oklahoma and Fort Smith, Arkansas makes it even more special. “I love watching people eat and enjoy something I’ve made,” Wilson said. As the new executive chef overseeing all food & beverage at Choctaw Casino & Resort-Pocola, Wilson spends his nights catering to hundreds of guests with the same love and passion his grandmother cooked with. He watched as she used the ingredients she had access to and crafted meals that felt like they were feeding the soul, not just the stomach. It was in that kitchen, watching his grandma bring food to life before his young eyes, that Wilson developed a love and respect for food and the way it touches people.

(June 21, 2023) - Executive Chef Byron Wilson remembers the sounds and smells of his grandmother’s kitchen in Elmore City, Oklahoma vividly. Chef will bring international flavors, experience to Pocola

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