Talent

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Kyle spent his formative years working under chefs such as Shea Gallante at Cru in New York City and Dan Barber at the renowned Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, NY. Named “The People’s Best New Chef” by Food & Wine, Kyle’s passion for sustainability drives his desire to work with local purveyors and his commitment to developing strong relationships. A co-founder of the DC chapter of Dock-to-Dish, he works closely with the organization to create sustainable seafood sourcing cooperatives. In addition to developing menus and overseeing kitchens, Kyle focuses his time on the next generation of gifted, sustainability-minded chefs.

Cameron Baker was born in Exeter, New Hampshire, where he spent the formative years of his childhood. In 2002, he relocated to Summit County, Colorado. His culinary journey commenced in 2006 at the age of 15, when he began working at Food Hedz World Café under the mentorship of Chef David Welch.

After six years of dedicated service in Chef Welch's kitchen, Baker pursued further culinary education at Colorado Mountain College, where he studied culinary arts and hospitality management under the guidance of Kevin Clarke. Following his graduation in 2014, he moved to Denver to expand his professional horizons.

In Denver, Baker joined the team at Mercantile Dining & Provision, led by acclaimed chefs Alex Seidel and Matt Vawter. During his three and a half years at Mercantile, he refined his craft and ascended to the position of Sous Chef. Subsequently, he transitioned to Fruition Restaurant as Sous Chef, where he continued to develop his culinary expertise under the mentorship of Chef Alex Seidel.

In November 2020, Baker returned to Summit County to assist Chef Matt Vawter in launching Rootstalk as the Chef de Cuisine. Currently, he serves as Chef de Cuisine for both Rootstalk and Radicato, and is a partner in both establishments.

Baker believes that the culinary profession requires exceptional perseverance and determination. He is committed to fostering an environment where his team members are passionate, motivated, and continuously striving to enhance their skills to provide guests with memorable dining experiences.

Originally from Minneapolis, Chef Joe Campbell’s unwavering interest in making food look as beautiful as it tastes led him to attend Le Cordon Bleu. He then trained under award-winning chefs Tim McKee and Landon Schoenfeld, and a former chef for the royal family of Thailand. Joe came to Steamboat Springs in 2013 to work as Executive Chef for Ragnar’s and then Hazie’s and Hotel Madeline. Joe is currently co-founder of Yampa Valley Kitchen and Bésame in Steamboat Springs alongside Chef Hannah Hopkins, and Executive Chef at Mambo.

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 John Courtney has spent the past two decades chasing excellence in finance and food.

His culinary journey began with an apprenticeship at Le Bistro in Walnut Creek, California, and ignited a passion that took him to renowned institutions like CCA San Francisco and La Bouitte (3 Michelin stars!) in France.

Starting his career in banking, the practice gave Courtney the foundation, and the kitchen, the fire. Chef Courtney honed is skills as a Chef, opening as Chef de Cuisine at acclaimed restaurants like DB Brasserie and Yardbird, before taking on the role of Culinary Director at Simon Hospitality. Building Block 16 at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas was a highlight for Chef, overseeing a vibrant collection of restaurants, Pok Pok; Hattie B’s, Lardo, Ghost Donkey, Tekka Bar Handroll & Sushi, District Donuts Sliders & Brews.

Currently, Chef Courtney is the owner and operator of Chop Shop Park City and The Bake Shop Park City, where he proudly brings award-winning flavors to the community.

You can find Chef John Courtney on TV: Chopped Champion (Season 43), and Late Night Chef Fight competitor. Beyond the accolades, his greatest reward is creating memorable meals and experiences for his guests.

Chef Johnny Courtney honed his craft in top restaurants across Australia, Mexico, Denver, and Seattle, including five years as executive sous chef at Canlis. In 2023, he opened Atoma alongside his wife and business partner, Sarah Courtney, bringing their shared vision of food, hospitality, and community to life. His cuisine balances traditional and contemporary European influences, emphasizing seasonal ingredients, bold flavors, and meticulous attention to detail.

Born into a family of chefs, Johnny Curiel grew up in Guadalajara, Mexico with an irresistible allure of a kitchen, beginning his culinary career at age 14 as a dishwasher in his father’s restaurant.

After growing up in his father’s restaurants, Curiel embarked on his lifelong culinary journey. At age 18, Curiel went on a culinary immersion to Mexico with a simple mission: to unearth the heart and soul of his country’s rich and diverse cooking traditions. His journeys took him from bustling restaurants and street food stands to abuelas’ home kitchens, learning age-old techniques and wisdom of generations along the way.

Drawing on his experiences in Mexico, Curiel joined Chef Richard Sandoval’s renowned team to cook at restaurants around the U.S. and Mexico, namely Washington DC, New York, Los Angeles, Guadalajara, Oaxaca, and Aspen. He went onto establish himself in Denver’s burgeoning culinary scene, working with Chef Troy Guard in popular kitchens such as Guard + Grace, Los Chingones, and Mr. Tuna. His talent led him into restaurant consulting –– from coast to coast –– where he got the long-awaited approval from his father and gained the courage to start his own concept.

Chef Curiel makes his solo restaurant debut with Alma Fonda Fina, a restaurant dedicated to sharing the integrity, tradition and culturally rich experiences that defined his culinary journey and create a transportive dining experience that embodies the beauty of Mexico. As Chef Curiel continues to push the boundaries of taste and tradition, he pays homage to his roots and uses food as a way to showcase his cultural pride.

Hospitality is intrinsic to Maggie's character, and cooking is deeply embedded in her being. Her success in culinary competitions with the Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) earned her a full-tuition scholarship to the Culinary Institute of America, where she graduated as valedictorian of her Associate's and Bachelor's degrees.

Driven by passion and determination, Maggie amassed a culinary resume that surpassed that of some chefs twice her age. She has trained in Michelin-recognized restaurants in the US and abroad, including Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bistro in California, La Cabra in Spain, Shilling Canning Company in Washington, DC, and Oasis Sapori Antichi in Italy.

At 25, Maggie was promoted to Chef de Cuisine at Telluride’s renowned fine-dining French restaurant, La Marmotte. She authored and developed a distinguished Mentorship and Culinary Training Program, hosting over 15 culinary externs and graduates from The Culinary Institute of America and Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. Maggie does not speak of her successes at La Marmotte without attributing it to the strong mentorship and support she received from owners Josh Klein and Melisa Pignataro and Director of Operations Maury Kepley.

During the Telluride Reserve, Chef Maggie will lead a team of young cooks and emerging chefs, assisting the Reserve's renowned list of guest chefs in executing their events. She aims to provide growth opportunities for the next generation of chefs to work alongside the very chefs they look up to.

Additionally, Maggie will donate all personal earnings from her participation in the Telluride Reserve to the Burnt Chef Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to eradicating the mental health stigma in the hospitality industry and beyond through providing access to free educational resources, training, and support programs.

Barbecue is an unexpected second career for Jackson, a tall Texan with a wide-open smile that quickly leads to playful banter. Jackson’s short journey to celebrated pitmaster of the mountains had some surprising twists, including a decades-long stint at a car lot and the astonishing discovery of a fortune in cash hidden in a car trunk there. That treasure allowed him to move to Cloudcroft in 2015 and buy — mortgage-free — the 5,000-square-foot Mountaintop Mercantile that’s a prominent fixture in town.

When Jackson bought the vacant Mountaintop Mercantile, he turned the second-floor bakery into his living quarters. He furnished his new restaurant with mismatched dining tables and on opening day, gave away all the food as a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. The secret was out: Some seriously fantastic Central-Texas-style smoked meats were now available under the Ponderosa pines of the Lincoln National Forest.

James Beard Foundation Award 'Best Chef: Mountain' winner Chef Matt Vawter, raised in Summit County, Colorado, began his culinary journey at the Colorado Mountain College Culinary Apprenticeship Program in Keystone. In 2007, he joined Fruition restaurant in Denver under Chef Alex Seidel, and in 2014, they opened Mercantile Dining & Provision at Union Station.

Drawn back to his mountain roots, Vawter returned to Summit County in December 2020, opening Rootstalk in Breckenridge. Rootstalk offers an approachable, technique-focused, ingredient-driven dining experience, designed to evoke the feeling of coming home. In 2022, Vawter and partners launched Radicato, a modern Italian restaurant celebrating seasonal, technique-driven cuisine inspired by Italy's rich culinary traditions.

During Vawter’s time at Fruition and Mercantile, he developed his cooking style and honed his culinary ethos with a focus on intentional sourcing. Now, at Rootstalk and Radicato, Vawter has maintained strong relationships with Colorado’s farmers, ranchers, and artisans to ensure they are using the best, high-quality ingredients available throughout the year.

Vawter is committed to creating environments where hospitality professionals can flourish amid mountain living, and envisions Rootstalk and Radicato as more than dining destinations—they're places where guests are welcomed and embraced, invited to savor exceptional food, drink, and genuine hospitality.

Jared Wolfe is the owner and Pitmaster of Wolfepack BBQ in Kansas City. Known for his expertise in traditional barbecue techniques, Jared's commitment to crafting exceptional smoked meats and distinctive flavors defines the culinary experience at Wolfepack BBQ. His passion for barbecue shines through in every dish, honoring not only Kansas City's rich heritage, but as well as many other regions across the country.

Oulli Durham moved to Telluride in the winter of 2007/08. He has over 20+ years of experience in the hospitality industry. He has worked as wine director for the Cosmopolitan restaurant, and currently works at Alpino Vino, the highest fine dining restaurant in North America, since 2014. During this time, he has cultivated a deep knowledge and passion for wine. He has worked alongside Dustin Clements, Telski Wine Director Andrew Schafner, and Katie Hall, to create the Colorado sourced Telluride Red. He is excited for the opportunity to continue his passion with Communion Wine Bar.

Veteran sommelier, Kenny Koda and his wife, Chef Ania, manage the renowned Ania’s Table and K-Bar in the elegant Lumiere Hotel. This powerhouse combination of talent offers a uniquely sophisticated dining and wine experience for their guests.

Kenny’’s sommelier journey began at Harmons in Telluride and then was recruited to be Rudd Winery’s wine director, from there, he continued to hone his skill at Press Restaurant, Dean & Deluca and a number of other wineries along the way.

When they are not in Telluride offering luxurious dining, fine wines and carefully curated cocktails in Ania’s Table and K-Bar, Kenny and Ania divide their time between Kaui and Italy.

Born and raised on the east coast, I attended Elon University and graduated with a degree in International Business. After living abroad for several years throughout Europe and Australia, I moved to California and jumped headfirst into the world of luxury hotels serving as a Concierge for the Auberge Resorts Collection. With an existing passion for wine and newfound love of Napa Valley, I transitioned into more specialized roles with esteemed local wineries such as Heitz Cellar, Stony Hill, and Burgess. Today I am fortunate to hold the Director of Marketing and Business Development role with Mending Wall winery, working closely under the guidance of acclaimed winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown and fellow vintners Frank Dotzler, Mark Pulido, and Donna Walker.

Andrew is Telluride Ski Resort's Wine Director and resident Sommelier. He coordinates wine programs across Telluride Ski & Golfs 13 restaurants and oversees a team of 9 Sommeliers.

Andrew brings his depth of knowledge and relationships within the vintner world to Reserve as the Wine Coordinator.