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Senior executive chef Gary Arthur flips through vegetarian cookbooks in Sbisa Dining Hall. Arthur has been preparing a new set of vegetarian dishes that will be offered in Sbisa.

Cooking with class

A&M senior executive chef one of the top culinary artists in the nation

By: Elyssa Jechow

Posted: 11/19/07

Gary Arthur, the first senior executive chef at Texas A&M, is ranked among the best.

Arthur, who came to A&M last year, is featured in a newly-released book, Chefs to Know, and is also ranked as one of the top 500 chefs in the nation. Joining him on the list are chefs such as Emeril Lagasse, Anthony Bourdain and Stephan Pyle.

"The beauty of this listing is that it is not a competition at all. And none of us consider ourselves better than anyone else," Arthur said. "In the words of the editor of the book, 'It is a collection of those that are talented, innovative, passionate and driven who contribute greatly to their culinary community.'"

Arthur took over at A&M when the Food Services Department was in the middle of a complete revamping.

"I was recruited in by the current executive director once he realized the huge scope of options that need to be implemented," Arthur said.

Arthur said Aggieland is a wonderful place with some of the nicest people he has ever met, but he is aware that there are still plenty of challenges ahead.

As the first executive chef at A&M, Arthur is in charge of all food that is purchased, prepared and served on campus. He also oversees the people working to provide the food.

"Commitment to building a great dining program remains a concern that I have," he said. "There is no comprehensive University ambition, which can be very challenging."

However, Arthur said he still has plenty of amibitions of his own.

He has already brought sushi and the Tomato Bar to A&M students and has many more plans cooking.

"Moderate implementations have convinced me that there is not only a need, but a desire to upgrade concepts and put in new ones," Arthur said. "Vegetarian and healthy is an obvious expectation."

He also said health issues are being taken into consideration because of the obesity crisis that is gripping the nation. His Fall Crop program, which will last until Dec. 21, is bringing vegetarian food to Sbisa to address a variety of dietary concerns.

Arthur's personal ambition is to match every food he considers unhealthy with at least one option to minimize that unhealthy item.

"It will then be individual choice how folks eat," he said.

Arthur has more than 20 years of experience in luxury cooking and has racked up quite a resume by living and working in places such as New York City, Chicago, Atlantic City and Hong Kong. However, Arthur believes the work he is doing at A&M could be some of his greatest. He has set a goal of spring 2008 as a marker by which to show a drastic improvement in the food offered.

"I have set product integrity, cultural and technique integrity as a definitive goal of my efforts," Arthur said. "I believe we will be successful. We will address health options, real flavors and reasonable portions to price ratios and overall offerings."

Despite his passion for food, Arthur said his favorite part of his job at A&M doesn't involve the food he serves.

"It's the students, students, students," he said.