BLUE LAKE, Calif. (October 16, 2026) – Blue Lake Casino Hotel is pleased to announce the appointment of Justin Schlink as its new Executive Chef. Chef Justin joins the team from Reno, Nevada, most recently with the Caesars Palace family of restaurants at Silver Legacy Casino.
Chef Justin has spent 25 years in professional kitchens, starting at age 15 as a dishwasher and busboy at an Outback Steakhouse in Reno. He built his culinary foundation during four years under Chef Todd Morgan at the family-owned Big Apple Pizza, then worked his way up through high-volume operations and fine dining. His experience includes fine dining at Montreux Golf & Country Club in Reno and Martis Camp, as well as nearly four years as a banquet chef at Red Hawk Golf and Resort in the Reno area. He brings to Blue Lake a progressive, team-focused, and dynamic leadership style.
The move is also a homecoming of sorts. Chef Justin’s mother grew up in the area, and he spent childhood summers visiting his grandparents here.
A Chef Who Loves to Learn
Asked which dish best represents him, Chef Justin says its whatever he’s learning next. “My favorite dish is learning something new,” he said. “That’s the whole point of this job: learning new cuisine and expanding your horizons.” His background includes Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean cooking, and he admits a soft spot for Neapolitan-style pizza.
Local, Fresh, and From Scratch
Guests will notice the first changes in the ingredients. Chef Justin plans to build menus around locally sourced products and scratch cooking, including house-made dressings and sauces. He has already connected with the Rancheria’s agricultural program and will help plan next year’s growing season, so the kitchen can grow ingredients it wants to cook with. He also plans a fermentation program featuring kimchi, sourdough, and more, and sees opportunity in the region’s local seafood.
“I really want to focus on locally sourcing, and working with the community,” he said. “I want to build that up here completely.”
Banquets, Restaurants, and Bistro
Chef Justin will bring fresh ideas and elevated menus to the property’s banquet operations, with plans to revamp the offerings from top to bottom. “I love banquets,” he said. “There will be some familiar touches, but I want to put my twist on everything.” He will also lead a revitalization of Alice’s Restaurant, Bluefoot’s Coffee & Deli, and Blue Fusion Bistro, keeping guest favorites while reviewing every menu for ways to refresh it.
He is especially excited about Blue Fusion Bistro and the opportunity to draw on his Asian cooking background there. “I’m very excited about that restaurant,” he said.
Teamwork and a Good Time
Chef Justin says communication is the foundation of a strong kitchen. “I firmly believe in communication,” he said. “The front and the back of the house need to be a team.” For guests, he wants dining to be fun. “Food’s an experience, and it should be fun,” he said. “I want it to be exciting, and just somewhere to come, relax, and have a good time.”
“This transition marks another bold step forward in our ongoing effort to enhance the Food & Beverage experience while creating a brighter, more positive culture and environment for both our guests and employees,” said Jeremiah Hammond, Director of Food & Beverage, Blue Lake Casino Hotel. “Please join us in giving a warm welcome to Chef Justin as we begin this exciting new chapter together.”
About Blue Lake Casino Hotel
Blue Lake Casino Hotel, a Trademark Collection® by Wyndham, is a casino hotel in Blue Lake, California, five miles off U.S. Highway 101 in Humboldt County. Open 24 hours a day, the casino offers more than 500 slot machines, table games and a poker room. The hotel is an enterprise of the Blue Lake Rancheria and is independently owned and operated by the Tribe.
Dining is a cornerstone of the Blue Lake Casino Hotel experience, with venues for every occasion. Alice’s Restaurant is the property’s full-service restaurant, serving gastro-pub style American fare and house-brewed beer from Powers Creek Brewing. Blue Fusion Bistro offers bold Asian-inspired fusion plates made with fresh California ingredients. Bluefoot’s Coffee & Deli serves coffee and quick bites for guests on the go. The Wave Lounge offers cocktails, draft beer, and pub fare. The property’s banquets and events team also hosts weddings, corporate meetings, and special events.
About Blue Lake Rancheria Enterprises
The Blue Lake Rancheria is a federally recognized Native American Tribe in northwestern California, near Eureka and Arcata and five miles inland from the coast along California Highway 299. Located within the aboriginal territory of the Wiyot people, the Rancheria was founded in 1908, terminated in 1958 and restored to federal recognition in 1983. Today, the Tribe has 100 acres of land in trust. Its economic enterprises include Blue Lake Casino Hotel, Powers Creek Brewery, Blue Fusion Bistro, Alice’s Restaurant, Wave Lounge, Blue Lake Fuel & Fun, Blue Lake Tribal Manufacturing, Ta’m Resilience Campus and Claudia Brundin Center. These enterprises support hundreds of local jobs and fund government operations and a wide array of social services that benefit Tribal members and the region.
Learn more at bluelakecasino.com.
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