Theodore Richard Walter

Ted Walter, born January 3rd, 1959, in Salinas to Ted and Ann Walter, died Friday, Sept 26th, surrounded by his loving family after a day filled with stories, laughter & tears. Ted was a curious child with a voracious appetite for books and food. He lived in a tight family circle that included his sister’s Cindy Ann and Laurel, and he spent many hours with his grandmother and great grandmother cooking in the kitchen. By the age of 12, he was spending his afternoons after school experimenting with food and providing dinners for his family. Once he was old enough to work, he began working in restaurant kitchens around the Monterey Peninsula. Ted graduated from Salinas High School and then attended UC Santa Barbara. During his college years he continued to cook in restaurants in the Santa Barbara area, and his creative skills began to shine. He graduated with a bachelors in English Literature and his goal was to write a book, but he found instead that his passion was with food. Ted worked in restaurants across the nation, including a long period in Tahoe where he became the first non-French Chef at a restaurant with a national reputation called Le Petite Pier.  From there he went to New York City to open a restaurant for a small group and returned later to Tahoe to open another restaurant, named Wildberries, for his previous employer.  He then returned to Salinas to open ‘Teddys on Main’. It was here that he met his wife Cindy, married in 1988, and the two, as he told it for ever after, had fun from day one. After closing his restaurant in Salinas, Ted and Cindy moved with their two children, Megan and Kevin, to Tahoe. Here, Ted taught his children the love of skiing, skipping rocks, riding bikes, rafting the Truckee River, swimming and the overall appreciation of the outdoors. The family then moved to Bear Valley where he worked as the chef at Bear Valley Lodge and their leisure time was spent skiing both cross country & downhill, snowmobiling, more hiking, more rafting and swimming in the Stanislaus River. Eventually their adventures led back to the Monterey Peninsula where they settled in Carmel Valley. Ted loved living along the Carmel River and spent many of his days walking down the river, a child’s hand in his, stick in his other hand, followed by a dog. His greatest joy was the time he spent with his two children whether it was camping, playing games or helping with homework. He hiked every trail in Garland Park and spent many days in Garzas Canyon which was his favorite spot in the park. Ted founded Passionfish restaurant in 1997 combining his passion for the environment with his passion for cooking. This established the restaurant as a leader in the movement of sustainable foods and seafood. Every plate told a story and emboldened his guests to think about sustainability when they shopped. He was a familiar sight locally picking up cases of fruit and vegetables at every farmers market and no one was more excited about the change of seasons and the seasonal foods available from his favorite small farmers. He met many of his closest friends through Passionfish, and he loved talking with all his guests. During this time, he and Cindy not only hiked locally but also internationally; his favorite spots being Switzerland, Italy and Bavaria. Together they rode their horses through amazing landscapes including the Tahoe Rim Trail and Point Reyes Seashore. He rafted many rivers with Cindy, Megan and Kevin from Idaho to California and spent uncountable hours tending his garden. Ted had a way of impacting everyone who spent time with him. From turning his passion into his life’s work, finding joy in nature, savoring good food and wine, building community, gathering often, laughing loud and throwing unforgettable parties. In recent months he could be found still riding a horse in Garland Park and sitting outside, quietly listening to the birds, and taking in the scents of his roses, wisteria & jasmine. His presence is missed immensely by his family and by all that knew him as a sweet, brave and funny soul. But his spirit, values and ethics will ripple out like a pebble dropped in water for many years, not soon to be forgotten. Ted is survived by his wife Cindy, daughter Megan, son-in-law Ryan, son Kevin and 4 beautiful grandchildren, Hayley, Lilly, Rhys and Jax. These were the loves of his life. He is also survived by his constant companion, his German Shepherd Ulysses and his treasured, chosen tribe of close friends that he loved to spend time with. He will be missed but honored by them all. The family suggests donations to UCSF’s Lung Transplant Fund at https://giving.ucsf.edu/fund/lung-transplant-fund