Clarke, Kevin

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photo - Kevin Clarke with culinary students

Kevin Clarke

Director of Culinary Education
970-496-4153 | kclarke@coloradomtn.edu

Education

  • BS and JD in Business Administration, University of Colorado.

Kevin Clarke is a 1996 graduate of Colorado Mountain College's first Culinary Arts class and has been the director of the Keystone program since 2000. He has been involved in the food and beverage industry for over twenty years with experience ranging from being the chef of a white water rafting company to the Chef de Cuisine for the historic Ski Tip Lodge in Keystone, Colorado.

Kevin has been actively involved in culinary competitions for the past fifteen years and acts the coach for the student competition team at Keystone, leading them to several state championships.

Kevin urges culinary candidates to seriously consider Colorado Mountain College when looking for a respected program that can translate into a five-star career:

"Colorado Mountain College's apprenticeship program is so unique and powerful because it gives students the advantage of having three years of work experience while in training. Other schools' programs are primarily based on classroom lectures, so their students lack real world experience and experience combined with education is what will get you the job you are looking for."

Personal Interests

When he's not cooking and teaching, Clarke is busy being husband and father. His wife Claire and their two daughters enjoy all that Colorado living has to offer, including skiing, biking, hiking and raising the family’s Arabian horses.

Kevin McCombs

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“The culinary apprentice program at Colorado Mountain College was the perfect start to my career in the hospitality industry. It furnished me with the tools to become the Executive Chef of the award-winning Ski Tip Lodge and go on to owning my business as a personal chef in House Cured Culinary. You, too, can jump start your culinary career with the Colorado Mountain College Keystone Culinary Institute."

Kevin McCombs, House Cured Culinary/Owner/Executive Chef, Dillon, Colorado

AJ Fazendin

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CMC culinary graduate A.J. Fazendin launches Prescribed Spirits in Broward County, Florida. He's custom distilling gin and breaking ground with an entrepreneurship partnership. An excellent martini gin, his recipe blends herbs and botanicals. He said it’s very fragrant, smooth and without overpowering juniper flavor.

Brian Baker

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“I started out at the [Keystone] Ski Tip as executive chef in ’04, and 11 years later, we were recognized nationally for creating consistent, upscale cuisine. With the Open Table award, last year we made the top 100 list, and we felt like our hard work had finally been recognized. This year [2014], this time around, being named sixth best restaurant in the country goes to show that consistency in product and a quality staff in the front and the back of the house — the majority of whom come from Colorado Mountain College’s culinary program — make a real difference."

Brain Baker, Chef/Owner, Watershed Café, Leavenworth, WA (locally sourced - farm to table, Pacific north west cuisine)

Eric Watson

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"It was the most rewarding experience of my life. This is the real world. The other school I attended just kind of simulated it. This program gave me 100% confidence because I was doing the work on a daily basis. The Colorado Mountain College Culinary Institute at Keystone provides an ideal environment for aspiring culinarians. The three-year apprenticeship equips passionate culinarians with the confidence to succeed in an aggressive and competitive industry."

Eric Watson and his wife, Sara, another CMCCI graduate, own and operate Mezzaluna in Fargo, named best restaurant in North Dakota by msn.com and OpenTable.

Sara Watson

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"My experience at the Colorado Mountain College Culinary Institute was extremely challenging yet rewarding. The three years of hands-on training in a variety of kitchens provided me with the skills necessary to move forward in the kitchen and discover my own creativity. I learned the business end of the industry, from bookkeeping and keeping track of profit margins to marketing. Without this knowledge, our business would not be nearly as successful as it is today."

Sara Watson is co-owner of Mezzaluna in Fargo, named best restaurant in North Dakota by msn.com and OpenTable. She manages the restaurant with her husband, Eric, another graduate.