Chefs cite cooperation as key to culinary creativity
by Jim Crawford

Cave Creek is one of the most colorful spots in Arizona’s historic landscape.

In keeping with that tradition, Tonto Bar and Grill, and its partner restaurant Cartwright’s Sonoran Ranch House in Cave Creek, have garnered reputations as premiere dining establishments in the North Valley.

Tonto, located at Rancho Mañana Golf Club, has a rich history dating back to the 1800s when the property was a stopover camp for the United States Calvary on their way between Fort McDowell in Phoenix and Fort Whipple in Prescott.

In the 1940s Rancho Mañana became a dude ranch–one of the largest and most prestigious in Arizona.

Today visitors can enjoy the charm and atmosphere of the Old West while dining on delicious Arizona‑inspired cuisine.

Cartwright’s, on Cave Creek Road, is named for a historic Cave Creek cattle ranch that operated for 100 years as one of the largest ranches of its kind in Arizona.

Owners John Malcolm and Eric Flatt have taken great pains and spared no detail to ensure a truly memorable dining experience.

Excellent food begins, naturally, in the kitchen with the chef and the two establishments are in capable hands with Executive Chef Aaron Geister at Tonto and Blake Mastyk at Cartwright’s.

Mastyk has 15 years of experience in the restaurant business beginning with a dishwashing job at a place near his home.

“I could ride my bike to work,” Mastyk recalls. “I was 14 and knew from the first day that I loved it. I worked my way up to the pantry where I made salads. Then one day I rode my bike to work and the business had closed. I found another job at another restaurant and never looked back.”

After earning a bachelor’s degree in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales University College of Culinary Arts in Miami, Mastyk worked at different restaurants learning the trade from a variety of experienced chefs.

“You’ve got to have the drive and passion to succeed in this business,” he said. “You’ve got to have a willingness to work hard. A chef in New York told me to work for different chefs. Stay at least a year and move on until you find yourself. That’s what I’ve done here at Cartwright’s. It’s by far the best place I’ve ever worked. Besides owning my own place, I couldn’t ask for a better situation. I’ve bought a home here, got married and will have a new baby next month. I’m not going anywhere.”

It’s all about teamwork, Mastyk says. “You’ve got to assemble the right team. The hardest part is finding the right guys, the ones willing to work. Every dish that goes out the kitchen door has about five guys who have had something to do with it. You get one weak link and you’ve wasted your time. It’s about motivation, caring about details and asking questions, having that drive. Aaron (Geister) has it. He came here as intern and worked real hard. I moved him along and he’s doing a great job at Tonto.”

Geister attended the famed Scottsdale Culinary Institute. He came to cave Creek four years ago and started from scratch at Cartwright’s. Mastyk put him through the paces, even having him wash dishes the first day on the job.

“I got my first job in a bakery when I was 14,” Geister says. “I’ve had a couple of jobs that were not restaurant‑related, but this is where I knew I wanted to be.”

Geister agrees with Mastyk’s team work assessment.

“I couldn’t do my job with out a good kitchen staff,” he says. “Everyone works hard and does their job. It’s essential to running a good business, surrounding yourself with good people. I’ve got great bosses. They provide input and they’ll listen to you. John and Eric are probably the two best bosses I’ve ever worked for.”