Food has been a key part of my life ever since I can remember. Growing up in Argentina, where I was born and raised, everything we did as a family involved food, cooking and eating. I cannot imagine life without these things. As I grew up, my vacations were planned around restaurants (both in Argentina and overseas), making for some amazing experiences. I still maintain this tradition even today and love it! I love sharing what I know and helping people see that anyone can cook. It just takes love for food and other people!

After many years of challenging myself with cooking unique and complex meals at home, I decided it was time to formalize my knowledge by going to culinary school.

After graduating from Cook Street School of Culinary Arts, I wasn’t sure exactly how I was going to use the combination of my existing and new knowledge. I had the opportunity to work as a chef assistant for the professional program at Cook Street and soon realized that I had found my calling.

After reflecting on my life cooking experiences, I NOW know that teaching comes naturally to me; in place of students, I have been teaching my friends and family all this time.

I've been in love with cooking since age 7 when I prepared my first French dish, steak au poivre, while living in Morocco. I graduated from l’Academie de Cuisine’s 2 year professional program in Bethesda Maryland in 1988.

My formative professional work was at the Occidental Grill and McPhearson’s Grill in Washington, D.C. In pursuit of my childhood dream I then interned in France with two of the world’s top restaurateurs, Georges Blanc and Michel Guerard.

Deeply inspired by these French chefs, I returned to a cooking position at the Four Seasons Hotel in Georgetown. Lured by the natural beauty of Colorado, I moved to Crested Butte to work as Sous Chef at le Bosquet, a small fine dining French restaurant.

My next challenge came when I accepted a position in Boulder as a culinary instructor for Culinary School of the Rockies. I co-developed a world class six-month-long professional program, which included a one month externship in Provence. Thanks to my fluency in French, I set up an intimate network of French chefs, artisan producers, sommeliers and vintners.

I created a mandatory internship in a French restaurant as part of the month-long externship, and moved the School to a fabulous cooking facility in a 12th century chateau, overlooking the Côtes du Rhône vineyards. As Director of Professional Programs I helped the culinary school achieve accreditation, which provided national credibility for the School’s professional programs.

I then took a position as Director of Curriculum at Cook Street School of Culinary Arts before coming to Kitchen Table Cooking School as General Manager in February 2010.

My cooking style is simple yet elegant with an emphasis on using local, sustainable ingredients of the highest quality and allowing those products to shine.

I want to explore the world of food through travel and share what I learn about those cultures with others. Want to come along?

Born and raised in Torino (Turin), Italy, it was natural that cooking and eating represent some of the most joyous moments in my early life: my mother making ravioli with me for the first time when I was 10 years old; the taste of porceddu at a reunion in Sardegna with my father's family; the smell of fresh baked bread with olive oil at snack time with my brother Franco.

Most of my early professional life was spent in beautiful Firenze (Florence), Italy, working at some of the best hotels in the city as a waiter and bartender.

In 2006, I moved to the United States for the love of a woman (and now 2 other women - my daughters, Keena and Virginia) .

Surprisingly for a former pasta-holic like myself, I fell in love with the diverse culinary offerings in the United States: Japanese, Mexican, American cuisines are now my favorites. In 2009, I graduated from Cook Street's Professional Culinary Arts Program.

After a brief experience at Jonesy's EatBar, I was invited to join the staff at the Kitchen Table. I bring to the Kitchen Table my passion for all things edible and a sharing of the simplicity of traditional Italian cooking.

As a Natural Foods Chef, Shelley is dedicated to nutritional, whole foods cooking and green, sustainable living. Shelley is a competitive fitness enthusiast and believes that healthy eating and an active lifestyle go hand-in-hand in creating balanced living.

She believes in creatively combining whole foods from local and organic resources to create tasty, nutrient-dense meals that nourish from within, while educating about the benefits of embracing this lifestyle. Shelley specializes in ways to educate people regarding balanced meal planning and incorporating healthy principles on a daily basis. She makes conscious cooking easy, fun and scrumptious!

I wholeheartedly believe that dessert can (and should) follow every meal!  As the Pastry Chef at the Kitchen Table Cooking School, I prepare all of the baked goods and pastries for the Espressolé Caffe. 

Like many in this business, I was drawn to the kitchen early in life.  Motivated by an insatiable sweet tooth, I liked to challenge myself in the kitchen and was always creating delicious treats to share with friends and family. 

Motivated by this great passion, I did some apprentice work at two different bakeries in the Los Angeles area.  Finally, after working several years in the nonprofit arena; a move from Los Angeles to Denver in 2010 prompted me to follow my passion and pursue a career in baking and pastry.  I attended Culinary School of the Rockies in Boulder and graduated with honors. 

For a year I worked at Cake Bakery in Northwest Denver where I indulged locals’ sugar cravings with made from scratch pies, cakes, cookies and cinnamon rolls.  Teaching at the Kitchen Table has given me a unique opportunity to share my love for baking and experience the genuine thrill of seeing students reactions as their beautiful (and delicious!) creations come out of the oven.

I received my culinary education and training from the Culinary Institute of American in Hyde Park, New York. After this, I earned a degree in Hotel-Restaurant Management from the University of Wisconsin. 

I bring a wealth of experience to the Kitchen Table Cooking School based on my years in the restaurant business and from being a Chef Instructor at several other Culinary Schools where my specialty was French based cuisine. 

I also spent time working and studying in Avignon, France where I perfected my culinary skills. In addition to this, I am a Level I Sommelier.

Growing up in academia, literally 2 steps from Cornell, education and study were embedded in the framework of my early life.

My interest in world culture and my understanding of the link between culture and food impelled me to enroll in the Culinary School of The Rockies, where I excelled at classical French techniques. In addition I  attended the University of Colorado.

After studying abroad in Avignon, France, I returned to Denver and met Chef Troy Guard, and became one of the opening chefs of Zengo, Nine75, Nine75 North and Ocean.   

During this period I also worked as Assistant Chef for the Professional Chef Track program at the Culinary School of the Rockies.

Now at the Kitchen Table, I love to share my experience and passion for food and culture through my classes. I particularly love to teach the popular sushi classes. As I explain to my students: "its all about the rice."

Cooking is an everyday learning experience, full of exciting challenges and surprises. Through food one can see and experience the cultures of the world.

I have always loved food, but my love of cooking was slower to develop. I grew up in a home where there was always healthy fresh food on the table and a huge garden in the back yard. As an adult, my cooking skills slowly increased with the help of a friend and gourmet cook who who was happy to have me in her kitchen as her sous chef. 

As the years passed I realized I was happiest creating in my kitchen. It became my refuge from stress. After years of working in offices by day and in my kitchen by night, I put down my keyboard to pursue cooking full time. 

After graduating from Cook Street School of Culinary Arts and studying in both Italy and France, I indulged my passion by working nearly every station in both large commercial and small restaurant kitchens, including The Garden of the Gods Club and MoZaic Restaurant in Colorado Springs. My job here at the Kitchen Table has become one of my favorites. I love sharing my passion for food and seeing that “light bulb” turn on for students when they learn that skill or tip that makes all the difference!

Chef Sobia Khan is a native of Pakistan.  Chef Sobia has been cooking Indian and Pakistani food based on recipes handed down in her family from mother to daughter. 

Chef Sobia has shared her culinary skills with others for many years now, conducting cooking lessons in her home for private parties, couples nights out, and demonstrating her cooking techniques at various fund raising events. 

Chef Sobia loves to cook and to teach others how to master Indian and Pakistani cuisine one dish at a time. 

Cooking is very relaxing, and after a long day, spending time in the kitchen is a lot of fun and a great diversion.

Ian is known as Colorado’s own Food Scientist. Chef at the legendary O’s restaurant at the Westin Westminster, Ian enjoyed sharing his unique culinary style with students at the Kitchen Table in January 2009.

Born in Taiwan, Paul graduated from Toyko Cooking Academy in 1987. Before he came to the United States, Paul toured and cooked in many countries, including Taiwan, Japan, China, Europe, New Zealand, Australia. When he first arrived in Colorado 10 years ago, Paul worked as chef at Sushi Den for one year before moving to Sushi Hi, then to Tommy Tsunami's. Then he became executive chef for Coastal Fusion Sea Food Restaurant in New Mexico, and returned to Colorado in 2009.

Andrew Lubatty, Executive Chef of celebrated restaurant Avenue Grill in Denver, Colorado brings an impressive culinary background to the students at the Kitchen Table Cooking School. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, New York, in 1992, Chef Lubatty received national recognition for bringing his cutting edge style to some of the top restaurants from New York to California.  As Chef Instructor at the Art Institute of Colorado, Chef Lubatty brought his passion for the culinary arts to his students, and the Kitchen Table is honored to have him as a Guest Chef.

Celebrity Chef Tre Wilcox, is a nationally known chef, an Iron Chef competitor and a two time James Beard nominee, whose culinary flair and fun-loving personality have made him a favorite on Bravo’s Top Chef. 

Chef Tre began his culinary career at the age of 17.  After working his way up from prep cook in several fast food restaurants to corporate trainer for the international gourmet market Eatzis, Chef Tre chose to return to the kitchen were he worked with noted Dallas Chef David Holben. Chef Trebecame Executive Sous Chef then Chef de Cuisine at Dallas’ five-star restaurant Abacus. Chef Tre earned two consecutive nominations for the James Beard Foundation’s Rising Star Chef. Chef Tre rose to national fame as a contestant on Bravo’s third season of Top Chef.  

Chef Tre also was chosen by the Houston based Chantal Cookware to become their spokesperson for their acclaimed Copper Fusion cookware. In 2008, Chef Tre left Abacus to pursue his dream of opening his own restaurant.