SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, Calif., August 1, 2012—Wuksachi Lodge, a full-service hotel nestled in the heart of Sequoia National Park and operated by Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, recently announced the appointment of new Executive Chef Jeff Graham to its culinary team. The mountain hideaway also unveiled a new name for its restaurant. Previously known as The Wuksachi Lodge Dining Room, The Peaks is a nod to the towering summits visible through the dining room’s floor-to-ceiling windows.

Bringing nearly 10 years of culinary experience to the table and a passion for using local ingredients, Chef Graham shares the Lodge’s commitment to sustainability, as well as DNC’s environmental initiatives which include supporting the National Park Service’s Healthy Parks, Healthy People campaign.

“Food shines when you start with the freshest flavors available,” said Chef Graham. “I absolutely love going to farmers’ markets and am committed to supporting our local growers.”

Already taking advantage of what the San Joaquin Valley has to offer, Chef Graham is forming regional partnerships with organic produce farmers, hand-crafted chocolate and ice-cream makers, grass-fed beef ranchers and more. Guests of The Peaks will see the results of these partnerships on frequently updated menus that reflect the area and Chef Graham’s tastes. Recent specials included an entrée of pan seared venison medallions with a blueberry and juniper demi-glace, and a deep dish caramel apple pie for dessert.

Guests with food sensitivities will also appreciate Chef Graham’s approach.

“In addition to expanding our lower-calorie options, we’re planning to offer more gluten-free dishes,” he said. “We are happy to accommodate guests with food allergies as creatively as possible and nutritional info for any item on the menu is always available upon request.

Graham joins Wuksachi Lodge most recently from The Lodge at Yosemite Falls, also operated by DNC. There he served as Sous Chef overseeing the Mountain Room and later as Executive Chef at the property’s Curry Village. He graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2006 at Western Culinary Institute and attained Sous Chef accreditation from the American Culinary Federation in 2009. He is currently pursuing ongoing education in nutrition, allergens and healthy diets and special diets.

Open year round, The Peaks serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Advance reservations for dinner are recommended and can be made by calling the Front Desk at 559-565-4070 ext. 0. For more information, visit http://VisitSequoia.com.

About Wuksachi Lodge
Located in the heart of Sequoia National Park on the western slope of the Central Sierra, the 102-room Wuksachi Lodge features a panoramic mountain setting, full-service restaurant, cocktail lounge, retail shop, and 1,320 square feet of dedicated meeting space. Furnishings reflect an upscale, natural decor highlighting native granite rock, oak, cedar, and hickory woods as well as modern guest amenities such as Internet access. Wuksachi Lodge is operated by Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, one of the nation’s leading hospitality management companies, under contract with the National Park Service.

About Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts
Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts is an industry leader providing Stewardship and Hospitality in Special PlacesSM with hotel, retail, food service, recreation and transportation operations at historic and scenic properties in North America and Australia. The company operates Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and in Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Sequoia and Yosemite national parks, including The Ahwahnee and other Yosemite lodges; Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite & the Cottages at Tenaya Lodge; Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa in British Columbia; Niagara Falls State Park; The Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake in Ohio; Gideon Putnam Resort in Saratoga; Holiday Inn West Yellowstone, Gray Wolf Inn & Suites and Yellowstone Park Hotel. The company also owns and operates five luxury resorts in Australia: Lizard Island Resort, Heron Island Resort, Wilson Island Resort, Kings Canyon Resort and El Questro Homestead and Wilderness Park. To learn more about Delaware North Companies’ hospitality management expertise, visit www.experiencednc.com.