A Fort Collins native, Chase jumped into cooking professionally when he was still in his teens. “My best friend was cooking, so I gave it a try and loved it from the start,” Chase said. “I love creating different plates, the energy of the kitchen and the chance to work with great chefs.”
He also credits his Italian grandmother as a culinary inspiration. “She and my grandfather ran Jocco’s Italian Restaurant in Fort Collins back in the 80’s,” Chase said. “She was the only one in the family who could cook, and she was a big part of the reason I became a cook. Italian food is still my favorite.”
Chase honed his skills at local restaurants including Domenic’s, The Bent Fork and Rodizio Grill and at age 25, he was chosen as one of the Top Ten Sous Chefs in Colorado for the Aspen Food & Wine Classic put on by Food & Wine Magazine. “I went up to Aspen for the Food & Wine Festival and was paired with one of their Top Chefs,” Chase said. “It was so much fun, and I was lucky to be invited back for the next three years.”
Chase said this experience inspired him to move into working as an events chef and as a personal chef. “I like that style of cooking, it’s more personal and I get to be more creative.” He cooked for Greens Point Catering and Food for Thought Catering meanwhile working as personal chef for area CEOs.
Here at Ginger and Baker, Chase says he’s found his dream job. “The people, the atmosphere and the schedule are all great,” he said. “All my chefs are amazing; we have a lot of great talent here.”
When not working, Chase enjoys softball (he started G&B’s team, the Mud Pies), working out, paddleboarding and hanging out with his dog, a Border Collie, Australian Shepherd and Lab mix named Baloo.
His favorite pie? Chocolate French Silk Pie