*a version of the article was previously featured in Oasis Magazine.

Melvyn’s at the Ingleside Inn has been a Palm Springs institution for 50 years, a timeless beacon of classic dining. Now, there’s a new energy in the kitchen: Chef Salvador Roldan. With a life story that includes the US Marine Corps, scuba diving and living aboard in Vietnam and Puerto Rico, Chef Roldan brings a board perspective to the beloved desert landmark.

Oasis Magazine's Jason Ball sat down with the new chef to discuss his adventurous past, his culinary philosophy, and the subtle, yet exciting, changes coming to Melvyn's classic menu.

Chef Sal in his own words.

JASON BALL: Chef Sal, thank you for sitting down with Oasis.  You're brand new here at Melvyn's, but you’re not new to the desert.

CHEF SALVADOR ROLDAN: That’s right. I just joined the organization on October 25th. However, I’ve been out here since 2021, right after post-COVID. This is home now.

JB: Your background is incredible. You've traveled the world. How did that influence your path to the kitchen?

SR: From about 2017 until COVID started, I filled up two passports. I was living abroad in Southeast Asia after I got the underwater scuba diving bug. I became a Master Scuba Diver Trainer, running dive resorts in Vietnam and Indonesia.  My wife and I, we racked up about 4,000 dives!

While I was there, I was just eating everything I possibly could because the food was absolutely delicious.

JB: You even ran a chef/mixologist pop-up in Puerto Rico?

SR: Yes! When we came back to the States, San Francisco felt too cold after island life, so we moved to Puerto Rico. Restaurants were shut down from Friday to Sunday. That was our niche. My wife was the front-of-house mixologist, and I was the back-of-house chef. We did extravagant parties in beautiful residence homes, with custom menus, just the two of us. It was a grand old time.

JB: And how did you end up back in Palm Springs?

SR: A couple of people mentioned an opportunity here. I flew out for a tasting, and a few days later, they offered me the job! I fell in love with the desert. It’s still beautiful, and I love the ideal weather. Now, this is home.

JB: Melvyn's is 50 years old. What do you bring to keep the classics vibrant and modernizing the experience?

SR: It’s about small, intentional touches to the classics. We’re putting a new spin on it, modernizing it with new techniques and new ingredients, while still paying homage to the classics. Melvyn’s is timeless, but we’re starting to stretch our legs and push the envelope on the dining menu, which will be evident in the new fall menu.

JB: As a patron, the pot pie is my favorite.  Is it still going to be on the menu?

SR: [Laughs] Yes, the classics like the pot pie and the beef Wellington are best left alone. They will stay the same.

However, the surrounding characters, the appetizers, the sides, and other entrées, that’s where we’ll bring things up to date. I’m very conscious of dietary restrictions out here. We’re aiming to make sure that all diners, including vegetarians and vegans, can come in and enjoy something flavorful that’s not "just vegetables."

JB: Can you give us a peek at that new direction?

SR: We’re doing something fun with a Lion’s Mane mushroom. It will be smashed and marinated, then seared like a steak. It cuts and has the flavor profile of a steak, but it’s all mushroom. That’s a nice representation of how we’re going to meet all palates. And yes, you might see some subtle touches from Southeast Asia in there, but we’ll be a little more subtle with the heat!

JB: You worked massive events in LA, like the Grammys and the Governor's Ball. What's the difference between life there and life here in the Valley?

SR: It's a much slower pace here, but the culinary scene is definitely making strides, which is impressive. We now have much more readily available deliveries from vendors I used to work with in LA.

We’re going to use a local and sustainable ingredients to dictate our menu. Instead of us dictating the menu, the ingredients, the seasonality and sustainability, will help determine what we serve. You’ll see local dates and beautiful produce from places like Aziz Farms in Thermal. It's about working with three or four really focused, flavorful ingredients and using technique to make them shine.

JB: What got you into culinary?

SR: The cliché answer: my mother and grandmother. My mother, who is 4’11”, would put me on a stool and have me work alongside her. She taught me that with love and time, you can make any inexpensive cut of food delicious. I still have many of those flavor memories.  She would braise a tough, inexpensive cut of meat called diezmillo in Worcestershire sauce, and it would be spoon-tender. That's what I try to replicate: consistency, tasting, and making sure everything is technically perfect.

JB: You served in the US Marine Corps. How do those skills incorporate into your kitchen?

SR: The Marine Corps has structure and organization, and to be a clear leader. After the military, I left the corporate world when I read Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential…I was hooked.

I run my kitchens with that military discipline. It’s about being silent but deadly, accurate, and disciplined. I’m a fair leader who loves to mentor the next generation of cook. We’re bringing in new techniques and flavors so they can grow.

JB: And what do you love most about your job?

SR: It’s like the saying goes: when you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like you’re working. I’m stepping into a challenging moment, but I’m seeing the fruits of my labor developing the team, educating them on new techniques, and seeing that passion for the culinary game rub off on them.

JB: Any final thoughts for Oasis readers?

SR: I haven't told my boss yet, but I'm really going to push for us to get a Michelin Key for the hotel. That’s my ultimate goal here—to push Melvyn's to that level of excellence.