John Hopkins

John Bradley Hopkins, 85, passed away on September 11, 2021. John was born on November 2, 1935 to Hadley and Sara (Chandler) Hopkins. Seven years later he was joined by his brother Stephen. They grew up on their family's dairy farm in Dexter, Maine. John graduated from Dexter High School in 1954 and joined the Coast Guard and continued as a cook during his service. While stationed in Boston, Mass. John met his wife Harriet (Lincoln) Hopkins. After they were married, John and Harriet moved back to Dexter where John worked again on the family's farm. They welcomed their son, Elijah Lincoln Hopkins to the family on July 25, 1959 and two years later they welcomed daughter, Kathy Ann Hopkins on April 28, 1961. In 1966, John pursued his love of cooking and enrolled in The Culinary Institute of America in New Haven, CT and graduated as an Executive Chef in 1968. His first position as an Executive Chef was at Remuda Ranch in Wickenburg, AZ, which was then a dude ranch. John and Harriet worked at the ranch during the fall and winter season. When the kids got out of school in the spring the family would head back to Maine for the summer, where John was the chef at Mays Summer School for a couple of years, then at Aimhi Lodge in North Wyndham, ME. In 1973 John became the Executive Chef at The Wickenburg Inn Dude Ranch. In 1980 he ventured out on his own and ran The Arrowhead Restaurant in Congress and in 1984 he moved to the Ranch Bar 7 in Wickenburg. John retired from the restaurant business in 1998 and went to work for Don Donnelly Stables at Gold Canyon. For the next 10 years he was the chef on the outdoor rides to places like Monument Valley and Canyon de Chelly. He became well known for his Dutch Oven Cooking and was featured in Food and Wine magazine about that unique art. In his off season John cooked at the Grey Ranch in Animas, NM for their yearly hunting groups. He was preceded in death by his wife Harriet on Dec. 27, 2013. John is survived by his two children, 5 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren.