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COMMUNITY
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | MAY 2, 2021
Chandler chef basks in national magazine spotlight BY KEVIN REAGAN Arizonan Staff Writer
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on Royer has had a turbulent year. The restaurant he was working at in Paradise Valley closed suddenly due to a downturn in business caused by the pandemic. It was a disappointing blow to Royer, who had been preparing to buy the business before it shuttered. The professional chef managed to eventually find a new job last October at Chandler’s Ginger Monkey Gastropub. But a couple months into his new gig, Royer’s health was abruptly compromised after he contracted COVID-19. He spent several weeks in the hospital, believing the virus might bring him to the brink of death. “It crushed me,” he recalled. As Royer was recuperating, the Gulf War veteran was contacted by a national magazine that was interested in profiling his journey from the military into the
Don Royer, an Air Force veteran who fought in the Gulf War, is the chef at Chandler’s Ginger Monkey restaurant. (Pablo Robles/Staff)
culinary world. A couple of months later, Royer found himself on the cover of Veterans of Foreign Wars Magazine, a publication with a circulation of more than a million readers. The publicity has been overwhelmingly flattering and Royer said he’s appreciative of the many pieces of fan mail he’s already gotten from other veterans who were moved by his life story. “It’s been really overwhelming getting a lot of messages,” Royer said, “I’ve been getting a lot of love from veterans.” Royer grew up in Iowa in an ItalianGerman family that fostered his interest in cooking at a young age. His grandparents taught the young Royer how to garden, fish, and hunt – skills that all became useful later in his professional career. In 1989, the then-teenager enlisted in the Air Force and began taking culinary
see ROYER page 21
Chandler teen earns prestigious Flinn Scholarship BY KEVIN REAGAN Arizonan Staff Writer
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nanya Lakhotia is ready to start her next chapter at Arizona State University, where she plans to major in biochemistry and justice studies beginning in fall. That may seem an unusual combination but for the Arizona College PrepErie senior, the two disciplines perfectly blend together for her biggest passions: science and advocacy. “I was always really big into activism and I wanted to be able to help the community around me,” Ananya said. And she’s getting a big helping hand for her mission to make society equitable for vulnerable populations.
Ananya Lakhotia
Ananya is one of 20 Arizona high school seniors to win a prestigious Flinn Scholarship this year. Two school districts – Tempe Union and Gilbert Public Schools – had two earners as did two individual schools – BASIS Ahwatukee and Gilbert Classical Academy. The award covers all tuition, board and other expenses for four years at one of Arizona’s three state universities, provides for two tours for study abroad and a chance to meet some of the top leaders in virtually every segment of society, from business to academic to cultural. Applicants are subjected to a rigorous vetting process that involves writing several essays and undergoing interviews. Only the students who have demonstrated the right amount of aca-
demic prowess and leadership skills are picked. Ananya said she’s thrilled to receive the honor and looks forward to meeting new and former Flinn scholars in the near future. “I would love to be part of a community where I could learn from them and talk to them,” the 17-year-old said. Ananya said the Flinn scholarship has been on her radar for the last few years. As a freshman, she recalled seeing some older ACP-Erie students win the award and wondered if someday she could join that exclusive club. Ananya has described her academic career as one filled with ambition and
see FLINN page 21