Souder moving quickly in world of culinary arts

There is no doubt Kyle Souder was born to be in the kitchen. A 2003 Rector High School graduate, Souder has quickly moved up the ladder of culinary arts through hard work and determination and now is head chef of Rounders Grilling and Gaming Company in Las Vegas.

He recently was named to the top 10 in the nationwide Cooking with PAMA Contest, which celebrates many of the country's top culinary artists. The contest is judged by celebrity cheftestants from Bravo's Top Chef.

Souder's top 10 creation was Pama Infused Venison Chop, but the web site for PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur also includes photos of his beautiful Pama Frissé Salad and Deconstructed Pama Berry Cheesecake.

The son of Quentin and Renae Shavalia of Rector, he credits his parents for his early interest in cooking.

"When I was 12, my mom and dad introduced me to cooking breakfast and family dinners. The only reason I wanted to learn at the time was to cook for a future girlfriend or wife. I figured women love a guy who can cook. As I grew older I learned that I could make it into a lifestyle."

After high school he attended North Arkansas College in Harrison for a while pursuing a medical degree of some kind. He lived in nearby Branson and landed a job as a cook and server at Ruby Tuesday.

"I realized then I was really good at the hospitality business," he said. So when he moved to Poplar Bluff to seek a registered nurse (RN) license at Three Rivers Community College, he again sought out employment at Ruby Tuesday, where he became the cook and shift leader.

"It was at the end of the spring semester in 2006 that I realized I was good at the kitchen business and needed to pursue that goal rather than continuing to waste my time going after goals that offered only a paycheck and didn't really make me happy like cooking did. Even at Ruby Tuesday, I would put a lot of heart into the dishes, trying to make each one look phenomenal. They say you eat first with your eyes, and I used that on every single dish I put out."

In June of that year, Souder decided to move to Las Vegas to study at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts.

"I chose Las Vegas because I knew it would be a great place to learn," he said. "Plus, I had already been here numerous times before and loved it. I knew coming here would take lots of hard work and dedication. After a while, the tourist ideology wears off and this place becomes your home, but you must adjust to it quickly before it consumes you.

For the next three years he worked at The Fix restaurant in the famous Bellagio Hotel, honing his skills. In April of this year, he left to join Rouders as the sous chef (second in command to the executive chef) and quickly moved to the top.

"We have two high quality restaurants that I currently oversee now as the head chef of the company," Souder said. "It's hard work, but getting off the strip gives me the chance to learn and grow, not only in cooking but as a person as well, and to learn to be a better leader.

"Cooking is only half the battle in this world, and attitude and leadership are just as important," he continued. "For example, if you have a chef who is a great cook but has poor communication skills, his staff will leave him high and dry. That is the reason I took a job away from the glamour and lights of the (Las Vegas) strip -- to better polish my skills for the future when I go back down there as a more mature professional. I am only 24, and head chefs my age you don't see very often around here. I had to grow up fast and learn all I could in a short amount of time while being here. I love my job right now. We are a very busy restaurant where there is always something that has to be done between both stores, from inventory and sanitation to ordering and prep. I usually log around 55 to 60 hours depending on the week, and I work a rotating schedule with one day off one week and two days off the next."

Souder said his goals right now are to stay with his job and learn all he can.

"Having the challenge of running two restaurants at 24 years old can be very rewarding in the future," he said. "They plan to open a third store in the next year or so, and I see it as a resume booster technically being a corporate chef.

"But I plan to stay with them (Rounders) as long as I can resist the urge to go back down to the strip as a high-level chef in the next two to three years," he quickly added. "But, like they say, you never know what can happen. The challenge of running restaurants on the main Las Vegas strip is very very tough but also rewarding. I'm just trying to build my resume to make it as powerful as possible.

"Rounders, so far, has been a great career choice for me. It has allowed me to learn and grow and polish up any weak points I had in my talents. The main area I needed work on was motivating staff in a nice manner -- not yelling and screaming like I was taught at the Bellagio. I earn my guys' respect by working next to them and teaching them things with daily specials. I love to teach people how to make different items and love to learn myself."

Souder only recently ventured into the world of competition, and he obviously is off to a great start.

"For anyone out there dreaming to be a chef, you must start early and work in a kitchen to learn the normal everyday know-how. Be very humble and respectful of your superiors because, for one, they demand it, and also because when you hit that point in your career, you also will expect it."

Souder said his family at home is his motivation. "I could never have done this without their support and understanding," he emphasized. "Sometimes after a long bad day, it's good to remember that you have a family and friends back home who care about you and want you to succeed."

Souder said his ultimate goal is to own his own restaurant chain someday with different types of menus and foods.

"But for now I'm staying as the chef at Rounders," he said. "We have a great menu with all kinds of foods that are sure to meet anyone's tastes and desires, from fresh Ahi tuna salads to slow cooked tender ribeye and even deep fried calamari.

"Both of our stores are about three miles off the Las Vegas strip, but we still get tourists that come in because of our great atmosphere. The best thing about my career is being able to make great food that makes people happy. That has been the motto I have lived by for years, and I never serve bad food. I look at it like this -- if I wouldn't serve it to my mom and dad, I won't serve it to a paying customer."

In closing, Souder is quick to give thanks to his many supporters in Northeast Arkansas. "I still plan to come home on a Labor Day to see everyone, but, sadly, I always have to work because that weekend is a busy weekend here," he said. "I'd love to move back, but, for now, I have found a home here in Las Vegas. I'm still a country boy at heart. I'll stay here as long as I can and learn all that I can. And someday, I might be back home in the Midwest."