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Along the way, he developed a love of the water while serving in the Coast Guard and managed to stop in Chapel Hill long enough to marry Angela and start a family. Some months ago, his journey landed them and their four children in Beaufort.
Initially renting south of the Broad to be close to his work as food and beverage director for the prestigious Inn at Palmetto Bluff, Walton and his family found themselves drawn, over and over again, to Beaufort's waterfront park and shops. The downtown area struck a cord with Walton, who longed for the familiar main street reminiscent of his childhood home.
For someone with Walton's gourmet connections, Beaufort's abundant farms and fisheries didn't hurt either. It wasn't long before they decided to put down roots in Beaufort. Speaking of growing up in a small town, Walton said, "You either love it or you hate it." Walton certainly falls in the former category.
NATIVE SON
Although he doesn't hale from these parts, Walton definitely cuts the image of a native son, with a strong desire to own a boat and a passion for great food. Growing up in Childersburg, a little "two-light" town outside of Birmingham, Ala., Walton sopped up all that is good and wholesome about the rural Southern lifestyle.
Like his local peers, Walton's early years were spent largely outdoors, hunting, fishing and playing in the woods, from which he garnered a healthy respect for his environment and a love of nature. Happily, Beaufort affords him the opportunity to instill these values in his own children, something that is near and dear to him.
Walton lived on his grandparents' farm as a child and, as one would imagine, there was no lack of chores. "My grandfather would come in bright and early and say 'Son, if you expect to have any fun with your friends today, you best be getting up, your grandmother's car needs washing and the grass has to be cut!'"
When Walton headed off to college at the University of Alabama, he had a notion to put his physical labors behind him and pursue a legal career. His affable nature not withstanding, it isn't a big stretch to imagine the self-possessed Walton wearing his fine seersucker suit in the courtroom. Fortunately for some of the Southeast's most vaunted resorts, Walton elected to indulge his love of cooking and entertaining instead.
From Barnsley Gardens Resort in Adairsville, Ga., to the venerable Cloister at Sea Island, Ga., Walton perfected the art of Southern hospitality. Interestingly, it was a Greek consultant at Barnsley who made him realize something that, deep down, he already knew.
"We were walking the property, and I was taking copious notes when he turned to me and asked, 'What are you responsible for?'" Walton began to respond with a long litany of duties, when the man cut him short. "No, you're responsible for peoples' memories," he said. That is when it dawned on Walton that his work wasn't just about good service but about caring for others, something his grandmother had shown him by example years ago.
"She would always make people feel at home when they visited," he recalled. "If she knew you had a favorite food, she'd be sure to prepare it."
Having come to this epiphany, Walton hit his stride, becoming one of the most sought-after experts in his field, not just in the Southeast but also across the country. Over the years, he fielded offers from private clubs and resorts from New York to California but always elected to stay close to his Southern roots. In so doing, he gathered a deep appreciation for the culture and cuisine that makes the South, and the Lowcountry in particular, unique.
SOUTHERN COOKING
When the Inn at Palmetto Bluff approached him about leaving the Cloister, Walton originally declined. Having experienced island living on St. Simons, he was reticent to leave.
He did, however, find the vision the owners had for the community and the property's restaurants intriguing. "The real appeal of it was the ability to celebrate Southern food, ways and culture," said Walton.
When he learned of the Inn's "Music to Your Mouth Series," the deal was sealed. The series runs year round but culminates in a weeklong event in November that features top chefs from across the Southeast and vintners from around the world.
"Lots of chefs draw inspiration from traditional Southern cooking," Walton expressed, "but the truly successful ones stay authentic with their ingredients and flavors."
Walton was familiar with Beaufort's local flavors well before he moved across the bridge. Its restaurants, farmer's market and festivals were a big enticement. He even used a popular local breakfast spot to draw inspiration for the café he manages.
Getting to know the local farmers, chefs and artisans of Beaufort is a favorite aspect of his job. "Back when I was growing up, 'farm to table' wasn't a catch phrase, it was a way of life," said Walton. Now, he is working to bring that natural relationship back by helping Palmetto Bluff develop plans for a culinary garden and barn that he hopes will play host to canning, cooking and gardening classes, as well as provide produce to the Inn and the community residents.
So it would seem that Walton has come full circle, from tending his grandfather's farm to helping establish a new one at one of the world's foremost resorts. Through it all, he has stayed true to his small-town Southern roots, and that has made all the difference.
