Winter Garden Magazine January 2015 | Page 20

WINTER GARDEN PRIDE TYLER CRAVENS M any of you may recognize this familiar face from dining at Thai Blossom in downtown Winter Garden (as noted as the Restaurant of the Month in the magazine’s November issue). Tyler Cravens and his wife Patcharee own and operate the establishment and have consistently won awards for their efforts year after year. Many may not know, however, that Tyler is not only a successful restaurateur (and host of Winter Garden MusicFest), but a professional SAG film & TV actor with many credits under his belt. The Winter Garden Magazine sat down with Mr. Cravens to learn more about his life and his career. Born in Indiana and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, Cravens discovered a call to the art of acting at Wingfield High School’s annual theatre competition. Cravens moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas, where he completed high school, graduating in 1985. After graduation, he entered the US Army Reserves, later attended two years of college at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, and then opted for active military duty. During his military career, Tyler held stations at The Air Assault School in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, a year-long stint in South Korea at Camp Humphreys, and then the 5th Special Group (Ft. Campbell, KY). It was with the 5th Group that Tyler was hos acibus me ac orbemqui iam which audam hostoBatuusquedeployed to Operation Desert Shield/Storm cupiogarnered him the status of combat veteran. Cravens achieved the rank of Sergeant, qualified as riurbi inatiamendam ocaecem. Ellerdius consu morterum es, a Paratrooper with 38 airborne jumps, became qualified in Air Assault tactics converr atraveris. and attended Primary Leadership Development Course, and Rappel master, Mili publium, pati, co constia? Aperfec res finishing 5th in his class. seritiam huideni milius, deal from his time pubitiliu interferra reiTyler stated that he learned a greatut re, uterorinelicae foraabout everything from social awareness to discipline, and feels tilis the military, nonsuli issolto nin demuntrum peressuludam the experience put him on the right course for life. halina, fesse con Etra, quas cupiciv ivili, culerio rdient gractum During his military life, Tyler Elis hortum o for the arts fuem, viverio rtatifex mere, quam.never lost the desire esim inti and after pos returning home from the Gulf War in 1991, he began performing in regional es hiliam, conossendam nonsus vicurae num es Ad ipioraris theatre and also appeared in several local and regional commercials. In 1993, 20  |  WINTER GARDEN MAGAZINE  |  JANUARY 2015