Shawn Dickensheets, the new executive chef at the revamped Wayfarer Restaurant & Lounge in Cannon Beach, has spent four decades crisscrossing the United States in what one might call a culinary whirlwind.

From a teenage dishwasher at a Wendy’s in Houston to earning certification at the Oregon Culinary Institute, traveling and working at restaurants in Colorado, Nebraska and throughout the South, then graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, and appearing on the TV show “Chopped” to eventually owning 21 Oak, an award-winning plant-based restaurant near Hartford, Connecticut, Dickensheets has had a full and varied gastronomic life.

“I’m not going to make any major changes yet,” said Dickensheets, acknowledging the history of the Wayfarer, which has been attracting diners since 1977.

“Summer’s so busy, I’m mainly figuring out how things work and managing staff. I’ll only tweak a few food items here and there, like adding garnishes and refining salad dressings and sauces.”

It’s no wonder, with 200 to 300 meals to provide during lunch and dinner, Dickensheets has little time to experiment with new dishes.

His varied repertoire, having lived and worked in so many different areas with, as he mentioned, “diverse styles of cuisine,” serves him well as he adjusts to his new job.

“I set my sights on moving west after my restaurant closed,” said Dickensheets, citing the COVID-19 pandemic and the toll it took on small establishments like his. “I put out feelers for Idaho, Pendleton, Bend and the coast. When the Wayfarer came up, I jumped at it. I was familiar with the company and thought it would be a good fit.”

Dickensheets had always liked Astoria, and even did a brief stint at Café Uniontown in the 1990s, so returning to the Oregon Coast seemed a good plan.

“Things have really changed on the coast,” Dickensheets said. “Having amazing local vendors of produce, meats, and seafood is really great.”

Dickensheets said he’s proud of the working relationships he has been able to establish.

“We prepare everything from scratch here, so it’s easier to have suppliers nearby. If we run low on something like salad greens during a lunch rush, I have an immediate source nearby — something I couldn’t depend on if it had to come from Portland,” he said. “It’s really important to me to have the freshest ingredients possible at all times.”

When the summer rush is over, Dickensheets plans to take time off-season to update and juggle the menu to insert a few new dishes.

He is aware that many of the menu items — like the standard salmon and filet mignon — will stay, as well as crowd favorites like beer-battered halibut fish and chips, the warm Dungeness crab baguette and Wayfarer clam bake featuring Dungeness crab legs, local Manila clams, Andouille sausage and wild prawns, with Yukon potatoes and spring onions.

Gluten-free and vegan items will also be available as Dickensheets contributes his plant-based culinary skills.

“I have a great team,” Dickensheets said. “Whatever we decide to do, our goal is to present the best dining experience we can.”