Chef Robert Valaika is a veteran of the culinary arts. He began his career by attending culinary school in Chicago and graduating from Kendall College with a B.S. in Culinary Arts and Management. After college he worked in a variety of professional kitchens including those of Charlie Trotter and Nobu Matsuhisa. These trend setting chefs enhanced Robert’s palette and technique.

After several years of cooking in Chicago he packed up and drove to the mountains of Aspen and Park City. The outstanding restaurant scenes in these mountain towns gave Robert the opportunity to prepare his signature cuisine. His tenure at Matsuhisa made it possible to plan and prepare custom meals for clients such as Sally Fields, Jack Nicholson and reunion parties for Cheers and Saturday Night Live casts. In addition he organized and managed special events for the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival, Chalone Wine Estate, and Robert Mondavi Wines.

Kevin Valaika developed his creative eye and attention to detail after graduating from the University of Illinois and moving to Park City in 1989. His skill was quickly recognized and it wasn’t long until he was hired to be part of the restaurant management team that would open Five Star restaurants Grappa and Wahso Asian Grille. Kevin was also interviewed and hired by Robert Redford to open Zoom Roadhouse Grille, a mainstay for those who attend the Sundance Film Festival. During the 2002 Winter Olympics in Park City he was the man behind the scenes providing first class attention to the internationally invited guests of major sponsor of the games Samsung Corporation.