The Best Chef in Yosemite: How Frederick Clabaugh Is Redefining Lodge Dining

Article by: Carissa Chesanek | Photography by Carissa Chesanek | Published July 28, 2026

Chef Frederick Clabaugh is not afraid of having fun, and he does so while staying rooted in authenticity. Every dish he creates reflects his personal story, his upbringing, and the community he serves.

Clabaugh’s interest in cooking began with his mother, who migrated from Scotland and loved experimenting with dishes from around the world. With a father in the military, the family traveled often, inspiring his mother to fold global flavors into their home kitchen. She even established themed nights dedicated to specific global cuisines, including German and Korean.

Clabaugh’s own skills began to flourish in high school in Denver, Colorado, when he joined the Career Education Center, which hosted a kids' cooking program. There he trained alongside a local chef who guided him through foundational techniques and ultimately helped him get his first job at The Brown Palace Hotel.

Today, Clabaugh serves as the executive chef at Tenaya at Yosemite, a 4-star lodge in Fish Camp, CA, where he oversees all of the resort’s restaurants, Jackalope’s Bar & Grill, Timberloft Pizzeria, and Embers, delivering an elevated dining experience in one of the most iconic national parks for the past 20 years.

“It can be challenging,” Clabaugh admits about running multiple restaurants at a time. “But I like a challenge. It keeps me going.” 

Crafting Cuisine From Around the Globe

At Tenaya, Clabaugh has become known for his signature “Sierra Alpine cuisine,” a style rooted in hearty, seasonal dishes made with locally sourced ingredients. Yet, like his mother, he embraces global inspiration. 

“I travel for food,” Clabaugh says. “I've lived in Puerto Rico, Denver, Georgia, San Francisco, and in D.C. briefly. I also traveled to Vietnam, Germany, and Europe. I try to take what I can from those places and utilize it the best way I can within the hotel.”

One cuisine he feels naturally connected to is Thai. “I enjoy it so much,” he says. “I work daily with my sous chef at the hotel to develop menu items. His wife is from Thailand, so we've learned a lot from her.”

Even with his love of international flavors, Clabaugh keeps the hotel’s location at the forefront and aims to stay local whenever possible. 

“We can get anything and everything in California,” he says. “It's a beautiful thing.”

Building a Sustainable Legacy

Clabaugh’s passion goes beyond the kitchen.. Protecting the environment that sustains his food is just as important to him. When he first arrived at Tenaya, he immediately saw an opportunity to make a positive impact.

“There's a lot of organic waste here and I originally saw that as a good opportunity to feed my chickens and therefore, strengthen the soil,” he explains. That small act sparked the hotel's recycling and composting program, which he started himself by collecting bottles and cans from the kitchen and staff areas before formal systems were in place. 

Today, the resort recycles everything from electronics to food scraps, and they have added compost bins and water bottle fillers in the lobby. 

Staying local is another cornerstone of his sustainability philosophy. Clabaugh has steadily evolved Tenaya’s food and beverage program to reflect more environmentally conscious practices, sourcing from regional purveyors and small farms in the Sierra Nevada foothills and Central Valley.  

Clabaugh credits much of his environmental commitment to his wife, Patti Toews, a longtime environmental advocate and former Director at the Integrated Waste Management Authority (IWMA) in San Luis Obispo County. She helped develop one of California’s first plastic bag bans, and her influence extends to both his professional and personal life. 

“Sustainability is the right thing to do,” Clabaugh says. “It’s easily there and it’s easy cost savings personally and within the business, too.”

Bringing People Together One Dish At a Time

With over 30 years of culinary experience, Clabaugh has explored countless dishes and cuisines and he’s always hungry to keep evolving.

“The thing I enjoy cooking the most is the thing I'm cooking at that moment,” he says. “It has to be fresh within the season, and something challenging with new preparations and new ingredients to try.”

But for Clabaugh, cooking is more than creative expression. It is a way to build community.

“Food brings people together,” he says, “My hope is that food can inspire conversations, inspire friendliness, and allow you to connect with whoever you're dining with.”