Meet the Talent
Rooted in collaboration, the Festival pairs admired talent with each other. Guests are fully engaged in the energy that emerges from this culinary fusion and become captivated by the surprise of each great moment.
Chef
Alberto Collarte Pindar
Alberto Collarte Pindar
Chef
Alex Seidel
Events participating in:
Alex Seidel
Alex was recognized as Food & Wine’s “Best New Chef” in 2010, he was a finalist for James Beard’s “Best Chef, Southwest,” and earned “Chef of the Year” titles from local media, including Denver Magazine and 5280. Alex cooked at the 20th Anniversary of “Dinners Across America” and was an opening chef of Aspen’s Chefs Club by Food & Wine.
Chef
Bruce Kalman
Events participating in:
Saturday Grand Tasting
Sunday Vinyl Brunch
Bruce Kalman
Bruce is a James Beard-nominated chef. He has appeared on Bravo’s Top Chef Season 15, Viceland’s Untitled Action Bronson Show, Food Network’s Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay, Esquire Network’s Knife Fight, and Bravo’s Best New Restaurant.
Chef
Clay Conley
Clay Conley
Clay and his restaurants have been featured in Condé Nast Traveler, Forbes, and Travel + Leisure. He is a four-time semi-finalist for James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef in America,” and has shown his skills on productions for Food Network, PBS, Cooking Channel and Emeril’s Florida.
Chef
Collin Kelley
Events participating in:
Thursday
Dinner: Caviar Surf & Turf
Collin Kelley
Chef
Dana Rodriguez
Events participating in:
Thursday
Dinner: Sabores & Sobremesa
Friday
Seminar: Tortillas, Tequila & Tinto
Saturday
Grand Tasting
Dana Rodriguez
Dana was one of Westword’s 22 people to watch in 2022, is a three-time James Beard Foundation Awards semi-finalist, receiving nominations in the Best Chef Southwest category.
Chef
Hosea Rosenberg
Hosea Rosenberg
He’s achieved many accolades including Bravo TV’s Top Chef, Season 5, Best Chef for Denver International Wine Festival, Guest Chef at the James Beard House, and he was recognized by the United States Small Business Administration as a “business owner inspiring the entrepreneurial spirit of the nation.”
Chef
Joe Campbell
Events participating in:
Thursday
Dinner: New American Innovation
Joe Campbell
In 2016, the Colorado Tourism Board selected Joe to represent Steamboat at a food show in Los Angeles. Bésame has been featured in publications such as Mountain Living, TimeOut, Honest Cooking and Good Taste Denver.
Chef
Jon-Claude “JC” Stevens
Jon-Claude JC Stevens
JC has earned a #1 worldwide ranking from guests for his creations at Club Med Resorts. Snow Bowl was featured in 2019’s Best of the Boat, 5280 Magazine and Mountain Living Magazine.
Chef
Jonathon Sawyer
Jonathon Sawyer
Chef Jonathon earned the Rising Star Chef award from both Restaurant Hospitality and GAYOT. He earned Food & Wine Magazine’s Best New Chef award in 2010 and was a Best Chef: Great Lakes finalist for James Beard Foundation in 2103 before achieving the prestigious award in 2015. He has had several national television appearances, including Cleveland Hustles, Dinner Impossible, Unique Eats, Best Thing I Ever Ate, Chopped, Iron Chef America and Iron Chef: Gauntlet.
Chef
Jose Salazar
Events participating in:
Friday
Fire & Flavor: Cuisine from Baja Mexico
Jose Salazar
Chef Jose has received many favorable reviews, including five stars from Polly Campbell of The Cincinnati Enquirer and Food and Wine magazine’s People’s Choice Best New Chef. His restaurants have earned James Beard Foundation nominations for five years for Best Chef, Great Lakes.
Chef
Justin Carlisle
Events participating in:
Friday
Fire & Flavor: Cuisine from Baja Mexico
Justin Carlisle
Chef Justin and Ardent were featured in Condé Nast Traveler as a best new restaurant in 2013 as well as being a Best New Restaurant and Best Chef Midwest semi-finalist by the James Beard Foundation. He has been featured in publications such as Plate Magazine and Business Insider.
Chef
Kate Ladoulis
Events participating in:
Sunday
Vinyl Brunch
Kate Ladoulis
Since opening, Chef Kate has presented a dinner at James Beard House in New York and participated in the James Beard Foundation Celebrity Chef Tours. The press has come calling; Django’s has received mention in Wine & Spirits Magazine, 5280/Denver, Outside Magazine, Zagar, Christie’s Luxury Defined, Chicago Tribute and The Dallas Morning News.
Chef
Kelly Whitaker
Events participating in:
Friday
Dinner: Intentional Influences with Id Est Hospitality
Saturday
Grand Tasting
Kelly Whitaker
The Wolf’s Tailor was included in Bon Appetit’s The Hot 10: America’s Best New Restaurants of 2019. Basta earned the number two spot on 5280’s Denver’s 25 Best Restaurants list in 2016, and Kelly himself received the magazine’s Best Chef accolade the following year. Hw has twice been named Eater Denver’s Chef of the Year (readers’ and editors’ choice), and was awarded the 2014 Chefs Collaborative Heart of the Collaborative Award.
Chef
Kevin Morrison
Events participating in:
Friday
Seminar: Tortillas, Tequila & Tinto
Sunday
Vinyl Brunch
Kevin Morrison
Chef Kevin and Pinche Tacos were named one of Bon Appétit’s fifty best new restaurants in the country. He has been featured in 5280 Magazine, 303 Magazine The Modern Eater and Westword.
Chef
Matt Vawter
Events participating in:
Friday
Dinner: Tastes You Can Trace: Local Ingredients
Saturday
Grand Tasting
Matt Vawter
He received national recognition in Zagat’s “30 Under 30” list in 2014 and was a semifinalist for Eater’s Young Gun list. In 2015, Vawter and the rest of the Mercantile team were recognized by Westworld as the Best New Restaurant, as well as Best New Restaurant and third Best Restaurant in Denver by 5280 Magazine.
Chef
Michael Diaz de Leon
Events participating in:
Friday
Dinner: Intentional Influences with Id Est Hospitality
Michael Diaz de Leon
Chef Michael and BRUTØ have been featured in The New York Times, 5280 Magazine and The Denver Post.
Chef
Paul C. Reilly
Events participating in:
Friday
Dinner: Tastes You Can Trace: Local Ingredients
Saturday
Grand Tasting
Paul C. Reilly
Paul’s creative use of whole animals and local ingredients has earned accolades such as Best Restaurant for many publications including Denver’s Westword and James Beard Foundation’s 2022 Smart Catch Leader.
Chef
Poncho Cadena
Events participating in:
Poncho Cadena
Chef Poncho’s dynamic personality has also put him in the spotlight as TV host of El Gourmet channel with several programs focused on the kitchen in places around Mexico.
Chef
Roberto Arturo Rivero
Roberto Arturo Rivero
Chef Arturo is currently the owner and chef at Briqueta Cocina de Humo in Todos Santos, and a pastry instructor for a university culinary arts training program he developed. He is a business consultant and hosts team-building workshops for international businesses such as Coca-Cola and Energizer.
Chef
Schuyler Houfek
Events participating in:
Thursday
Dinner: Bubbles, Bourbon & Burgers
Schuyler Houfek
Schuyler and Truffle Pig have been featured in The Steamboat Pilot, Food & Wine Magazine and Colorado Homes & Lifestyle Magazine.
Chef
Taylor Stark
Events participating in:
Friday
Dinner: Intentional Influences with Id Est Hospitality
Taylor Stark
In 2022, Chef Taylor was recognized as StarChefs Denver Rising Stars Award Winner. Taylor and The Wolf’s Tailor have been featured in Bon Appetit’s Top 10 list, 5280 Magazine and 303 Magazine.
Chef
Timothy Fischer
Timothy Fischer
He was nominated fo the James Beard Award for Best Chef of the Midwest in 2011. He has been featured in Eater, Open Table and CBS.
Chef
Tristen Epps
Events participating in:
Thursday
Dinner: Caviar Surf & Turf
Tristen Epps
Tristen’s skills have been widely recognized, thanks in part to his appearances on ABC and the Food Network. He caught the attention of Samuelson on ABC’s The Taste after placing second in the competition. One of his signature dishes was featured on the Cooking Channel’s Best Thing I Ever Ate, he was highlighted in Bon Appetit Magazine as the creator of one of the best five meals of Carla Hall’s life, and he is a Food Network Chopped Champion.
Chef
William Dissen
Events participating in:
Friday
Dinner: Tastes You Can Trace: Local Ingredients
Saturday
Grand Tasting
William Dissen
William was named Rising Star Chef in 2013 by Star Chef Magazine, was a six-time Featured Chef at James Beard House, Small Business Leader of the Year for Asheville Chamber of Commerce and was featured in Business Insider Magazine’s 12 Up & Coming Southern Chefs.
Winemakers and Mixologists
Sommelier
Amandine Chatelier
Events participating in:
Friday
Seminar: Creating with Cognac: Smoky Cocktails
Saturday
Coastal Lunch Marabou Club at Torian Plum
Grand Tasting
Sunday
Vinyl Brunch
Amandine Chatelier
Winemaker
Cris & JoAnn Cherry
Cris & JoAnn Cherry
Cris and Villa Creek have been featured in Los Angeles Magazine, Food & Wine, Condé Nast and Forbes. The Cherrys won Paso Robles Wine Country’s Environmental Steward of the Year in 2021 for their organic and biodynamic certifications and practices.
Mixologist
Danny Sanchez
Danny Sanchez
He constantly keeps up-to-date with all the latest techniques in the culinary and mixology worlds by visiting markets, street vendors, restaurants and bars all over the world, as well as watching cooking programs and sharing ideas with other chefs and mixologists.
Winemaker
Edgar Torres
Events participating in:
Friday
To California, From Spain: A Passing of the Oaks
Saturday
Grand Tasting
Edgar Torres
Edgar is considered the first Mexican-American winemaker in Paso Robles. He and Bodega de Edgar have been featured in Forbes Magazine, Wine Enthusiast and Wine Advocate.
Winemaker
James Blanchard
Events participating in:
Saturday Grand Tasting
James Blanchard
Today, Blanchard Family Wines is dedicated to the creation of limited production, handcrafted artisan wines, sourced from the top vineyards in the Sonoma Valley. They have been featured on VoyageDenver, WineTourism and Winemag.
Winemaker
Jon Schlegel
Events Participating in:
Thursday
Guided Fishing and Sipping on the Elk River
Friday
Seminar: White Wines of Piedmont
Saturday Grand Tasting
Jon Schlegel
Attimo has been featured in Wine & Spirits for their Year’s Best Barolo & Barbaresco. Jon has been featured in City Lifestyle, Westword, 5280 and 303 Magazine.
Mixologist
Mark Stanford
Events participating in:
Thursday
Dinner: Bubbles, Bourbon & Burgers
Friday
Seminar: Old Fashioned: A Style Beyond the Cocktail
Dinner: Exquisite Flavor Huneeus Wine Dinner
Saturday
Seminar: Prohibition-Era Inspired Cocktails
Seminar: Margaritas 101
Mark Stanford
Mark’s passion for the world of craft cocktails, mixology, spirits, and how to elevate the guest experience has drawn the attention of multiple publications, loyal guests, and the spirits world as a whole. Mark’s captivating presentations have become a mainstay in the Steamboat Food & Wine Festival repertoire. Mark also founded BellRinger Consulting, a hospitality-based consultancy focusing primarily on special events, business governance, beverage program development, and services centered around enhancing beverage program efficiency. His reputation has also earned him invitations to compete in regional, national, and international cocktail competitions.
Sommelier
Roland Herrmann
Roland Herrmann
He spent four years in wine distributor management, spending time representing one of the most prestigious portfolio’s in the industry (Cristal, Dominus, Petrus, Pichon Comtesse de Lalande, Domaines Ott, Merry Edwards, Pio Cesare…) and has traveled extensively throughout the wine regions of the world.
Sommelier
Scott Thomas
Events participating in:
White Wines of Piedmont Seminar
Scott Thomas
Given his time in Italy, coupled with the recent achievement of Italian Wine Ambassador and Italian Wine Educator, he is considered an authority on Italian wine, plus holds accreditations as a Certified Wine Educator, Certified Sommelier, and teaches regularly at MSU Denver’s School of Hospitality.
Specialists
Pastry Chef
Cassie Borshoff
Events Participating in:
Friday
Dinner: Intentional Influences with Id Est Hospitality
Cassie Borshoff
Cassie and The Wolf’s Tailor have been featured in Bon Appetit’s Top 10 list, 5280 Magazine and 303 Magazine. Cassie has participated in James Beard Chef’s Tour in Memphis and the Food Network’s South Beach Food & Wine Festival.
Butcher
Laura Posiak
Events participating in:
Friday
Lunch: Spanish Tapas
Laura Posiak
Laura was voted Industry Spotlight’s Exceptional Newcomer in 2019 and Best of the Boat’s third best catering business. She’s been featured in the Denver Post, Steamboat Magazine and the Steamboat Pilot & Today.
Butcher
Kelly Kawachi
Events Participating in:
Friday
Dinner: The Whole Lamb
Kelly Kawachi
Kelly now works alongside chef-owner Hosea Rosenberg to oversee the whole animal butchery and charcuterie program at the restaurant and market. There she educates customers about the value of buying goods from local meat merchants who source responsibly-raised livestock.
Entertainment
Singer-songwriter
Arum Rae
Arum Rae
After having her music featured on popular TV shows such as Vampire Diaries, Pretty Little Liars and Nashville, Arum released her first album, Sub Rosa, in 2017. Her latest album, Loose Ends, produced by the Lumineers’ Wesley Schultz, showcases Arum’s raw emotion and character in her songwriting.
Musician
El Javi
El Javi
El Javi has performed at the Festival of the Arts in Coahuila, Mexico, the Jazz and Blues Festival in Santa Clarita, California and the International Music Festival in San José del Cabo, Mexico. He was a guest artist on the Noche Tucumana world tour of the greatest flamenco singer Diego “El Cigala” in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. This instrumental duo is currently promoting their latest material, the EP “A Gypsy Journey: Pt1 Trip, recorded live in the studio.
DJ
Wesley Barnes
Wesley Barnes
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