THEY’VE GOT
2020 Festival Talent
Chef
Alex Seidel
Chef/Owner of Mercantile Dining and Fruition Restaurant in Denver, Colorado
2018 James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Southwest
2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 2015 and 2017 Semifinalist, Best Chefs in America
2010 Food & Wine Mag Best New Chef
Alex Seidel
Chef Seidel is the owner of Fruition Restaurant, Fruition Farms Creamery, Füdmill, Chook Charcoal Chicken and Mercantile dining & provision.
Born in 1973 in Wisconsin, Seidel began his culinary career at 14, serving as sous chef at Racine’s Main Street Bistro by age 20. He attended culinary school at Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon, finishing at the top of his class. After graduation, Seidel moved to California where he worked at Hubert Keller’s Club XIX at Pebble Beach Resort. He later became sous chef at Antoine Michelle, then chef de cuisine at Carmel Valley Ranch. During a trip to Colorado’s Vail Valley Alex fell in love with the mountains and soon found a home as chef de cuisine in one of Colorado’s most renowned restaurants, Sweet Basil.
Chasing his first love and wife, Melissa, Seidel moved to Denver in 2002 and became executive chef at restaurateur Frank Bonanno’s fine-dining flagship, Mizuna. Seidel left Mizuna to launch his own restaurant, Fruition, which opened its doors on February 5, 2007. Upon opening, gayot.com named Fruition one of the top 10 new restaurants in the U.S.; Zagat soon rated Seidel’s spot the number one restaurant in Colorado; and 5280 magazine has included Fruition in its list of 25 Best Restaurants.
Seidel himself has been the recipient of even more accolades, earning one of the most celebrated nods in the industry when Food & Wine magazine named him a Best New Chef in 2010. In addition, Denver Magazine called him Chef of the Year in 2009, 5280 gave him that title in 2008, and was a semi-finalist for the James Beard Foundation’s “Best Chef Southwest” honor numerous times, and garnered the award in 2018. Seidel cooked at the 20th Anniversary of “Dinners Across America” and was an opening chef of Aspen’s Chefs Club by Food & Wine.
When not cooking at Fruition, Seidel is at his farm tending or milking some 60 sheep. The ricotta from Fruition Farms Dairy won a first place award from the American Cheese Society in 2011. The chef’s creamery also makes the bloomy-rind, soft-ripened cheese called Shepherd’s Halo, a hard, aged, farmstead cheese called Cacio Pecora, a sheep’s milk yogurt called SheepSkyr, and a feta. In addition to making cheese, Seidel raises a heritage pork breed called “Large Black” and has planted his 10-acre farm with fruits and vegetables to supply the restaurant kitchens.
In fall of 2014 Seidel opened a third endeavor: Mercantile dining & provision, a restaurant and European style market located in Denver’s Historic Union Station. With Mercantile, Seidel and his team further solidify the continuity and sustainable relationships between restaurant, farm and market.
Chef Seidel will team up with Chefs Cesar Pita, Daniel Sanchez and Daniel Asher for the Chefs’ Dinner at the Jace Romick Gallery on Friday evening.
Close
Chef
Kelly Whitaker
Chef/Owner of Dry Storage and Basta in Boulder, Colorado, and Wolf’s Tailor in Denver, Colorado
2019 Bon Appetit named The Wolf’s Tailor one of American’s 10 Best New Restaurants on it’s “Hot 10” List
2019 James Beard nomination for Best Chef: Southwest
2016 Denver Eater Chef of the Year (twice earned this recognition)
2016 #2 on “Denver’s 25 Best Restaurants” for Basta
Kelly Whitaker
Kelly Whitaker earned a degree in hospitality management from Colorado State University, and trained in kitchens around the world before opening Basta in Boulder in 2010. Wood-fired Basta placed second on 5280’s “Denver’s 25 Best Restaurants” list in 2016, the year after Whitaker received the magazine’s “Best Chef” accolade. He also owns Denver’s The Wolf’s Tailor and Æ (Ash), a mobile, wood-fired kitchen from which he caters events statewide. Whitaker has twice been named Eater Denver’s “Chef of the Year.”
Chef Whitaker will take part in the Chefs’ Dinner at Alpine Mountain Ranch on Friday evening alongside Chefs Paul Reilly and Tajahi Cooke.
Close
Taylor Drew
Taylor Drew, an Arvada native, joined the Navy after high school as an aviation electronics technician. His experience in the military honed his aptitude for detail-oriented tasks, while also igniting a love of food through travel. On his first trip to Naples, Italy, he spent eight hours in one restaurant enthralled with the depth of the menu. After an honorable discharge in 2004, Drew turned to cooking and quickly found a job as a prep cook at Root Down. He went on to help open the Lobby in Ballpark before becoming a line cook under Frank Bonanno at Osteria Marco and Mizuna. Eventually he was promoted to executive chef at Russell’s Smokehouse and Green Russell. In 2014, Drew spread his wings beyond the Bonanno empire and, along with his childhood friend Joe Pettenger, became a partner in LoHi SteakBar.
In addition to cooking, Drew has begun to examine food from a different perspective: farming. In 2016, he enrolled in Veterans to Farmers, a multi-week program through the Chatfield Botanic Gardens that turns “protectors into providers” by teaching vets the ins and outs of farming systems and operations. “That propelled me to want to raise my own food,” Drew says.
In 2017, he and Pettenger began leasing land—initially two acres for vegetables and three for heritage grains—at Bromley Local Foods Campus in Brighton. Since that time, Forever West Farm (as Drew officially named it) has grown to a total of 15 acres. Drew is quick to point out that although LoHi SteakBar uses local produce when feasible, it is not a farm-to-table restaurant. Instead, he sells his heirloom vegetables and grains through a 35-member CSA and at the Arvada Farmers’ Market. In 2019 he also raised pastured heritage-bread chickens and sold them through the CSA.
Drew has become Veterans to Farmers biggest champion, and in 2019 he was invited to join the board of directors. “The program shows vets another way to serve their communities and repurpose their skills,” Drew says. “Myself included.”
Close
Chef
Tajahi Cooke
Chef/Owner of Ms. Betty’s Cooking in Denver, Colorado
2019 5280 Magazine nomination Top of the Town”
An active member and ambassador for The Emily Griffith Quickstart Culinary Program
Tajahi Cooke
Tajahi Cooke also known as Taj was a child who was always eager to try something new, sometimes this nature caused him to get into trouble with his grandmother Mrs. Betty. Who he later named his catering company “Ms. Betty’s Grandson”. Mrs. Betty and Mr. Adrian Cooke, his grandfather, raised Tajahi with all the love that one could give. His grandmother kept him close to keep him out of trouble. Peeling garlic next to his grandmother, growing red kidney beans in the yard and raising chickens showed him the value and importance of living off the land.
As a Tour Managers son, Taj traveled and ate! Eye’s wide open, taking in any knowledge that he could picked up on the road while traveling. Being homeschooled on a tour bus and eating along the way opened Taj’s pallet to the flavors of the world. These over whelming flavors took over Taj’s mind and started his journey to this day.
Taj officially launched his culinary career working alongside amazing chefs in the Denver area which lead to him starting his own catering company, in which he works as a private chef for Grammy Nominated acts such as Rebelution and the Marley family. Chef Taj continues to find ways to educate the public on the cuisine that he grew up with and continues sponsor events to support the community, which are two passions from Taj’s roots that fuel him each day.
Close
Chef
Eric Skokan
Chef/Owner of Black Cat Bistro and Provisions and Black Cat Organic Farm in Boulder, Colorado
2017 James Beard nomination for Best Chef: Southwest
2014 International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) Award for Best American Cookbook: Farm, Fork, Food: A Year of Spectacular Recipes Inspired by Black Cat Farm
Erik Skokan
Black Cat Farm~Table~Bistro opened its doors in 2006. Founded by Chef Eric Skokan and his wife, Jill, Black Cat is named after its “lucky” location on 13th street in Boulder. A small neighborhood bistro, Black Cat serves as Chef Eric’s incubator for the developing concept of Front Range Cuisine, an expression of the forests, fields and mountains of Colorado.
In 2012, Jill and Eric opened Bramble & Hare ~ farmhouse kitchen and pub next door to Black Cat as a way to offer their Farm to Table cuisine in a more casual setting.
Chef Skokan will be participating in the Chefs’ Dinner on Friday evening.
Close
Chef
Daniel Asher
Executive Chef/Partner: River and Woods | Ash’Kara | Mother Tongue | Working Title | Tributary Food Hall
Certified Raw Foods Chef from the Living Light Culinary Institute in California
Chef/Founder: EcoChef Culinary
Co-chair for the Chefs Collaborative Colorado Chapter
2018 Fine Dining Chef of the Year – United Fresh Produce Association
Daniel Asher
Chef Daniel Asher’s obsession with local agriculture, sustainable sourcing and food justice has been his focus for over two decades in the restaurant industry.
As Chef/Partner of River and Woods in Boulder, Daniel is able to share the culmination of his experience and passions, while expressing the joy and inspiration that comes from gathering at the table to share real, thoughtfully prepared food in an intimate one hundred year old cottage.
Daniel is the Executive Chef/Founder of EcoChef Culinary, a multi-faceted consulting and events company. Utilizing organic and locally-grown produce, ethically-raised meats and sustainably produced ingredients, Chef Daniel has conceptualized and executed catered events and bespoke dining experiences all over the world. He thrives on seeking the next level of dining excellence and community engagement.
In Feb 2018, Chef Asher opened Acreage CiderHouse in Lafayette CO, in collaboration with STEM Ciders and Id Est Hospitality to much acclaim and success. December 2018 brought his restaurant Ash’Kara into the spotlight of the Denver culinary scene as an interpretation of Israeli and Middle Eastern cuisine in partnership with the Culinary Creative Group.
February 2019 was the launch of Mother Tongue, a Turkish inspired Doner Kebab and falafel stand inside the new Broadway Market food hall. August 2019 brought the opening of Tributary Food Hall in Golden, a collective of 8 local food artisans.
As the former Culinary Director of the Edible Beats Group, one of the most successful hospitality brands in the region, Daniel helped to define true farm to table cuisine in Denver while co-conceptualizing the launch and operations of five wildly successful restaurants from 2008-2016.
His recipes & philosophies have been featured in Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, Gourmet, Vegetarian Times, Plate, FSR, and local news media including 5280 Magazine, The Denver Post, Westword and Local Food Shift. He has been a promotional chef for sustainable companies such as Whole Foods, Lundberg Farms, Santa Cruz Organics, Green Fest and Farm Aid.
Eco-conscious cooking is his passion, and the bounty of Colorado’s wonderful terroir is incredibly provocative. Chef Daniel is a certified Raw Foods Chef from the Living Light Culinary Institute in California, a Chef Ambassador for the American Lamb Board, Co-Chair for the Chefs Collaborative Colorado Chapter, board member of EatDenver and the recipient of the 2015 Philanthropist Award from the Colorado Restaurant Association for his work with dozens of non-profits in Colorado and beyond.
Daniel enjoys sharing his love of Slow Food and being an active voice for food system change with the James Beard Foundation (2019 Chefs Boot Camp Alum), Chef Action Network, and the Slow Food Chefs Alliance. Chef Daniel has spent time advocating on Capitol Hill in Washington DC with the 2018 Farm Bill thru Plate of the Union, Food Policy Action, the Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic, and the Environmental Working Group.
Professional Affiliations:
James Beard Chef Camp- 2019 Alum
Chefs Collaborative- Local Leader
Good Food 100- 6 Links
Slow Food Chefs Alliance- Member
Slow Food Denver- Kitchen Cabinet
Food Policy Action- Chef Activist
Plate of the Union- Chef Activist
EatDenver- Board Member
American Lamb Board- Chef Ambassador
Albert Bartlett-US Chef Ambassador
Chef Asher will team up with Chefs Cesar Pita, Alex Seidel and Daniel Sanchez for the Chefs’ Dinner Jace Romick Gallery on Friday evening.
Close
Dana Rodriguez
If you met Dana Rodriguez on the street, you’d never know that she grew up on a farm without any running water or electricity, or that she helped her mother grind corn down to masa to make tortillas almost every day at mealtime. You certainly wouldn’t guess that she studied computers or owned her own clothing boutique in her native Chihuahua, Mexico. Indeed, Dana has made quite a journey.
What you WOULD know if you met her, is that she is immediately engaging—her friends and nearly everyone in the restaurant industry know her simply as “Loca.” Loca is the kind of woman who fills a room the instant that she enters it—her laugh carries above the noise, and you know immediately that you are in the presence of a salt-of- the-earth woman who knows above all else how to cook, and how to work hard.
After vacationing and visiting family in Colorado twenty years ago, Dana decided to stay in the state and applied for a job at Panzano, an upscale Italian restaurant in the Hotel Monaco. It was there she met Jennifer Jasinski, the chef who took Dana under her wing, focused on her strong work ethic and intelligence, and helped to develop Dana into the talented chef she is today. From dishwasher to prep cook, through pasta making and the bakeshop, and finally as a sous chef at Panzano, Dana worked her way through the ranks learning from Jasinski and others the skills necessary to excel at each job and how to manage staff.
Dana continued working with Jasinski and her partner, Beth Gruitch, for many years, going on to become a sous chef at Rioja and Chef de Cuisine at Bistro Vendome. It was in these roles that Dana learned what it was to truly run a kitchen.
In late 2012, Dana’s path crossed with Tony and Tabatha again (Tony and Dana had been friends for nearly fifteen years, since the days of Panzano), and Work & Class was born. In her role as owner and Executive Chef, Dana is excited about cooking food that reminds her of home—food that is close to her heart.
Close
Chef
Jeff Osaka
Owner of Osaka Ramen, Sushi-Rama, and Empire Lounge & Restaurant
2014 James Beard semi-finalist for Best Chef: Southwest
Co-Founder of Denver Central Market
Jeff Osaka
Born in Los Angeles, where the food is as diverse as the city’s culture, chef and visionary Jeff Osaka has always been fascinated by the restaurant industry and has garnered praise from critics and peers alike for his indelible contributions to the culinary world.
Throughout his 25 years of experience, Osaka has worked as a private consultant, cooking and catering for some of the most notable names in Hollywood (including Steven Spielberg) and alongside Chefs Bradley Ogden at One Market and Wolfgang Puck at Chinois Las Vegas. While at Chinois, Chef Osaka refined his cooking technique to deftly implement Puck’s concept of marrying Asian cuisine with French influences. Following his time in Las Vegas, Osaka moved to Jackson Hole, Wyoming where he, alongside friend and Wine Director Ken Fredrickson M.S., opened Restaurant Terroir in 1998 which was followed by Asian-influenced Koshu in 2000.
In November of 2008, Osaka brought his experience and passion to Denver, Colo. where he opened twelve, a restaurant intensely inspired by the changing seasons as the restaurant’s entire menu changed every month. By the time twelve closed in August 2014, Osaka had featured more than 70 different menus and 1,000 different dishes during the restaurant’s highly successful six-year reign.
In 2014, Chef Jeff Osaka received a James Beard Foundation Best Chef Southwest semifinalist nomination.
In 2015, Chef Osaka opened Osaka Ramen, his interpretation of a traditional ramen shop as well as Sushi-Rama, a conveyor-belt sushi concept, both located in the heart of the RiNo Arts District. In fall 2016, Osaka, alongside business partner Ken Wolf, introduced Denver Central Market and later that year, Chef brought back his critically-acclaimed twelve concept with 12@Madison in the Congress Park neighborhood (which sadly shuttered in May 2020 in the midst of COVID-19). In 2018, Sushi-Rama expanded with locations in DTC, Lone Tree, and Denver International Airport and a fifth location opened in April 2019 in Aurora, Colorado. In Summer 2019, Chef Osaka took over operations and revamped The Empire Lounge & Restaurant in Louisville, Colo., a main street favorite for classic American fare.
Close
Butcher
Laura Posiak
Owner of LAURA The Butcher in Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Facilitates butchery education and curriculum at Colorado Mountain College
Developer of ethical and sustainable meat consumption programs
Laura Posiak
While farming throughout Europe in 2010, Laura’s passion for butchery began while working alongside the town butcher in a small village outside of Parma, Italy. Here, Laura learned traditional methods of animal preparation, harvesting, nose to tail butchery, and the traditional Italian art of curing meat. Upon returning to the United States, Laura continued to refine her butchery skills while working at local butcher shops within San Francisco and also Portland, Maine.
In 2017 Laura pursued the educational aspects of butchery, where she designed and facilitated curriculum at a culinary school located in Maine.
Laura relocated to Steamboat Springs and opened a boutique catering business focused on artisanal meats and cheeses. She will be teaching adult butchery classes at Colorado Mountain College as well as developing programs designed for young kids where she’ll teach principles in ethical and sustainable meat consumption.
You can see Posiak at work Saturday while she performs a sausage making demo.
Close
Chef
Patrick Ayres
Chef at Destination Hospitality in Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Executive Sous Chef at the James Beard Award-winning Canlis Restaurant from 2010 until 2013
Patrick Ayres
Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Chef Patrick Ayres moved to Steamboat Springs in 2001 to begin high school. In 2003, his restaurant career began as a busser in the same building that now houses Aurum Food and Wine. After high school, Chef Ayres returned to Louisiana to attend Louisiana Culinary Institute. Upon graduation he made his way to Seattle, WA where after climbing the ladder, he served as Executive Sous Chef at the James Beard Award-winning Canlis Restaurant from 2010 until 2013. Chef Patrick and his wife, Kaylee, had their first daughter while in Seattle and quickly thereafter decided it was time to head back to Colorado. The first stepping-stone back to Steamboat was a position as Executive Chef at the beautiful High Lonesome Ranch for two years. That experience set Chef Ayres up to move back home and open Cloverdale Farm and Restaurant where they achieved numerous accolades and national press but unfortunately had to close at the end of 2018.
Chef Ayres is a member of the team at Destination Hospitality Group and assisting in developing each of their restaurants with his knowledge and experiences in the culinary world. Not many Chefs get to bring their career back full-circle to the same building where it all began.
Close
Restauranteur
Beth Gruitch
Co-Owner/Restauranteur of Rioja, Bistro Vendôme, Euclid Hall, Stoic & Genuine and Ultreia in Denver, Colorado
Restaurant recipient of AAA 4 Stars
Wine Spectator Award
5280 Magazine Top of the Town
Beth Gruitch
When people say the restaurant business is in your blood, Beth Gruitch is a believer. Her great grandparents, three generations before her, must have passed down the gene. They owned and ran a diner, setting the standards that have led to Beth’s record of critical acclaim. “It doesn’t matter if you’re running a gastropub or a five-star restaurant,” she explains, “it’s all about being proud of the product you put out, and to that end, I have no tolerance for shortcuts – no matter what the restaurant concept.”
While Gruitch claims she simply “fell into” the restaurant business, destiny probably played more of a hand. After high school, the Colorado native learned the business from the ground-up, bussing and waiting tables, washing dishes, bartending and managing a restaurant office. The long hours and backbreaking work temporarily dissuaded her from pursuing a restaurant career, so she moved on to explore other options. She tried retail sales (drawing on her penchant for shopping) and taught pre-school (testing her infinite patience), until she was finally drawn back to the restaurant business.
Gruitch decided to supplement her hands-on experience with academic training before she seriously entered the competitive restaurant world. She earned a four-year business degree in Restaurant Hospitality from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and graduated with several offers on the table. She first took a job managing Boogie’s in Las Vegas, a fun and wild upscale diner, then managed DIVE!, the kitschy submarine-themed restaurant partnership between Steven Spielberg and Levy Restaurants.
Deciding it was time to expand her culinary horizons beyond diner food, Gruitch officially joined the ranks of Levy Restaurants in Chicago, managing some of the group’s high-end concepts like Bistro 110 and Voila. This was the turning point in her career where she realized she only wanted to work with people who shared her passion for food and wine and took pride in the product and service they offered.
Gruitch found herself back in Colorado and accepted the general manager position at Panzano in the Kimpton Monaco Hotel in February 1999, where she met chef Jennifer Jasinski. During their tenure at Panzano, the duo led the restaurant to the top of Denver’s culinary mountain – consistently named one of the top 5 Denver restaurants for food and service.
In 2003, Gruitch and Jasinski decided to leave their posts at Panzano to begin their first venture into restaurant ownership. The following year they opened Rioja, a restaurant in Denver’s Larimer Square with a contemporary design and Mediterranean menu influenced by local and seasonal Rocky Mountain ingredients.
Perhaps her business partner, Jasinski says it best. “Beth assures that all the best happens for the guests in all our restaurants. She makes sure we hire the best service staff, give them complete and thorough training and coaches them to perform. She’s the reason people rave about our service.”
In April 2006, Jasinski and Gruitch purchased Bistro Vendôme, a classic French bistro directly across the street from Rioja. The pair opened Euclid Hall Bar and Kitchen in 2010, their third restaurant, focused on international pub food and craft beer. Euclid Hall was one of 5280 magazine’s top 10 new restaurants in 2010. In addition, Gruitch completed her level-one sommelier certification in 2007, continuing to keep her at the top of her game overseeing the beverage programs for all five restaurants. In 2014, the pair opened Stoic & Genuine, their fish house in Denver’s Historic Union Station, named to the Best New Restaurants and Best Restaurants lists at 5280 magazine. Their newest restaurant, Ultreia, features the foods of Portugal and Spain and opened to raves late 2017 in historic Denver Union Station including Westword’s Best Iberian Restaurant.
Over the years, Rioja, Bistro Vendôme, Euclid Hall, Stoic & Genuine and now Ultreia have been listed among the top restaurants in Denver by the Rocky Mountain News, 5280 Magazine and the Gabby Gourmet Restaurant Guide and Rioja has been annually awarded four stars by AAA since 2008 and Wine Spectator Awards. 2011 brought the release of Rioja’s cookbook, The Perfect Bite, 76 recipes from the Rioja kitchen.
Busy with staffing, wine lists, cocktail menus, accounting and logistics for five active restaurants, Beth still finds time to be involved in the myriad charitable events in which her restaurants participate and serves on the executive board of Denver Civic Ventures at the Downtown Denver Partnership and EatDenver. She lives in Sunnyside with her partner David and boss-of-the-house bulldog, Winnie.
Close
Joe Campbell
Born and raised in Minneapolis, Joe started his cooking career at the young age of 14, working his way through the ranks. Joe’s unwavering interest in making food look as beautiful as it tastes led him to getting serious about his craft, attending Le Cordon Bleu (LCB) and graduating at the top of his 2005 class. After LCB, Joe turned his culinary talents toward fine dining, training under James Beard award-winning Chef Tim McKee and award-winning Chef Landon Schoenfeld. Chef Landon gets all the credit for nurturing Joe’s passion and sparking his drive to constantly grow and learn. His passion for food and travel took Joe across Asia, where he had the unique opportunity to train under a former Chef for the Royal Family of Thailand.
In 2013, Joe made his way to Steamboat Springs after being recruited to Ragnar’s as the Executive Chef. His success at Ragnar’s led him to revamping another Steamboat staple, Hazies at the top of the gondola. Joe’s stylish and unique menu allowed Hazies to become one of the top-rated restaurants in Steamboat. In 2016, the Colorado Tourism Board selected Joe to represent Steamboat at a food show in Los Angeles. A brief stint in Telluride at the prestigious Hotel Madeline allowed Joe to further his skills, but Steamboat called him home. Joe returned to Steamboat to take on the role of Executive Chef at Mambo, introducing his take on modern Italian cuisine to the already popular menu.
In 2018 Joe and Co-Founder Hannah Hopkins collaborated to bring Steamboat a new cutting-edge restaurant, Bésame, a Latin fusion inspired creation. Bésame has allowed Joe to grow as a chef through endless learning opportunities, which earned him a loyal following in the community and amongst his peers. His cuisine is flavor packed, authentic and highlights the sweet, salty, sour, spicy and savory flavors that have been inspired by his travels. Joe continually delivers world class fare and Bésame is a must-do for any visit to Steamboat. While Joe enjoys the challenges of his new position as dual Executive Chef of Mambo and Bésame, he still makes time to travel and continues to takes every opportunity to learn and to fine tune his craft.
Close
Chef
Kevin Nashan
Chef/Owner of Sidney Street Cafe, and Peacemaker Lobster & Crab in St Louis, Missouri
2017 James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Midwest
2014, 2016 Finalist James Beard Foundation Best Chef: Midwest
Five-time James Beard Foundation Semi-Finalist
Kevin Nashan
Born in Chicago and raised in Santa Fe, Kevin Nashan spent as much of his childhood in a restaurant as he did in the classroom. For 27 years, his family owned La Tertulia, a beloved Northern New Mexican restaurant started by his Hispanic grandfather in 1972. Throughout his youth, Nashan helped out doing everything from washing dishes to working front of house. After graduating from St. Louis University, he enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.
After culinary school, Nashan interned at Commander’s Palace under Chef Jamie Shannon, introducing him to the fast-paced world of restaurant kitchens. Nashan then moved to Chicago to immersed himself in French cuisine under the guidance of celebrated Chef Roland Liccioni at La Francais in Chicago. In 1998, Nashan moved to northwestern Spain to stage at El Raco de Can Fabes, but due to a miscommunication, found himself there in the wrong month! Always resourceful, he set out for San Sebastian, a laid-back surf town with one of the highest concentrations of Michelin stars in the world. He knocked on doors and landed at the famed three-starred restaurant Martin Berasategui.
After nearly a year in Europe, Nashan longed to return to the states and assumed a position at Daniel in New York City, working his way through the kitchen under the watchful eye of Chef Daniel Boulud. In 2002, Nashan returned to his adopted hometown of St. Louis with the intentions of opening a restaurant. He learned the owners of local standby Sidney Street were looking to pass the torch after 16 years in business. Nashan loved the beautiful building and decided, along with his wife, Mina, to buy the restaurant in 2003.
Nashan seamlessly incorporates his wide variety of culinary experiences and influences into seasonal, locally sourced creations. His French training shines through his food while his time in Spain shows its lasting impact in soulful sofrito-based dishes and the innumerable cured products in the pantry. The New Mexican cuisine of his childhood is also never far from his mind and his love for Southern cuisine is reflected in the form of ingredients like ham hocks, sorghum, and speckled grits. Nashan believes that sourcing locally should be expected, not celebrated, and it doesn’t get much closer to home than the micro greens he grows in the basement or the garden occupying in the Sidney Street parking lot.
In August 2014, Nashan opened his second restaurant in St. Louis, Peacemaker Lobster & Crab. Inspired by Nashan’s time spent cooking and living in New Orleans and his travels along Maine’s rocky coast, Peacemaker highlights the Acadian tie between Northeastern and Louisiana cuisines. The menu features creative interpretations of coastal favorites like lobster rolls, po’boy sandwiches, steamed blue crab, seafood boils, chowders, gumbos, and seasonal pies. Nashan opened a second location of Peacemaker in Tulsa, OK in a historic downtown space at the heart of Tulsa’s Blue Dome District in September 2018.
Nashan won a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Midwest in 2017, after being a finalist in the category in 2014 and 2016 and a five-time semifinalist. He has cooked for President Barack Obama, and he won the 2013 Cochon 555 Barbecue competition in St. Louis. When he’s not in the kitchen, he can be found training for triathlons and ironman competitions (he’s completed six!), playing sports, hunting, and being outdoors. He loves enjoying all St. Louis and Tulsa have to offer with his wife, Mina, and their two sons, Max and Miles.
Close
Chef
Paul C Reilly
Chef/Owner of Beast + Bottle, and Pizzeria Coperta in Denver, Colorado
James Beard Foundation Scholarship Winner
Ambassador of Good Food Movement
Paul C Reilly
Paul C Reilly grew up in New York’s Hudson Valley and has been working in kitchens since he was fourteen. Paul is the executive chef and proprietor of three concepts in Denver, Colorado along with his two business partners, Aileen Reilly and JP Taylor, Jr.
beast + bottle opened in 2013, and has since become Denver’s premier farm to table experience serving relentlessly local, American fare. Coperta, celebrating the food and wine of Rome and southern Italy, opened in 2016. Both restaurants are no strangers to accolades and have been featured in numerous top of the city lists. In 2019, Paul opened Pizzeria Coperta serving scratch made thin crust pies. Later that year, Paul was the consulting chef for the New Belgium Brewery sports pub at Denver International Airport.
Paul is an ambassador of the good food movement working closely with Boulder County Farmers Markets, Good Food 100, Slow Food USA, and JBF Smart Catch. He is a James Beard Foundation Scholarship Winner and an alumnus of the James Beard Boot Camp for Policy and Change.
Paul lives in Morrison, Colorado with his wife Shannon and their three children. When not cooking at his award winning restaurants, he enjoys skiing, baseball, travel, and cooking at home.
Close
Paul Anders
Paul began his culinary career at Mahi Mahi’s Sushi bar while pursuing his degree from Johnson and Wales University in Norfolk, Virginia. Upon graduating summa cum laude, he accepted an Assistant Chef position at the Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Virginia. Smart decision, since this is where Paul met his now wife, Theresa. From this point, Paul traveled the country working as a chef at luxury hotels, focusing on fine dining restaurants, including the Four Seasons in Newport Beach, California, The Brown Palace in Denver, and The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. Paul brought his experience and dedication to his craft to Sweet Basil as the Chef de Cuisine in October 2005. In the Spring of 2006, Paul was promoted to the role of Executive Chef at Sweet Basil. In November of 2012, Paul was again promoted, this time as Executive Chef and partner of both Sweet Basil and Mountain Standard. Outside of the building Paul spends time with his girls: wife Theresa and daughters Vivian and Harper. They ski, walk Bosco the dog, go adventuring on the river, and watch University of Virginia basketball. Paul’s epic beard growing ability is preparing him for his second career as lumberjack/blacksmith when he settles back in Virginia’s Colonial Williamsburg.
Close
Chef
Nick Winden
Executive Chef at Laundry Kitchen & Cocktails and Creekside Cafe in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
Nick Winden
Head Chef at Laundry Kitchen & Cocktails and Creekside Café in Steamboat Springs. Both The Laundry and Creekside Café are owned by Rex’s Family of Restaurants.
Nick joined the Rex’s Family team in 2015, showing his talent in the Laundry Kitchen. In September 2018, the group took on Creekside Café, an iconic breakfast and lunch café right next door to Laundry. Nick now leads the culinary teams of both restaurants and is an integral part of the back of house leadership team for all of Rex’s Family of Restaurants.
Close
Kent Hall
A Michigan native, Chef Kent Hall made the unlikely shift to cooking after many successful years in the construction industry. Following his true passion, Hall began experimenting and researching flavors found in Hispanic surfer communities along the Baja peninsula, and those self-taught brilliant flavor combinations eventually became Taco Cabo, a well known fast-casual hot spot along the river in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Tacos, burritos, flan and other offerings are all made in-house, including a line of hot sauces. In early mornings, before Hall’s prep team arrives, he can be found in his kitchen baking bread, continuing his experimental style, blending organic and heritage grains to add even more robust offerings to this down-home Baja taco shack.
Close
Biju Thomas
Chef Biju Thomas is a professional chef known for light, simple dishes bursting with bold flavors. He has designed the menus of many successful restaurants in Denver and Boulder, Colorado and has launched his own restaurant, Biju’s Little Curry Shop, in Denver’s RiNo neighborhood.
In 2009, Chef Biju teamed up with sports physiologist Dr. Allen Lim to improve the everyday diets and performance nutrition of professional cyclists and their teams. In the years since, Chef Biju has cooked for dozens of elite professional cyclists, teaching them the craft of cooking. His Feed Zone series of books with Lim, The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables, feature 225 easy, healthy recipes and snack ideas for an active lifestyle.
Biju has been a chef for pro cycling teams and coordinated food for one of the sport’s biggest races, the Tour of California. Biju has also been the chef for the Dempsey/Del Piero Racing, a Grand-Am and Le Mans motorsports team. He also contributes recipes to Skratch Labs, Omega Juicers, and Map My Fitness.
Close
Chef
Luke Rogers
Industry Chef of the Year for Texas 2019
Iron Fork Chef Competition “Dallas versus Houston, Menu of Menu’s Battle” Winner
Luke Rogers
Rogers began cooking as a child and his first industry job was at Memphis Pizza Cafe, in Memphis. He also worked at the James Beard Award-winning Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen.
He studied at L’École Culinaire, then went to Italy to work in Michelin starred Ristorante Vespasia. Upon returning to the States, Rogers began working as a sous chef for Le Meridien Hotels but was quickly promoted to a traveling Interim Executive Chef, which landed him at the Westin in Washington D.C. where he also worked at Michelin starred Minibar in Washington D.C. under the tutelage of José Andrés. He was the Executive Chef for Sofitel Hotel in Philadelphia before becoming the Executive Chef of Savor in April 2019.
Rogers says he looks forward to coming to work every day; his recently-closed restaurant was successful and been featured in media on Voyage Dallas, Dallas Observer, D Magazine, The Dallas Morning News, Paper City Magazine, Fort Worth Weekly, Katy Trail Weekly, CultureMap Dallas, VisitDallas, D CEO Magazine, Good Morning Texas (ABC), Good Day (FOX 4), Recurring appearances on Mid-Day ABC with Cleo Greene, NBC5, CBS11, Recurring weekly WFAA/ABC Facebook Live cooking demos with Hannah Davis, and guest visits on I-Heart Radio, KBAP, The Ticket, K-Love, and Air1.
In January, Luke Rogers was also voted the Industry Chef of the Year for Texas 2019.
In September, Luke Rogers won The Iron Fork Chef Competition “Dallas versus Houston, Menu of Menu’s Battle” Presented by US Foods and The World Food Competition.
Close
Lon Symensma
Chef Lon Symensma opened ChoLon in 2010, having already earned two stars from the New York Times during his time working at Buddakan in New York City. ChoLon, which means “big market” and refers to the largest Chinese-influenced market in Saigon, Vietnam, is Symensma’s homage to Southeast Asia and the years he spent traveling and living in that region. In 2011, the restaurant was a James Beard finalist for Best New Restaurant in America and landed on Details Magazine’s Top 10 Best New Asian Restaurants in America. ChoLon has also been named in Denver’s Top 25 Restaurants by 5280 Magazine eight years since its opening.
In the last nine years he’s opened several concepts in Denver including Street Asian-concept Cho77, as well as founding the ChoLon Restaurant Concepts group with business partner Christopher Davis-Massey. In 2018, Symensma opened LeRoux, named as a tribute to Chef Xavier LeRoux, one of his early CIA mentors. Drawing inspiration from his culinary beginnings apprenticing in France, Italy and Spain at Michelin-starred restaurants and San Sebastian’s famed Arzak, the menu focuses on Western European cuisine and wine in the heart of downtown Denver.
Close
Sommelier
Erik Segelbaum
Wine Enthusiast 40 under 40 Tastemaker
Food & Wine Magazine 2019 Sommelier of the Year
Erik Segelbaum
Meet Erik Segelbaum, 2020 Wine Enthusiast 40 under 40 Global Tastemaker and Food & Wine Magazine 2019 Sommelier of the Year . With nearly 3 decades of industry experience, he has a proven track record of success in hospitality. This includes creating and running highly profitable, award winning and operationally efficient beverage programs, delivering enlightening staff and management training, effective profitability maximization strategies, operational improvements, revenue amplification and more. Prior to founding SOMLYAY, Segelbaum held a number of diverse roles that include Corporate Beverage Director for Starr Restaurants, Head Sommelier of MV The World and Corporate Wine Directer of Schwartz Brothers Restaurants.
Erik is an Advanced Sommelier with The Court of Master Sommeliers, Certified Specialist of Wine (with distinction) with The Society of Wine Educators and Wine and Spirits Locations Specialist (with distinction). Erik’s hospitality experience includes 10 years as a fine dining chef and nearly two decades in front-of-house. Segelbaum is adept at managing the critical path for restaurant, hotel and venue openings. He has built and implemented nearly 30 opening beverage programs including training and directly managing large teams. His experience set includes everything from Michelin Star fine dining to fast casual to multi-unit concepts. Segelbaum is a wine educator with ongoing sessions at Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. as well as private and corporate events. Segelbaum lectures at many conferences including CIA’s Bev Pro, SommCon, VIBE, ABID, and more. Segelbaum is a wine journalist with recurring columns and content in multiple consumer and trade publications. Segelbaum serves as the Vice President of the United Sommeliers Foundation, a charitable fund that provides financial assistance to sommeliers who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own (such as the global COVID-19 pandemic).
Close
Master Sommelier
Brett Zimmerman
Owner of Boulder Wine Merchant and Chief Wine Officer for Integrated Beverage Group in Denver, Colorado
Brett Zimmerman
Owner of Boulder Wine Merchant, Chief Wine Officer for Integrated Beverage Group
Born and raised in Colorado, Brett Zimmerman discovered his passion for wine while working his way through the University of Colorado. Following graduation and time spent at two of Boulder’s top restaurants, Zimmerman accepted a sommelier position at the highly acclaimed Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago.
He continued his education after relocating to San Francisco to serve as sommelier for celebrated restaurant Aqua, before ultimately deciding to return to his native state and open his own restaurant, Mateo – a popular Provençal-style restaurant in downtown Boulder, Colorado.
Zimmerman moved from restaurants to distribution and served as the General Manager of the American Fine Wine Division of Southern Wine and Spirits. In the spring of 2007, Zimmerman successfully passed his Masters Examination and earned the highly coveted distinction of Master Sommelier.
In August of 2010, Master Zimmerman purchased the Boulder Wine Merchant from fellow Master Sommeliers Wayne Belding and Sally Mohr. In addition to his ownership role at the Boulder Wine Merchant, Zimmerman oversees quality control for wine production with Integrated Beverage Group. As Chief Wine Officer, Zimmerman works with the winemaking team to produce quality wines sourced from their wineries in Oregon and Sonoma. Zimmerman also contributes with product development, sales, and activation.
Close
Master Sommelier
Sean Razee
Master Sommelier (MS) – February 2008
Wine & Spirits Education Trust Diploma (DipWSET) – July 2011
Certified Sake Professional (CSP) – July 2012
SEAN RAZEE
Master Sommelier
Sean Razee is one of only 274 wine professionals worldwide and one of the first 100 people in the United States to achieve the title of Master Sommelier.
Sean’s curiosity in wine was set in motion while studying food science for his under-graduate degree and through weekend trips to California wine-country. Shortly before heading to U.C. Davis to pursue a graduate degree in wine-making, Sean was given the chance to run a wine and spirits program. This turned out to be a seminal moment in Sean’s career which led him down the path toward becoming a Master Sommelier.
Sean’s formal wine career began in 2002 and since then he has developed award-winning wine and spirits programs for The Ritz-Carlton and Wolfgang Puck, as well as consulted on numerous esteemed beverage programs. In a move away from the hotel and fine dining business, Sean assumed the role of Corporate Beverage Director for Vail Resorts, overseeing world-class beverage programs at 11 of the company’s domestic ski resorts. Sean then went on to build and manage a premium wine distribution branch of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Colorado, where he served as general manager. Sean currently holds the position of Director of Fine Wine for Southern Glazer’s, working with the company’s domestic and international portfolio of world-class producers. When not lecturing, conducting staff trainings, or working with aspiring students, Sean also works as an instructor and examiner for the Court of Master Sommeliers.
Outside of his job and teaching, Sean spends a portion of his free time organizing the wines and service for charity events around Colorado including Roundup River Ranch, Steamboat Adaptive Recreational Sports, and Can Do MS.
Sean maintains a down-to-earth approach to his craft and believes strongly in removing the formality and pretence surrounding wine. Striving to become a “highly-acclaimed” home chef, Sean spends much of his free-time cooking, exploring exotic markets, and working on innovative food and wine combinations.
Close
Jon Schlegel
Founder & Winemaker
Jon Schlegel is the visionary of Attimo and the man with the plan. Jon’s passion has been hospitality since he can remember. His path in the industry has continued at several successful restaurants from San Diego to Las Vegas and back to Denver. Jon is the founder of Snooze an A.M. Eatery. Opening this concept by the age of 30 was his first dream, but having the chance to live abroad was the dream at 40. When Jon turned 38 and opened San Diego Snooze, Jon began working towards the next goal and chose Piedmont because the mountains felt like home to him and his family. Not to mention the wines, food and hospitality were on epic levels and the birth place of the Slow Food Movement. Attimo completes his dreams by sharing the best moments of his time in Italy with his native home of Denver.
Close
Mixologist
Mark Sanford
Beverage Director for Truffle Pig and Carl’s Tavern in Steamboat Springs, Colorado
1st Place, Peoples Choice, Knob Creek “Repeal Day” Old Fashioned Competition in Denver, CO 2017
Finalist in Tuaca’s Colorado’s “Bartender’s Cup”
Regional Semi-Finalist Herradura Tequila’s “Bar Legends” Competition
Regional Semi-Finalist in HeavenHill Distilleries “Bartender of the Year” Competition
Mark Sanford
Mark’s career began bartending in Wilmington, DE and Philadelphia, PA under influential individuals who allowed him the creative freedom to infuse both environmental and culinary elements into cocktails.
Mark has competed in multiple competitions and been invited to compete at Patron Tequila’s Hacienda in Mexico.
Competitions: 1st Place, Peoples Choice, Knob Creek “Repeal Day” Old Fashioned Competition in Denver, CO (2017), Finalist in Tuaca’s Colorado’s “Bartender’s Cup”, Regional Semi-Finalist Herradura Tequila’s “Bar Legends” Competition, Regional Semi-Finalist in HeavenHill Distilleries “Bartender of the Year” Competition, Upcoming Regional Semi-Finalist in Jack Daniel’s “Classic Sour” competition (Denver), and the “Buffalo Negra” Cocktail was voted Buffalo Trace’s #! Bourbon cocktail in America and featured in “Crafted Taste”, an “at home” cocktail kit provider.
Mark was awarded the inaugural “Restaurant Manager of the Year” for the state of Colorado through the Colorado Restaurant Association. He is also the founder and principal consultant for “BellRinger Bartending, LLC”.
Mark is the Beverage Director for Truffle Pig and Carl’s Tavern here in Steamboat, in addition to organizing tasting dinners he purveys the entire wine portfolio and crafts all cocktails and ingredients.
Mark will be hosting several intimate cocktail demos throughout the weekend.
Close
Olympic Gold Medalist Swimmer
BJ Miller
Gold Medalist from the 2000 Sydney Olympics 4×100 Medley Relay
BJ Miller
BJ was an 8-time swimming US National champion from 1991-2000. She was a member of the US National team for 12 years and had a long career culminating in two World Championship titles (1998) and a Gold medal and world record as a member of the 4×100 medley relay in 2000 in the Sydney Olympics. Post- swim career, BJ is a mother of two teenagers (occasionally a more difficult challenge than taking on the world in swim competitions) and works for Atlassian in enterprise sales.
Close
Sign up for the latest festival updates!
