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. Chef Kerry takes great pride in mentoring up-and-coming CU culinarians, and has coached three that have competed and won the National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) Regional Culinary Challenge. Those chefs then went on to represent CU and the region in the national final with honor. In 2009, Chef Kerry took on the competitor role himself, representing the university in the Regional Culinary Challenge. His talent brought the university a first place ranking as well as picking up a second place award in the national final. He has also won two silver and three bronze American Culinary Federation (ACF) culinary competition medals.
Executive Pastry Chef James Okerson
James Okerson brought his mouthwatering baking skills to Colorado in 1979. Before arriving in Colorado, he attended and graduated with honors from the Culinary Institute of America. He 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 Company, The Brown Palace Hotel, and Racine’s Restaurant—all located in Denver.
Chef Jim has over 31 years of experience in the pastry arts and is a twelve-time award winner of Westword Magazine’s ‘Best of Denver’ competition in which he baked items such as scrumptious cinnamon rolls, a caramel apple tart, a Triple Crown ice cream dessert, and Southern buttermilk biscuits. Numerous publications including 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. Currently he is a board member of a local food bank, participating in fund raising and distribution.
Executive Sous Chef Paul Houle
Chef Houle started his culinary career working seasonal restaurant jobs on the beaches of Maine. When he realized that he loved all aspects of the culinary business, he decided to pursue this career further. After graduating from Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, he worked as a private chef in Cape Cod, as well as a corporate and catering chef in Boston. Paul has competed in several ACF competitions and has earned several medals for these, yet he still chases the elusive gold medal. Paul won the NACUFS Continental Region Culinary Challenge in 2005 and went on to place fourth in the NACUFS National Culinary Challenge. His job responsibilities include managing the athletic training table at Dal Ward, organizing catering events, and assisting with culinary development.
Chef Billy Kardys
Chef Kardys won the 2008 National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS) Regional Culinary Challenge in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He won first place for his “The Cam Neely” presentation of sea bass topped with gremolata and champagne sauce, served with risotto and root vegetables. Billy also received a silver medal from the American Culinary Federation (ACF). He then went on to nationals in Washington D.C. and earned a bronze medal in the finals. 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.
Billy has been working at the University of Colorado at Boulder since September 2001. His passion for food began at the tender age of 10 in his grandmother’s kitchen. Billy is the chef de cuisine of Piazanos grab-n-go.
Chef Christian Black
Christian began his culinary journey as toddler in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, watching his fry-cook father whip up fresh seafood dishes for tourists. Christian continued his education in his mother’s kitchen—as he did his homework his mother would prepare often lavish four-course meals, teaching him about cuisine and wine pairings as he studied math and biology. After working for several years under the tutelage of Chef Paul Houle at CU, he eventually finished his formal culinary education in 2006 when he graduated from Johnson & Wales University in Denver, Colorado.
In 2007, Christian competed in the NACUFS Regional Culinary Challenge in Missoula, Montana, taking away the first place award for his Talladega Tofu dish.
Christian continues to both learn and inspire as a chef de cuisine and will soon share his talents at the brand new Center for Community (C4C) Dining Center when it reaches completion in 2010.
Polly Pollard
Polly Pollard has been a dedicated employee of Dining Services on the CU-Boulder campus for 25 years. She was born in New Jersey and after graduating high school, she apprenticed under a top floral designer to learn the floral and greenhouse trade. Wanting to see more of the world than New Jersey, she traveled throughout the United States and Canada. During one of her cross country trips she visited Boulder, fell in love with the mountains, and decided that this was home for her.
Seeking new skills, Polly entered the culinary field. She went to work for the Broker restaurants, which specialize in fine dining. After eight years of progressive promotions, she left her job as kitchen manager and went to work for the University of Colorado to be a part of their culinary team.
She has attended various culinary classes, work shops, and management trainings, increasing her knowledge of the industry and keeping up-to-date with changes and trends. She has worked her way through all stations of the restaurant and hospitality field, learning and absorbing all that was taught to her. Currently you can find her working as a liaison between students and the culinary team at Farrand Dining Center, specializing in communication, food allergen awareness, labeling, and staff training.
Chef Kevin Arthur
Chef Kevin was born in Elizabeth, NJ. His culinary background began at an early age, assisting his mother in the kitchen preparing various culinary delights, and has been developing his skills in various foodservice operations for the past twenty years. He has been employed by the University of Colorado since 1994 and is a recent graduate of the American Culinary Federation Apprentice Program. Kevin has been serving as the chef de cuisine for Darley Dining Center for the past four years.
Chef John Gavin
Chef John in one of the newer members of HDS He was born in White Plains, NY and graduated with a degree in Business Administration from SUNY Oneonta, New York. He started at the University of Colorado in August of 2008 after working for 19 years at the 14th Street Grill in downtown Boulder, where he worked with many accomplished chefs. During his tenure at the 14th Street Grill he became skilled at a variety of cooking styles and techniques. Over the years he has been able to develop his recipes and menu planning to adapt to ever changing food trends. John realizes that eating habits have evolved over the years and wants to keep his clientele happy and interested in new food ideas. “Food is one area that there are limitless possibilities.”
Chef Loretta Schaeg
Chef Loretta recieved her degree in hotel restaurant management in 1998. She has been working in different aspects of the culinary field for over 25 years. Currently Loretta serves as a chef de cuisine for the Dal Ward Athletic Center on the University of Colorado campus. She has been working for the University of Colorado since September 2007.
Chef Casey Andrews
Chef Casey has been working in the foodservice industry since the tender age of 12. He attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. After graduating he worked at The American Club in Kohler, WI and for Troon Golf, a high-end private golf club management company. In 2006, Casey and his wife, Melissa moved to Colorado from Wisconsin. Casey is presently a chef de cuisine at the Dal Ward Athletic Center and has been employed by the University of Colorado since September 2007.
Chef Craig Cook
Chef Cook was awarded the 2007 ACFCCA Apprenticeship of the Year Award. He was a member of the 2006 Colorado Junior Culinary Team that won the right to represent Colorado for the regional title. This past summer Craig took his passion for culinary growth to Italy where he worked in several restaurants in Tuscany. The fruits of his labor can be sampled at Sewall Dining Center where he is currently the chef de cuisine.
Craig has been employed with CU for the past five years.
Chef Deborah De Pinto
Chef Deborah was recently recognized as a certified culinarian by The American Culinary Federation. She graduated at the top of her class and received a scholarship to continue her education as desired. She began a love for cooking working in the family restaurant beginning at age three. Her father and brother both graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and ran a very successful restaurant featuring northern Italian style cuisine for nearly 25 years. Since moving to Colorado and starting her own career, she has had the pleasure to learn many other cultural styles of cooking. Currently her favorites are Italian and Nepalese. She offers a well rounded approach being skilled on front of the house service with a natural ability for cooking. Deborah is currently the chef de cuisine at Libby Dining Center and has been employed by the University of Colorado at Boulder since June 2005.
