Meet Colton Wagner | Private Chef/Business owner

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

Hi Colton, can you share the most important lesson you’ve learned over the course of your career?
Never slow down. When I was 15 years olds old I got my first job in the kitchen. Little did I know for the next 12 years I would “never slow down.” I don’t mean I never relaxed or took some time to myself. That’s important too. What I mean is I did everything I could to get to the next step. When I was washing dishes I wanted to learn how to cook. Once I began cooking I wanted to know all the stations, then how to be a sous chef, Executive chef, then eventually how to run the whole business. I never slowed down. I only attended college for a brief time and I think because of that I’ve always had a little chip on my shoulder. It was the fear of failure that pushed me to never slow down and to make success the only option. I’m excited to continue my passion through my own personal chef business, The Colorado Cache, LLC.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I was always an artistic kid growing up. We didn’t have a ton of money, so my mother always found ways to entertain through art. Something as simple as a nice pen and a blank book for drawing, I would find myself occupied for hours. I was always studying ways to get better, and later I became addicted to creating. I also grew up on a ranch in Durango, CO and my grandmother La Quita could make the most amazing meals out of nothing. She taught me how to create through the garden, and how to can veggies and make sausage. To this day, there is nothing like her chicken fried elk steak.

Once I was working in the kitchen I’ll never forget the first time I saw a saute chef plating an incredible dish that looked not only beautiful but also tasted amazing – I was hooked. My love for art and the science of cooking had merged. The fact that I could get paid to create art on a plate, I knew where I wanted to be.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I currently reside in beautiful Boulder, Colorado. If my friends were in town, we would start with dinner at Basta. The food they create in their single, wood-fired oven is truly incredible.

The next morning we would definitely head out to Coot Lake to walk and check out the reservoir and the beautiful views of the Flatirons. Cruising Pearl St. and a visit to CU Campus are also essential parts of the Boulder experience. Most Saturdays you’ll find me at the Farmer’s Market for some heady, local ingredients (and the best people watching) and cook local food for my friends. At some point, we would head over to McDevitt for tacos for not only the best tacos in town but also the best dry rub wings in town. The Anne U. White trail is a hidden gem with lots of shade which makes for a great hike for those not ready for altitude or Sanitas. A trip to Boulder isn’t complete without a day trip to Nederland – preferably during Frozen Dead Guy Days – and of course a ride on the Carousel of Happiness. At some point, we would head to Oak for some world-class cocktails and grab dinner on the rooftop views at Corrida. Finally, we’d close the night out at the Pearl St. Pub – a Boulder institution! It just isn’t Boulder unless you kiss the buffalo at The Pub.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to shout out a place and a person. I spent almost a decade as a chef at The Kitchen Restaurant Group. Starting as a line cook and working my way up to a National Executive Chef I got to travel the country and open new restaurants. The Kitchen restaurants gave me an opportunity to learn and grow professionally. My time there paved the path for where I stand today.

In the past several years I have been cooking private events with my dear friend and mentor, 2-Michelin starred chef Merlin Verrier. He has been pushing me to be a stronger more creative chef for the better half of a decade. As he settled into his brick-and-mortar restaurant Street Feud, I’m excited to continue the culinary journey through The Colorado Cache, LLC.
Shout out to Chef Merlin Verrier!!!

Website: thecoloradocache.com

Instagram: @thecoloradocache

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colton-wagner-959a82b7/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Colorado-Cache-LLC-108611291822874