Illumination!
Storyteller’s has a New Look
By Lita Sorensen
I guess you could say that Executive Chef Nathan Schreiber is enthusiastic about the atmosphere of his restaurant.
(Almost as much as he is about his cuisine!)
“I enjoy twisting a recipe with complex tastes that appeal to every palate,” he says, additionally noting that “people tend to associate meals with the whole experience—and the atmosphere. It is always about the entire sensory experience of eating and drinking together and enjoying yourself.”
“If the surroundings and service are top notch, you are more likely to remember the food.”
Recently, Storytellers has undergone some simple yet noticeable interior changes. One of the largest is the inclusion of newly designed illuminated menus. These are battery powered, lit from within and slightly re-designed graphically to enhance the ambience of the entire dining experience.
“Every person I’ve shown them to has been impressed,” says David Monrreal, who designed the menus. “Now it’s not just the food that brings ‘Ooh’s and Aah’s.”
Storytellers is one of only a very few restaurants in the country to introduce illuminated menus. The project has been in the works for two years.
“Because of our atmosphere, the cave-like setting and light level, the new menus will help guests of all ages to better see what menu items they are selecting,” Schreiber said. In the past, people would often struggle to use the menus to select menu items in the low light.
In addition to the new menu design, Storytellers has had an interior face lift as well. There are new chairs, designed wider to offer more comfortable seating. The table tops at the restaurant’s booths, which offer cozy seating around the perimeter, have been topped in copper, a custom designed job. Art glass pendent lights offer ambient low level light from above. So, the booth tables glow—from atop and above.
Storytellers’ décor theme originates in the Yavapai Apache Nation’s Native American heritage. It is based on the oral tradition of native peoples—imparting knowledge and lessons of their distinct cultures through stories and song.
Traditionally, these stories were told after the first snow and before daylight grew short at the end of winter.
You will also see Anasazi themed pottery typical of the Verde Valley, Native American drums, an Apache war lance, and other art objects decorating the nooks and crannies of the walls.
The rock formations that make up the walls of Storytellers take their cue from geologic aspects of the Red Rocks in Sedona, with each individual stratum of rock painstakingly reproduced. The result is a soothing, dark-lit dining environment that seems closer to nature than most.
An additional new aspect in Storytellers is the chef’s table at the front of the restaurant, designed for the entertaining of VIP’s, which can now seat six.
Food is still the star, of course.
“Our guests need to know that their meal will meet or exceed their expectations each time they dine here. Although presentation or eye-appeal is important, consistency is essential, says Chef Schreiber.
“I want our guests to be completely satisfied with every meal they’re served at Storytellers. If you order an Applewood bacon wrapped filet today, you’ll get the same fine steak you had six months ago, and three months from now.”
Chef Nate (as he is known locally) has a reputation for excellence. He has made several television appearances in Phoenix where he was featured cooking regional Southwestern dishes.
His food is informed in the French tradition, however, and more properly termed Southwestern fusion cuisine.
He and his food will also appear in the new book The Sedona Table, which highlights 14 area chefs and is edited by Erika Ayn Finch and Debbie Weinkauff, released March 17.
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