Experienced chef with multiple talents

This archived article was written by: Beth Liddell

Students come to USU Eastern from far and wide for the college experience. They live in the residential hall attend activities and eat in the dining room. Often times, there is so much going on that the people behind the scenes are either never noticed or quickly forgotten. This is the case with head chef Tony Archibald.
If you were to meet Archibald in passing, you may have assumed he was quiet; just a cook doing his job. This however, is an immense understatement. If you ever find a moment when he could sit and have a conversation with you, you would discover that he had been working in the restaurant industry since he was 13. He began as a dishwasher and decided he liked the fast pace and friendships that came along with the job. He has worked throughout the county including Cowboy Kitchen in Wellington, Little Caesars, and the Carbon Country Club. At one time he worked with Officer James Prettyman Yes, it’s true, Officer Prettyman can cook.
Thirty-four years later, Archibald is doing what he loves. He met Tony when he began doing the menus at Becky’s local coffee shop called Becky’s Brew. They were married in 2006. Now their home and family outings are filled with their eight children and eight grandchildren, with one more arriving in May. “When we get together, I enjoy hanging out and having everyone near,” Archibald states. He humbly admits, “My family is what I am most proud of in this world.”
Something most people don’t know about him is that he is the second of eight children. When he was young, his rebellious nature kicked in and he ran away from home. When asked what one piece of advice he remembered most while growing up, he responded, “If you think it’s too good to be true, it probably is.”
Archibald discovered young that he disliked “educated idiots” or the people who thought they knew more than they really did. As an employer, it is a pet peeve when his employees do not take heed to his word. “There was one time we had an employee who would set her drink on the kitchen work table. After several times of telling her not to leave it there, he filled her straw with mustard. We all got a kick out of that one!” said an employee.
While at work, Archibald can be found working tirelessly to prepare the next meal while listening to local radio stations. “He believes and supports the shop local campaign in order to sustain our economy here,” says his wife Becky.
His favorite artists to listen to when the grills are turned off for the day are Matt Redman and Chris Tomlin. He also enjoys hurrying home to catch the latest episodes of Pawn Stars, Storage Wars and Ice Road Truckers. Although he may never outwardly admit it, he loves the Discovery and History channels as well. Football is not really his Sunday sport, but if the Jazz are playing, you can bet he will be there to catch the game. Guitars, drums and fishing also fill what little free time Archibald has left in his day.
Archibald is excited for this upcoming year. Meeting all the new students and getting to work closely with them is his favorite thing about working at USU Eastern. With a good luck to all this year, Tony closes with one piece of advice, “Don’t give up on your education.”