About Chef Andy's Ruff Rock Run Cafe at Hi Desert Roundup 2010...

Imagine this: A café in the desert, miles from civilization, serving delicious, cooked-to-order meals. There's an old saying if it's too good to be true than it probably isn't true, but at Hi-Desert Roundup, that's not the case, as Chef Andy's Ruff Rock Run Café is a fixture, at CA4WDC's Hi-Desert Roundup and Panamint Valley Days.

Photo: Chef Andy and his crew set up the restaurant the day before the event begins, and it's housed in a deluxe tent... it's a complete restaurant in the desert!

Chef Andy and his crew arrive Thursday, the day before the event, and set up the restaurant. This is quite an undertaking, as Andy's operation is extensive, but he and his family have been providing delicious food at the aforementioned CA4WDC events for years, so they know the drill. They have to unpack everything and set up the complete restaurant - look at the photos - and they have to be up and running for breakfast Friday morning. In addition to setting up the restaurant, they have to dig the pit for the Saturday night barbecue dinner, which is no small feat by itself.

Photo: Chef Andy and crew take a break from working all day in the restaurant. Chef Andy's crew consists of mostly extended family members, with a few friends included for good measure.

Photo: Three of Andy's helpers strike a classic pose for my camera. The girl to the left is Grace, one of Chef Andy's granddaughters.

By Friday morning, they're up and running, serving breakfast to hungry four wheelers. Chef Andy served in the Navy, where he learned how to cook for many people, and he's applied his knowledge to preparing delicious breakfasts and dinners at Hi-Desert Roundup. His food is delicious, it's convenient, the price is right, and you don't have to cook or wash dishes. You're treated to great food, and you have more time to enjoy the beautiful desert and run a few trails.

Photo: The Ruff Rock Run Café menu, scanned from the program brochure for Hi-Desert Roundup, 2010.

The Saturday night barbecue dinner is the highlight of the event. Check out the extensive write-up on this years Saturday night barbecue dinner, posted elsewhere in this article.

High Desert Roundup is a fun as it gets, but Chef Andy's restaurant makes the event even more enjoyable.