IF YOU CAN DREAM IT WE'VE ALREADY PERFECTED IT
Our culinary team's commitment begins with impeccable food safety training, sourcing the freshest seasonal ingredients, creating innovative flavors and thoughtful presentations. We have over 30 years experience serving in almost any location imaginable. If you can dream it, we've already perfected it.
From your menu creation to that last bite of a surprise late night snacks, our chefs are involved every step of the way, crafting a creative, customized menu that will make your event delicious, in every sense of the word.
Our outstanding culinary team brings a wealth of award winning experience not limited to:
- Our Executive Chef - from a town called ‘Egg’, Austria, who sharpened his knife with Michelin Star Chefs in European restaurants and hotels.
- Our Innovation Chef, who has lived in Italy, competed on TV cooking around the world and has been featured at the James Beard House as part of the Denver 5.
- Our Executive Corporate Chef, who was one of Wolfgang Puck's Executive Chefs at Spago Chicago.
- Our Executive Sous Chef, who not only knows every dish that Epicurean serves, but can remember the party for which it was originally created.
We pride ourselves on the fact that it takes a lot of moving parts to create a true experience, an experience you taste on your lips and revisit in your memory, long after the event is over.
ROBERT GITRE, EXECUTIVE CORPORATE CHEF
RGITRE@EPICUREANGROUPCO.COM
Chef Bob brings culinary talent, enthusiasm, and national and international flair to our kitchens. Chef Bob started down the culinary path at the age of 14, while working in his family bakery. With a degree in Culinary Arts from the Providence campus of Johnson and Wales University, Chef Bob worked in restaurants from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to Naples, Florida. He then headed West where he worked in various 4-star, 4-diamond hotels in Palm Springs, CA. During this experience, Chef was able to study under various French and International Chefs. Celebrity Chef Wolfgang Puck recognized outstanding young talent and hired Bob to work in the kitchen of Spago. Chef Bob worked with Wolfgang Puck for seven years and was key in the opening of three additional locations including Spago Chicago and creating Wolfgang Puck's catering and special events division. Chef Bob now oversees all of Epicurean's culinary operations.
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others”
-Mahatma Gandi
JENNA JOHANSEN, INNOVATION CHEF
JJOHANSEN@EPICUREANGROUPCO.COM
@JENNAJOHANSEN
Jenna Johansen joined Epicurean Catering in 2013 as Innovation Chef. She works closely with the culinary and event design teams to develop new, creative concepts and refresh the presentation of many of the tried and true dishes. She brings a fresh perspective and the attitude that you can offer restaurant quality food in any venue. Her passion for food and 23 years of culinary experience lend their own special ingredients to the Epicurean experience.
Jenna is well known in the food industry locally and nationally with her participation in some of the premier food events in town, including the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado, the James Beard House, the Snowmass Culinary Arts Festival and the Frisco BBQ Challenge. She has been a judge at numerous cooking competitions and donates an extraordinary amount of time and energy to local charities. She was the owner of Dish! located in Denver and Vail and you might also recognize her as one of 12 professional chefs who appeared on the Bravo's global culinary competition, Around the World in 80 Plates.
Since the age of 14, Johansen has been passionate about pursuing her dream of becoming a chef. She pursued and earned two separate degrees, one in Restaurant and Resort Management from Colorado State University and a Culinary Degree from Johnson & Wales University.
“I am always inspired by the seasons, the sizzle of salty bacon, the sweet crunch of a carrot, and the smile on someone's lips who is eating my food. When all else fails, a glass of wine will do the trick.”
NORBERT HILLER, CATERING EXECUTIVE CHEF
NHILLER@EPICUREANGROUPCO.COM
Chef Norbert Hiller grew up on a small family farm in the town of Egg-Vorarlberg, Austria on the border to Switzerland. Norbert's culinary career began with a three year apprenticeship in Austria earning the Landes Berufschule Schloss Hoffen Certification then off across Austria and Liechtenstein to hone his skills.
Norbert's US career began at the Grand Hotel in Mackinac Island and then up the extensive Hyatt Culinary and Management Training program with stops in New Mexico, Aruba and Miami.
Prior to Epicurean Group, Chef Hiller was the Executive Sous Chef at the Hyatt Regency Colorado Convention Center where he oversaw 6 Sous Chefs and 30 Cooks cooking for three restaurants, two bars and 60,000 feet of banquet space.
“Growing up on a small family farm in Austria, I was able to experience the fresh and simple taste of homegrown produce, along with the farm to table concept on a daily basis. These experiences lead me to become a Chef and invigorated my passion for fresh, locally inspired dishes.”
KEITH WHITMYRE, CATERING EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF
SOUSCHEF@EPICUREANGROUPCO.COM
Keith got his start in the kitchen at a young age and credits his mother and grandmother for his passion for cooking. He has been working in professional kitchens since he was sixteen. Working in several fine dining establishments in Ohio, he developed his base skills and a strong work ethic that aids him to this day. After being accepted to Johnson & Wales, he moved to Denver in 2003. Through school Keith work in several styles of food including large scale event preparation, Indian cuisine, and bistro cuisine. After school he took the Chef de Cuisine position at a small bistro in Golden, Colorado until the fall of 2005 before coming to work for Epicurean Group. Keith has risen through the ranks over the past 8 years to the position of Executive Sous Chef where he now supervises all catering food production.
“Don't be scared of flavor. Whatever that was, add a little more”
ADAM HAMMOND, GENERAL MANAGER
AHAMMOND@EPICUREANGROUPCO.COM
@CHEFAHAMBONE
Adam attended the Art Institute of Colorado where he earned a BA in Hospitality Management. Working in the hospitality industry for 20 years, his resume includes restaurants in New Mexico (Scalo Italian Grille & Gulf Coast Eatery) as well as catering and personal chef experience. Adam's experience with many different types of cuisine (Cajun, Italian, French & New Mexican), will help him create unique menus for Epicurean. He has always had a passion for food and the hospitality industry and Epicurean is thrilled to have him part of our Sports Authority Field team!
“There is immediate satisfaction when you create a dish that makes someone happy. This feeling of accomplishment is what inspired me to become a chef.”
BEN HUBER, STADIUM EXECUTIVE CHEF
bhuber@epicureangroupco.com
Ben's passion for food began at an early age working along side his parents and grandparents in the kitchen. He started his education and experimentation with food in a local 4-H club and as a teenager he started working in a local restaurant working his way up from a dishwasher. After high school, Ben pursued his passion attending Johnson and Wales University in Denver, CO. While earning his Culinary Arts degree, he worked for Epicurean as a Pantry Chef at the Stadium. After graduation Ben moved to the California wine country where he worked in a 4-star resort restaurant, Santé at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa. Ben decided to return to school to further his education and earned his Bachelor's degree in Nutrition at the University of Wyoming. During his career Ben has worked in several areas of the culinary world including, Country Clubs, Hotels, Restaurants, Catering Companies, and achieving a long time dream to become a Sous Chef on a Cruise Ship. Ben returned to Colorado and once again joined the Epicurean family where he is presently working as the Catering division's Production Sous Chef. He again enjoys the creative nature that Epicurean brings, using fresh ingredients and creating new and exciting food options for their clients.
Aaron Bernstein , Executive Chef at Mangia Bevi Cafe
abernstein@epicureangroupco.com
My paternal grandfather was a kosher butcher in Brooklyn in the 1940's thru the 1950's. My maternal grandmother was a chef in upstate New York schools from the 1940's until the 1960's, she said it was when they really cooked the food for the kids. When I was young my parents owned a pizza place, I knew I liked the kitchen even then. In high school I went to a culinary program at Broom County Boces and I was learning at The Roaring Fork, in up state New York. I was accepted to New England Culinary Institute and graduated at the top of my class. After school, I lived on Nantucket Island and trained under chef Michael LaSola. I then continued on to San Francisco and worked at Charles Knob Hill under chef Ron Siegal and chef Melissa Perello, Charles was part of Aqua company. I moved back home to the east coast and started working at a private country club. After 5 1/5 years I moved on to become a Executive Chef at Cask 591 a new American seasonal wine influenced 80 seat restaurant. I continue to learn and try new things and moved to Italian food. I headed the kitchens of Stella Marina and Cafe Colore in New Jersey. Coming to Denver four and a half years ago, I have enjoyed the beautiful weather, mountains, and working at Panzano in downtown Denver.
I am excited to take over at Mangia and be part of The Epicurean Group
