Hats off to a top chef

COEUR d’ALENE — Anyone who's dined at Mulligan's or enjoyed a Best Western Plus Coeur d'Alene Inn banquet in the past 31 years has tasted the culinary creations of Executive Chef Gene Tillman.

And before that, before The Resort was The Resort and before Coeur d'Alene established itself as a modern tourist destination, he was delighting people with delicious dishes at the old North Shore Hotel and TJ's Pantry (now Dockside).

“I would have never thought I’d be in this area that long,” said Tillman, who came to the Northwest from St. Louis. “It’s been great. I’ve had opportunities to do things that I never thought I’d be able to do. Most of the guys I graduated from culinary school with, none of them are cooking still.”

Tillman will soon be retiring his cooking utensils and chef's hat after a long and interesting career. It was nearly 40 years ago when Tillman took over for a departing convention center chef and established himself as a leader among the culinary staff of the company that was to give way to the Hagadone Corporation.

"I got the opportunity to do a lot of different things, parties across the lake. Before Hagadone took over they did a lot of catering then," he said. "The convention center at that time, I think the biggest meal we did was about 700. Now they could probably do 1,400 meals, easily."

Tillman's experience in the culinary industry began when he was a teenager. Seated in a quiet corner of Mulligan's, he smiled as he recalled those first restaurants in St. Louis.

"I worked at a couple Italian restaurants," he said. "I did the fast food thing, Big Boy's. That was probably my first job, Big Boy's in St. Louis."

He served as a cook in the Air Force for four years and then attended culinary school at Spokane Community College. He loved and still loves being a chef.

"That's been my passion ever since," he said. "I couldn't think of anything else I really wanted to do."

He heard of the convention center position opening through his program at school. His wife, Pam, encouraged him to check into it because she is from Coeur d'Alene and said it would be a great place to live.

“It just so happens it just felt comfortable and warm," Gene said. "You can't beat Coeur d'Alene. The weather is beautiful, summertime is beautiful. Eventually I hope to become a snowbird and go to Arizona and golf. That's been a passion since the early ’90s."

Gene said one part of his career that he cherishes is the interaction with the people. He loves mingling during lunchtime and visiting with those who come to the Thanksgiving buffet. Some of his regulars have become his biggest fans, and he theirs; he said just the other day one of his best customers was saddened by the news that he'll be leaving.

"She said, ‘When you’re here, we know that everything’s going to be just excellent,’" he said. "I told her how I was transitioning down, and she said, ‘Oh no, you can’t do that,’ and I said to her, ‘I assure you, the quality will always be here.’"

Another great thing is the company, he said.

“The nice thing about working for the Hagadone Corporation is they allowed us, all the chefs, the opportunity to go to different cities, see different things,” he said. "Sometimes they’ll say, ‘Gene, here’s $1,000, go eat, go to Seattle and go to the restaurants you want and come back with ideas.’"

Mulligan's Sous Chef Casey Fassler has worked with Gene for 17 years. He said he's learned more than he could ever express from working alongside the respected executive chef.

"I couldn’t ask for a better mentor or friend," Fassler said. "He’s definitely been like the secondary father to me. It’s been great."

Gene will still be working three days a week for about another year. Presently, guests can experience the expert choices and detailed care of his watchful chef's eye when they enjoy the salad bar in Mulligan's Restaurant.

"Now my responsibility is taking care of that salad bar and making sure it’s beautiful every day,” Tillman said with a big smile. “I love it. I come out here and lately we’ve been so busy for lunchtime I’m out here refilling it four or five times."

And his love for cooking won't end with retirement. He said he and his daughter, who also loves cooking, are thinking about opening a small deli that they can run together. That way he can still enjoy creating food, meeting new friends and serving up a dish of happiness for the next person to walk in.

"It's been a very enjoyable career," he said.