2009 CHEF COMPETITION

Chef Sergio Romero
Argyll GastroPub - Cherry Creek
2700 E. 3rd Ave 720-382-1117 www.ArgyllPub.com

Chef Serge spent the first 7 years of his career training under nationally acclaimed Chef Joseph Wrede - a former Food & Wine Magazine ‘Best Young Chef' Winner - in his native Taos, NM. While under Chef Wrede, Serge worked as Sous Chef then Chef de Cuisine at Joseph's Table in Taos. Serge has twice cooked at The James Beard House in NYC as well as auditioned for Bravo's "Top Chef" program in NYC.

Now Executive Chef at Argyll GastroPub in Cherry Creek, Serge recently won "Best Mac-n-Cheese in Denver" honors over some of Denver's top chefs in a competition hosted by The Gabby Gourmet. Channel 7 News has nominated Serge's Celtic Sea Saltwater Brined Fried Chicken as one of the ‘best in the city' in an upcoming September news program.

Chef Serge learned the beauty of fresh, organic ingredients in Taos and now brings us a "modern interpretation" of Celtic Cooking at Argyll GastroPub in Cherry Creek. Items like House Braised Rabbit Lasagna in a Sage Scented Bechamel w/ Stew Tomatoes Served w/ Grilled Bib Lettuce and an Anchovy Aioli; as well as Madras Curried Colorado Lamb Shank w/ Tuber Puree and Veal Jus have become staples on his current Argyll menus.

2009 Mile-High Chef
Chef Jay Spickelmier
Jing @ The Landmark
5370 Greenwood Plaza Blvd. 303-779-6888 www.jingrestaurant.com

• 5/2009 - Present Spago @ the Ritz-Carlton - Chef de Partie (Under Mark Ferguson )
• 11/2007 - 5/2009 The Left Bank in Vail – Sous Chef de Cuisine (Assistant to Executive Chef Luc Meyer, Jean-Micheal Chilean)
• 11/2004 - 11/2007 Osaki's Sushi – Assistant to Master
Sushi Chef Takeshi Osaki
• Larkspur Restaurant Vail  - Line Chef
• Triana’s Boulder – Line Chef (Under Chef James Mazzio)
• Flagstaff House – Chef - Garde Manger (Under Chef Mark Monette)

I recently read in Thomas Keller’s Sous Vide that "We as Chefs have to remind ourselves that our first mission is to nourish people."  It’s easy to get caught up in just the business of making money and forget the fundamental values of why we eat and how we really should live. Likewise, my food is especially influenced by Eastern culture because of their 5000 year old culinary tradition that has encompassed the use of holistic ingredients and balance for a healthy lifestyle.

–Jay Spickelmier

Judge: Chef Ben Davis

Born in London, but raised just outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Ben started cooking early just because he was hungry. Son of a professor of English Literature at the University of New Mexico and an historical preservationist for the City of Albuquerque, he picked up a cook book at age 12 and decided to make lasagna from scratch and thus began a career in the kitchen.

After graduating with a degree in History from Colorado College in 1984 and spending two years as a public relations/sports information officer, he finally decided to formalized his culinary training and chose to attend the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. Upon completion the next eleven years were spent working with some of northern California’s most innovative chefs, at restaurants such as Campton Place Hotel, Splendido and the Cypress Club. In the early 1990’s he traveled to France where he apprenticed at three restaurants, two of which had received three stars from the Michelin guide. This experience opened up an entirely new world of culinary possibilities and the limitless potential seasonal ingredients. He returned to Denver in 1997 to work for Mel Master and then opened Panzano, where he served at the restaurant’s first chef.

After a brief time as a graduate student and the University of Colorado, Davis became chef for Tony’s meats and branched out into a new world, that of a specialty foods market. After spending three years at Tony’s, he ventured out on his own and opened a cooking school for the home chef, where he was able to fulfill another passion, teaching. After the unscheduled closing of that business, he returned to Tony’s as executive sous chef, where he can continue practicing a craft based on seasonal ingredients, simple preparations and attention to detail.

Emcee: Keegan Gerhard
D Bar Desserts
303.861.4710 www.dbardesserts.com

Keegan Gerhard, named one of the nation’s top 10 pastry chefs of 2002 and 2004 by both Chocolatier and Pastry Art & Design magazines, brings a wealth of experience and abundant competitive energy to his position as Executive Pastry Chef.

Gerhard set out to learn from the best, and worked as the assistant to the celebrated Master pastry chef, Jacquy Pfeiffer, the Alsace-born owner and founder of the French Pastry School in Chicago. Gerhard describes this as more of an apprenticeship and awakening. Subsequent positions as Pastry Chef with Charlie Trotters Restaurant, the Waldorf Astoria and the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company ensued, as did a position as Corporate Pastry Chef for Dean and DeLuca, Executive Pastry Chef of Four Seasons Chicago and Executive Assistant Pastry Chef of Wynn Las Vegas. Chef Keegan is now owner of D Bar Desserts in Denver, CO.

Gerhard has an enthusiastic but controlled approach to pastries, "I like to stay away from things that are too contrived, and prefer to create desserts that are refined and elegant," he explains. "I sometimes compare pastries to Jazz music: 70 percent is based on enduring principles or the foundation of the style, then the great musicians give you the 30 percent which is a surprise."

When he’s not preparing seasonal product-driven delicacies in the pastry shop, Keegan spends time organizing and serving as M.C. for the "The National Pastry Team Championships" and "The World Pastry Team Championships" in Las Vegas, which is televised on The Food Network. Keegan also serves as Pastry Expert and Host of Foods Network’s, Food Network Challenge.

Chef Challenge sponsored by: