Colorado has climbed up the ranks in the U.S. culinary scene over the past decade—the 2024 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards and the first-ever Michelin Guide designations for the state last year confirm that notion. In June, the James Beard Foundation recognized Matt Vawter of Rootstalk in Breckenridge as the best chef in the mountain region, and Erika and Kelly Whitaker received the outstanding restaurateur nod for their Id Est Hospitality group based in Boulder.
What does this mean for Colorado’s meetings and events industry? Quite a lot, in fact, as planners and attendees are looking way beyond run-of-the-mill, rubbery chicken dinners and expecting local foods, dynamic experiences, and the latest flavors woven into their meals.
Colorado Meetings + Events reached out to four outstanding convention center, hotel, catering, and restaurant chefs to find out about their career paths, industry trends, and their experience working with event groups. Narrowing it down to only four chefs was tricky, so we reached out to two longtime owners of destination management companies for ideas.
Melissa Laytoun, partner at Operation Altitude with offices in the Vail Valley and Denver, heartily recommends Daniel Joly, chef and owner of the Mirabelle Restaurant at Beaver Creek in Avon. She notes, “We have done countless dinners at Mirabelle’s historical venue, and the cuisine always gets rave reviews, even from our most discerning clients.”
Nicole Marsh, CMP, DCMP, a partner at Denver-based Imprint Events Group, recently met Nathan Gresham, vice president of culinary and executive chef at Garden of the Gods Resort & Club. She consulted with Gresham to plan a custom, seven-course dinner for a familiarization trip this fall. “I was impressed with his background and approach: Southern charm and a good story,” says Marsh.
Belgium to Beaver Creek
Belgian-born master chef Daniel Joly graduated from the Culinary Institute of Brussels in 1986, going on to train at Michelin-starred restaurants such as Comme chez Soi and Barbizon in Belgium. After a short stop in South Carolina, Joly arrived in Avon as the chef and manager of Mirabelle Restaurant at Beaver Creek in 1992, which he purchased with his wife, Nathalie, seven years later. The restaurant has earned four stars from both Mobil (now Forbes) and AAA and a recommendation from Michelin Guide last year.
“Being a chef is fun and challenging—it’s always new and interesting,” Joly says. “It is true that you are only as good as your next meal. At Mirabelle, since we own the building, we really can customize experiences for event groups, from catering outside in our garden to an exclusive fine-dining, multicourse dinner.”
He observes that groups have become more adventurous with dining in recent years and are looking for an experience. “Being in the original farmhouse at Mirabelle gives groups a sense of exclusivity. Over the years, we have been fortunate to get repeat group business, which is an important part of our position in the market.”
Joly operates a scratch kitchen, meaning all cooking is done in-house, including bread and pastries. He also enjoys cooking with seasonal ingredients. “In the summer, we do a farm dinner, where we source product from Colorado,” he notes. “It is no secret that getting food directly from a farmer makes for more enjoyable cooking.”
Going Big
Christopher Kinsaul, Sodexo Live’s new executive chef for the Colorado Convention Center in Denver and the Denver Performing Arts Complex, took the time to touch base while getting the huge newly expanded kitchen at the convention center up and running. Over the years, he has gained experience cooking at the executive level for large groups at area hotels like DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Denver Tech Center, Hyatt Regency Aurora-Denver Conference Center, and Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center. Kinsaul also has worked for many restaurants and an in-flight catering company.
“I am used to working with multiple outlets, and the Colorado Convention Center has a kitchen that is bigger than some of my ballrooms,” he says. The new kitchen is a whopping 10,000 square feet larger than its predecessor and is decked out with the latest features. “I am most excited about the state-of-the-art equipment. It can’t get any better—we’re going from a Mercedes to a Ferrari,” he quips.
Kinsaul has a long history in the culinary world. After working in restaurants all through high school, he chose to attend Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Chicago, Illinois, over going into the military. After graduation, his first job was working as the executive sous chef at South Fork Lodge in Swan Valley, Idaho, which was owned by conservationist Mark Rockefeller at the time.
What Kinsaul enjoys most about being a chef is “creating an experience for the guest and being an artist at the same time,” he says. The Colorado Convention Center is using Colorado foods as much as possible to ensure quality. “Over the next couple of months, we are working on Colorado-themed menu options from pastries to [dishes from] our hot and cold kitchens to create more flair with local products.”
Sweet Creations
“My favorite event I have worked with in Colorado thus far was the one at the Denver Art Museum during the Monet exhibit,” says Nori Karr, pastry chef for Epicurean Catering’s main kitchen in Centennial. “We got to create some great desserts, and I have been a big fan of Monet since I was a kid dreaming of being an artist. It was a really cool opportunity.”
Karr graduated from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, and has worked in the culinary field for seven years. “Traveling to learn from different chefs as far as Barcelona and Peru and as close as Aspen has given me knowledge and experience I have used every single day in my career,” she emphasizes. “I’m grateful I went to a school that helped me find such opportunities.”
Making people happy with her confections provides great satisfaction. “It’s not easy working in this field,” Karr says. “The days are long, and the work is tiring, but knowing that the food I make brings joy to my clientele is one of the most rewarding things.”
While some groups come to Epicurean Catering with ideas of what they want, most are unsure or have a difficult time agreeing. “Lucky for me, the creative freedom and the trust that my coworkers have in me gives me the opportunity to create something new and exciting that maybe people haven’t thought of before,” she says.
Karr observes that vegan dessert requests are on the rise, along with other dietary-restricted desserts. “It’s absolutely a challenge to create vegan and dietary options, but I strive to make desserts that everyone can enjoy and never back down from a challenge.”
Diverse Expertise
Since graduating from the Louisiana Culinary Institute in the city of Baton Rouge, Nathan Gresham’s career has taken him on a journey—from working his way up at Galatoire’s Restaurant in New Orleans, Louisiana, and being the executive chef and co-owner of Beausoleil Coastal Cuisine in Baton Rouge to working in Colorado as chef de cuisine for The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs and executive chef at Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village. Between the latter two jobs, he was employed as the executive sous chef at Garden of the Gods Resort & Club in Colorado Springs, where he is now vice president of culinary and executive chef.
With this level of experience at resorts and high-end golf clubs, it makes sense that Gresham was one of only five executive chefs from North America hired for the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, from 2017 to 2022. Now, he enjoys working with Goodwill to make the nonprofit’s An Enchanted Weekend golf event at Garden of the Gods Resort & Club one to remember.
Gresham received his executive chef certification through the American Culinary Federation, is an active member of the World Master Chefs Society, and relishes passing on knowledge and teachings to others. “I also enjoy the dynamic aspect of running a large operation. On any given day, you can have several weddings and other events going on, along with multiple a la carte operations,” he says. “I am able to lead and work alongside great people, and it’s my responsibility to set the culture in my kitchens.”
Being a restaurant owner for nearly a decade prepared Gresham “to work with different groups and have the mentality of treating each group event as a relationship,” he says. He notes that currently, groups are seeking a combination of “fun food” that makes them feel good, classic dishes cooked to perfection, and Cajun and Creole dishes (upon learning of his Louisiana roots). “Working with groups, you must be flexible and dynamic. You have to give them what they want, and at the same time stick to what you know.”
denverconvention.com
epicureangroupco.com
gardenofthegodsresort.com
imprintgroup.com
mirabelle1.com
operationaltitude.com
