A Generous Helping
The other thing you get from Walter--he believes in helping others. "I made it on the back of someone else," he says. "I should be a support to someone else, whether it's a new culinary person coming up or a person a little down on his luck." He mentors future chefs at the restaurant and also speaks to culinary schools. He raises money for causes ranging from mental illness to heart disease to cystic fibrosis. Walk for Hope, which Angus Barn sponsors, raises money for mental illness research, specifically for the Triangle community.

Walter's involvement in such endeavors comes naturally. His mother, who still lives in Alabama, suffers from heart disease, and before becoming a chef, Walter worked in a mental health facility, where he trained patients to develop job skills. "Thank God I had that psychology background," he says, laughing. "I use it every day."

He has no desire to move on. "I'm very happy where I am," he says. Wouldn't he like to own his own place? "I'm a part of something great," he adds. "Why should I have the whole thing on my shoulders when I have an incredible management team to work with?"

Still, maybe one day, he allows. "Some day I may want a little simple blues and jazz club with lighter fare," Walter says. "But that's 30 years down the road."

The Simple Life
Whenever he can, Walter likes to get back to the basics. "I love to garden," he says. Accompanied by his dog, Peggy, Walter raises herbs including oregano, mint, and basil, and recently, he planted fig trees. When he can get away, he goes fishing and spends time with his 4-year-old grandson.

But he'll tell you that a healthy portion of his time still revolves around food. "Most of all, I love sharing with people--knowledge, food ideas--whether it's having people over, talking to a high school group, or engaging a customer in the restaurant."

In the end the simple matter of generosity drives Walter--at home and on the job. "He wants everybody," says Andria, "to share in the goodness."

For more information visit www.angusbarn.com.

"A Royal Life In Raleigh" is from the January 2008 issue of Carolina Living, a special section in Southern Living for our subscribers who live in North Carolina.