Locals may know Aura Whitman as the proprietor and chef of the beloved Café Reva, which she ran for 11 years on Pittsfield’s Tyler Street, or from her newer venture, nAtURAlly Catering, whose home base is located inside Berkshire Organics. But now there’s a new place to experience Aura’s cuisine – at the Wahconah Country Club in Dalton, Mass. The clubhouse restaurant, which is open to the public, serves lunch and dinner favorites, nightly specials and weekend breakfast, all featuring locally sourced, organic ingredients and created by The Berkshires’ own seasoned, CIA-trained “celebrity" chef. I was born in Oregon, went to the Culinary Institute in Hyde Park and then, after graduation, I traveled the world. I’d lived in Israel as a child and still had family there, so I worked in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem for a while. I lived in Colorado and California, too, but it had always been a dream of mine to go to Paris. I went there for a year in 1995, and really submerged myself in the culture. My passion was fulfilled in a couple of ways – by the food scene, of course, but also by the pride Europe takes in its product. A highlight was meeting Julia Child; we catered her 83rd birthday while I was at the Cordon Bleu. I moved from Paris to Pittsfield for the man I love. He helps run a family farm in Hancock, and we live in Cheshire, Mass. with our two daughters who are now heading into their teens. Since I moved here in 1996, I’ve helped open the restaurant at Thornewood Inn, then worked at the Buxton School. I was the executive chef at Seven Hills Inn for six years, until I had my first child. I wanted to be home at night to tuck my daughter in and not have to work the nightshift anymore, so I opened Café Reva, and served only breakfast and lunch. People still come up to me and say “I wish I could have your French toast again," which makes me feel celebrity-ish and really humbled that I affected that many people.
After the restaurant closed, I opened nAtURAlly. I consider it to be upscale because of the quality of the ingredients; it’s not like most other grab-and-go places. My prices are actually low for the quality you’re getting. About three months ago, the country club approached me, because some of its members had been fans of the Café. My new clubhouse menu includes the staples, as well as slightly higher-priced specials; I didn’t want to scare anyone away. I was amazed at the melting pot of people who used to come into the Café -- high schoolers, families, singles -- and I try to include everyone in my menu planning. The country club is in such a beautiful location, and my dream is to turn it into a year-round attraction by hosting events like weddings, parties, banquets and other events. The food and products made in this area are amazing to me; within a 100-mile radius I can find produce, cheeses, honey, bread, etc. I’ve made great chef friends through Berkshire Grown, which started around a table at Seven Hills Inn when I was there 18 years ago. I know the farmers, so I know they aren’t using pesticides. It’s nice knowing you’re up here with a band of food artisans that have the same goals. Food has always been about stories and families for me; my mother, Reva, got that under my skin when I was a child. Even though I lost her when I was 12, I’m reminded of her in everything I do, whether it’s cooking or looking at my own daughters. She’s really the reason I’m the chef I am today, well, that plus all the hard work.
