In Chef Zach’s classes, deep learning is balanced with plenty of fun. “I like that I get to do something I love and am able to share it with people who are interested,” Zach said. “It’s great to share the tips and tricks that I’ve been able to accumulate over the years.”
Zach started racking up those tips and tricks at an early age, beginning as a dishwasher at Longmont’s Sugarbeet Restaurant at 15 and working his way up the ladder to working the line. After Sugarbeet, he moved to Farmer Girl in Lyons and soon headed to The Culinary Institute of American (CIA) in Hyde Park, New York.
Once he’d completed his culinary degree, Zach was chosen for the coveted role as the sous chef at American Bounty, the CIA’s onsite restaurant. “It’s a hyper intense farm-to-table restaurant. Every week we’d break down huge carts of local vegetables,” Zach said. “It’s a teaching kitchen, so we’d keep the standards high while training new staff every week.”
Oahu’s award-winning Senia restaurant was Zach’s next stop, where he helped open a luxury cocktail lounge called Bar Podmore. Next, he expanded into bartending, working at Et Al in Honolulu, followed by a stint in Maui where he worked as a private chef and bartended at Waicoco.
“Then the Lahaina Fires happened so I took a break from the restaurant industry to help with cleanup. Full respirator, hazmat suit, the whole thing,” Zach said. “After that, I worked in construction helping the community build back.”
He made the move home to Colorado and joined Ginger and Baker in 2025. “It’s great to be a part of the G&B team, it’s a talented group that is always pushing to grow and learn.”
When not working, Zach enjoys practicing jujitsu, reading, playing board games, spending time with friends and family, and walking the family dogs, JC, a border collie mix, and Luna, a pittie mix.
His favorite pie? “I love steak and ale pies. Flaky pastry crust with hearty slow braised meat and a lot of beer.”
