Mountain Lotus: Chef Rich Selden's Sustainably Sourced Fall Menu

October 15, 2025

Mountain Lotus is thrilled to introduce Rich Selden as the new Food and Beverage Manager. In addition to overseeing Mountain Lotus Cafe, located in downtown Truckee, he provides full service catering both on- and off-site as well as operates the Mountain Lotus food truck.

Growing up in New York City, he was surrounded by the warmth of mom-and-pop restaurants, neighborhood delis, and the rich cultural flavors that make the city a true melting pot. Those early experiences sparked a lifelong love of food rooted in community. After moving west to pursue skiing and mountain life, Rich carried that vision with him, eventually planting roots in the Tahoe region.

Rich’s journey began in 2014 with a food truck, blending California’s seasonal bounty with Asian-inspired flavors. From there, he opened two restaurants in Reno, honing his craft while working hand-in-hand with local farmers and the Great Basin Food Co-Op. Later, his work with Tahoe Food Hub deepened his connection to the regional foodshed. Today, as Food & Beverage Manager and acting Executive Chef at Mountain Lotus, those partnerships remain at the heart of every dish.

“We’re committed to sourcing from our community,” Rich shares. “Small producers in our area really need our support. For me, it’s an easy choice because we’re helping sustain the livelihood of family-run operations — and the products and produce they provide are far superior in both taste and quality.”

This fall, Mountain Lotus is unveiling a new catering menu for the 2025–2026 season — perfect for off-site gatherings or on-site holiday parties at their downtown Truckee location. Guests can also take advantage of the Mountain Lotus Retreat House, available for holiday stays or company retreats, offering a cozy home just steps away from the Truckee yoga studio and café.

For those joining Mountain Lotus’s heated yoga classes, the café offers the perfect way to replenish — nourishing meals and warm drinks crafted with the same intention as the practice itself.

The café menu reflects that ethos:

• The Yaki Bowl begins with turmeric jasmine rice and your choice of protein — though the teriyaki chicken, glazed in a house-made date teriyaki sauce, is a guest favorite. It’s finished with house-fermented kimchi, roasted seasonal vegetables that change weekly, and a garnish of rotating microgreens grown by local farmers.

• The Sierra Breakfast Sandwich layers farm-fresh organic eggs, all-natural turkey sausage, crisp spring greens from Foothill Roots Farm, and a bright house-made cilantro mayo on a buttery brioche bun from Beloved Bakery. Hearty yet wholesome, it pairs beautifully with a steaming Pacific Crest Roasters coffee or a soothing Mountain Song loose-leaf tea.

• Seasonal Shiitake Miso Soup offers deep umami comfort, crafted with organic shiitake mushrooms, a rich miso broth, and ribbons of wild-harvested wakame seaweed — a warming staple as the Sierra shifts into colder months.

New this season, the café’s grab-and-go fridge is stocked with Mountain Song electrolyte drinks — crafted with trace minerals and botanicals to naturally support hydration and recovery. Perfect after a heated yoga class, these refreshing blends replenish what the body loses through sweat, helping restore energy, balance, and flow so you can step back into your day feeling grounded and nourished.

Rich’s vision aligns seamlessly with the Mountain Lotus philosophy: to nurture wellness, sustainability, and connection through every plate and every partnership. Under his leadership, Mountain Lotus is weaving together farms, families, and community — and inviting you to stop by in downtown Truckee for a yoga class and a bite at the café, the perfect pairing of movement, nourishment, and connection.

Check out Mountain Lotus Cafe in the former church that was beautifully restored as Mountain Lotus, 10124 E Street in Truckee. The cafe is open from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday.