Meet Paul Anders | Chef and Restaurant Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Paul Anders and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Paul, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Wow, challenging question to narrow down to a single most important factor, but I would absolutely group the success of both myself and the Sweet Basil brand under the desire to “win”. The pursuit of excellence and a desire to be the best has always driven me. I am a realist, and I do know that I am not the best in anything. To achieve that selective title of the absolute best, is likely near impossible for most. However, “the shoot for the moon, land amongst the stars” mentality has enabled me to be consistently excellent at a lot of things. That overarching mindset filters into so many aspects of life. I am genuinely upset by failure, not discouraged, but motivated to be better and not let that failure define me. When we have negative comments or reviews from our guest, it feels like a gut punch. But, it does serve as a motivation to not let it happen again. We strive to be just a little bit better every day, move the needle a small percentage every day, but be sure to move that needle.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am not sure how my story would play out in todays work environment. As an aspiring and young chef, I worked a ton of hours, both on and off the clock. It was part of the gig, how you got ahead back in the day. I did it happily because I loved being a cook. I loved food and I wanted to get ahead in my career. With the ever important focus on work and life balance, my views may be different today and perhaps I would not have risen to the top so quickly? I was running a 4 star restaurant by the age of 25 and had seemingly risen to the top at a very young age. Hindsight, maybe too young, as I had so much to learn, Little did I know at the time, of course I thought I knew it all. I would love for the world to know that hard work does trump all. It will get you ahead and will lead to success. The real question is at what cost?

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Vail is known as a winter sports destination, so if the season was right, skiing and playing in the snow would have to be at the top. But there is so much more to this valley. Breathtaking hikes, amazing fly fishing, and back to winter…snowmobiling are all memorable experiences. Per capita, Vail has an amazing array of restaurants and as a chef….I love to eat!! Better yet, eating, drinking and hanging out with great company is one of my favorite past times.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My business partner Matt Morgan, and former partner Kevin Clair, for giving me a shot at being an owner, They saw enough in me and the potential I had and gave me that chance. Of course I worked hard for that opportunity, but without them taking the chance, I would definitely not be where I am today. I would also love to thank my family, including parents, in-laws, wife and kids for there support and encouragement. They have also made our current life possible through sacrifice and support.

Website: sweetbasilvail.com

Instagram: paulanders4411