Executive Chef Kerry Paterson
Housing & Dining Services' Executive Chef Kerry Paterson has been busy keeping the variety of tastes of CU students satisfied for over seven years. Graduating from Auckland Technical University with a degree in Culinary Arts, Chef Kerry joins us from the "Land Down Under." A native of New Zealand, Chef Kerry has traveled around the world and incorporates those experiences into the menus planned for the dining centers. In March of 2002, Chef Kerry won the bronze medal in the National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) Region VIII Culinary Challenge. Chef Kerry created a delicious menu of oriental spiced scallops over saffron rice noodles, served with Enoki mushrooms, baby spinach, and an orange balsamic reduction.
Executive Pastry Chef James Okerson
James Okerson brought his mouth-watering baking skills to Colorado in 1979. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America with honors and went on to train under a master pastry chef in New York City. Chef Jim has also received training in the pastry arts from Le Petit Catering of the Brown Palace Hotel and Racines Restaurant, both in Denver.
Chef Jim has over 29 years in his profession and is a twelve time award winner of the Westword's 'Best of Denver' competition in which he baked items such as his scrumptious caramel apple tart, Triple Crown ice cream dessert, and Southern buttermilk biscuit. Numerous publications such as the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News have published his recipes as well.
Chef Jim volunteered as a chef and pastry instructor for many preschool children with special needs at the Sewall Child Development Center. He also designed and built a 200 pound cake replica of the administration building for the Regis University Centennial celebration.
Recent Awards
Executive Sous Chef Paul Houle
Paul Houle continues to dazzle with his incredible culinary talents. Schooled at Johnson and Wales Culinary School in Rhode Island, Paul comes to Boulder bringing his expertise in fine cuisine. Chef Paul won his first culinary award for CU in June of 2002, a bronze medal at the Collegiate Culinary Chef's Conference in Boston. In February of 2003, Chef Paul won the silver medal in the National Association of College & University Food Service (NACUFS) Region VIII Culinary Challenge in Calgary. Recently, Chef Paul took first place and was awarded a silver medal by the American Culinary Federation (ACF) in the March culinary competition at the 2005 NACUFS Continental Region contest in Laramie, Wyoming for his own original recipe of coffee and chili seared lamb loin served on top of orange scented spaetzle paired with garlic and herb sausage, caramelized onions, Swiss chard, English pears, and peppers. In July, he went on to win fourth place and a bronze medal at the 2005 (NACUFS) National Competition.
Chef Paul has been working as a chef at the University of Colorado at Boulder for over six years. His job responsibilities include supervision, training and quality assurance of all products.
Chef Christian Black
Christian Black, a chef at the Athletic Training Table in Dal Ward, competed in the 2007 National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS) Regional Culinary Challenge in Missoula, Montana in March. He won first place for his Talladega Tofu dish of Talladega tofu with a bay leaf-scented asparagus flan, tri-colored potatoes, Diablo tomatoes and a ver jus reduction, and will represent the NACUFS Continental Region and University of Colorado Dining Services at the NACUFS National Conference in Seattle in July. Christian also received a silver medal from the American Culinary Federation (ACF). Because the events in the culinary competition are sanctioned by the ACF, each competition contains two components. The chefs compete with each other for first place and at the same time, they compete with themselves for a medal that is awarded by the ACF.
Chef Christian has been working at the University of Colorado at Boulder since October 2006. He has a culinary degree from Johnson and Wales University in Denver, Colorado. He is currently working toward finishing his Bachelor of Arts degree in English and has recently been published on the Internet for his articles featuring the culinary industry.
