Chef Spotlight: Chef CARL MUHLHAUSER of Laurel Villa in Milford Pennsylvania

Carl Mulhauser was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1945 - the same year that his mom & dad decided to buy the Laurel Villa Country Inn. After graduating high school, Carl went to Penn State University where he majored in hotel management. Realizing that he liked cooking better, he enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America and graduated from the prestigious school in June 1967. After graduation, he went into the United States Army where he served as a platoon Sergeant in Vietnam until being wounded in 1969. He was medically retired in 1970 and then resumed his culinary career.

Carl worked as a saucier at the restaurant "Georges Rey" on 55th Street off of 5th Avenue in New York City and later became their sous chef. In 1974 Carl returned to the Laurel Villa when his father became ill. He took over the everyday operations of the inn but spent most of his time "hands on" in the kitchen. In 1985, his wife Janice took over the front end of the business, allowing Carl to spend all his time creating new menu items. Carl and his wife continue to run the inn, specializing in a "farm to table" menu using locally grown produce. The Laurel Villa continues offer a wide variety of cuisines.

Broadwayworld.com interviewed Chef Carl Muhlhauser about his career and Laurel Villa in Milford, Pennsylvania.

What was your earliest interest in cooking?

My parents bought a country inn and restaurant the year I was born so I've been around kitchens and chefs since I was a toddler. Back then we had guests that came out from the city for the whole summer, and the kitchen served three full meals a day. When my parents said I could either cook or wash dishes in the summertime it was no contest!

Who were some of your career mentors?

Our chef at the inn was named Arthur Tremonte and he was very old school - tremendously disciplined and expecting all of us who worked for him to be the same. But by the time I was a teenager I had discovered Julia Child on PBS and I watched her all the time. She really awakened my interest in classic French cuisine, and that's what led me to go to the Culinary Institute of America. While I was there, Noble Masi, who later became dean of the CIA, was a strong influence.

What culinary styles have influenced your career?

Classic French cuisine has always been the beginning point of my work. But over the years my wife and I have traveled to almost every part of Italy, and each time I've come back with ideas inspired by Italy's amazing regional cuisines. And like all chefs, I find ideas in every cuisine I encounter and bring the best ones into my own repertoire.

What do you consider the most distinguishing features of your work?

I would say creating a menu that has classic French cooking as its basis, but that also offers a wide variety of dishes including Italian, German and Nouvelle American entrees. Since we are so close to New York, the Laurel Villa has always attracted patrons of every nationality, in addition to our local following. We strive to offer a menu with enough diversity to appeal to everybody, using local purveyors when we can, and the freshest possible ingredients.

Tell me a little bit about your restaurant for our readers.

The Laurel Villa has a main dining room that seats 70, as well as two smaller, more intimate dining rooms and a cozy bar. We also serve outdoors as weather permits. The inn has ten rooms and suites. We offer a variety of steaks, stuffed pork chop and medallions of pork tenderloin, as well as chicken and pasta entrees and our house schnitzel. We also feature a tremendous range of fresh seafood, including crab cakes, baked mussels au gratin, salmon almafi, panko crusted tuna and mahi mahi.

Laurel Villa Country Inn and Restaurant is located in the charming, historic town of Milford, Pennsylvania in the Northeast Pocono Mountain area. Their address is Second and Ann Street, Milford, Pa. 18337. They serve dinner Thursday to Saturday and are also available for special events. You can call them at 570.296.9940 or visit their web site at www.laurelvilla.com.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Laurel Villa, Janice Halsted and Carl Muhlhauser