THE 4TH ANNUAL DURANGO WINE EXPERIENCE
Special Guests
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Chef Dave Cuntz, The Historic Strater Hotel Born in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania and raised in Denver, he was encouraged by his mother to enjoy cooking and cuisine at an early age. Over the years, preceding and leading to his undergraduate degree at Fort Lewis College (FLC) in Durango, Colorado (where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in 1990), Chef Dave amassed experience in a variety of food positions; from preparing daily lunch specials in the school cafeteria as a thirteen year old young man, to working at the Chart House Restaurant in Golden, to seven months abroad in Chambery, France as an Exchange Student at the University of Savoie, where he was familiarized with the ways of French cooking and traditions, to a working adventure in Kodiak, Alaska, where he was a Dock Hand and a Fish Processor. In Durango, he cooked at The Red Snapper, Purgatory Ski Resort and at Carvers Bakery and Brewery. Following his graduation from FLC, Chef Dave worked exclusively for the next two years at Carvers as their General Manager. From there, with his heart set on becoming a professional chef, he moved to Montpelier, Vermont, where he completed the Associates Degree Program at the New England Culinary Institute. The Program culminated with two internships, one at the renowned Flagstaff House in Boulder, and the other at Equus Restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky. It was here that Chef Dave joined his college sweetheart, who had returned to her hometown. Over the next twelve years, with lots of great teamwork and passion, Chef Dave rose through the ranks at Equus to become the Executive Chef. Throughout this time, he was recognized as one of Louisville’s top chefs. He worked closely with local farmers and merchants, took pride in collaborating with other chefs in the city in a wide array of service projects, enjoyed branching out to create foods for other local food businesses, and as a chef instructor, he taught local cooking classes for several years. Upon spending a 10th wedding anniversary trip at the Strater Hotel in September of 2005, Chef Dave learned that the hotel was looking for a new Executive Chef. He and his family had literally stumbled upon a dream-come-true job opportunity at this Historic Hotels of America treasure, in the town where they longed to be. The timing and circumstances could not have been better for Chef Dave to make his way back to Durango with his wife, also a Fort Lewis graduate, two children and Labrador Retriever. The past four years at the Strater and in Durango have been wonderful as a result of much determination and hard work. Chef Dave was a main-stage demonstrator at the 2007 Scottsdale Culinary Festival, a three-day exhibitor at the 2008 Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival, participated as a wine-pairing chef at The 2008 Telluride Festival of the Arts, and was a three-day exhibitor at the 2009 Aspen Classic. His talents have been showcased both locally and nationally in contests, magazine features and publications, television broadcasts, and he was recently named Sterling Silver Meats “Signature Chef #8” in a series. There is no doubt that Chef Dave’s love for the arts, experience, work ethic and positive spirit will be a constant source of inspiration for fresh, up and coming ideas, outstanding creations and rave reviews for the entire Strater team. dcuntz@strater.com Chef Dave will be featured at the "Wine to Water" Benefit dinner Wednesday evening at the Henry Strater Theatre, hosting the "Blending Seminar" at the Strater Hotel and presenting at the Mahogany Grille Restaurant Showcase Table during the Grand Tasting on Saturday. |
