I Dream Of…An Instructor Less Ordinary.


Chef Instructors

Peter RyanPeter Ryan C.C.C., Executive Chef Instructor – The Iconoclast
A student of Cook Street’s inaugural class, Peter returned to his alma mater after a successful stint as Chef at Z Cuisine in Denver. With more than 10 years of experience in professional kitchens, including a sous chef position at the esteemed Culinary Renaissance in New Jersey, Chef Ryan provides a thorough and well-schooled knowledge of the culinary field. In addition to his formal training, Chef Ryan continues to expand his education through ACF certification. Chef Pete was nominated one of Denver Magazine’s Rising Stars of the Year in 2009 and is known for his down-to-earth, unconventional style.


altDale Eiden, C.E.C., Chef Instructor – The Classic
Chef Dale Eiden is a Certified Executive Chef and a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Arriving in Colorado in 1978, he teamed up with Chef Michael Comstedt to own and operate the renowned Greenbriar Inn in Boulder, where they received the prestigious Travel Holiday Award. With over 30 years of professional culinary and management experience, Chef Dale has worked in many of the best hotels and country clubs in Chicago and Los Angeles, including the Century Plaza and Bonaventure Hotels. He was also Executive Chef at the Tamarron Resort in Durango. Chef Dale loves, respects, and practices the classics, earning him title of most likely to flute a mushroom in the Cook Street kitchen. 

Deanna Scimio, Pastry Chef Instructor – The Perfectionist
Deanna Scimio has been in the restaurant industry for the past 16 years. Her love for pastry arts began at the age of 8, watching her grandmother make an apple pie. At age 19, she attended CSR and spent her last month of the program working at a patisserie/chocolatier in Provence, France. After graduating, she ran a wedding cake business in Vail during the summers and worked in a different Colorado kitchen every winter season until packing her bags and heading for Denver seven years later. From Frasca to Fruition, production to technique, Deanna insists on perfection in all that she does. 

John ParksJohn Parks, Lead Recreational Class Instructor – The Minimalist
Before returning to his culinary school to teach, Chef John had a storied career as a personal chef. Today, he brings his creativity and passion to a Chef Instructor role at the helm of Cook Street’s recreational offerings. A true minimalist, Chef John can do just about anything with a simple chef’s knife. 



Brian HardyBrian Hardy, Recreational Class Chef Instructor – The Straight Shooter
An alumnus of the Cook Street Professional Culinary Program, Brian brings his passion, patience and technique to his role as talented Chef Instructor.  Brian worked as a cook, supervisor, kitchen manager and sous chef at a number of restaurants in the Dayton, Ohio area before bringing his specialized knowledge to Cook Street.  He prides himself on his hands-on skills and his ability to lead by example. 


Brian Cook – The Renaissance Man
Working in a university dining hall kitchen as a young college student in the seventies taught Brian one lesson: don’t be afraid of the kitchen. An interest in baking began at the same university while working in the bakery; frying doughnuts and baking carrot cakes for thousands of students. These jobs became passions. Years later during summer visits to a small town in the Loire Valley of France, Brian would loiter in the village Boulangerie, eventually being asked to assist with croissant making and baguette baking. He honed these skills as a student of recreational cooking classes and then the professional program at Cook Street. With a background in education, Brian knew that he wanted to teach cooking, which brought him back to Cook Street as a chef instructor. Brian is also a classical musician, teaching music and performing in the orchestra pit of Central City Opera.

Marisa Fontana, European Tour Coordinator – The Natural
Marisa Fontana worked in a restaurant kitchen for a year and in a corporate kitchen for two years before enrolling in the Cook Street 180° Culinary Arts Program in October 2005. Combining her culinary background, her training at Cook Street, a college degree in French and extensive European travel, she is the ideal European Tour Coordinator. Having experienced the tour both as a student and a guide, Marisa is able to ensure that every student will get the most out of their travels to France and Italy. A true natural, Marisa enjoys bringing natural ingredients to every dish. 

Administration
Terry FreemanTerry Freeman, Chief Operating Officer
Terry combines her passionate love for food and wine with a solid business background as Cook Street’s Chief Operating Officer. Terry, who studied at Cook Street and even possesses her level two ISG wine certification, cut her teeth in the wine industry after earning degrees in philosophy and business.



Hollianne Hall, Admissions Coordinator
Hollianne has a formidable career in the admissions field. Most recently she served as the Admissions Counselor for Jones International University, Field/National Enrollment Specialist for Westwood College, and Admission Specialist for Culinary School of the Rockies (CSR). Additionally, she received her Chef Diploma from CSR in addition to a Certificate in Marketing from the University of Colorado and BA in Communications from Regis University.  

Thomas Allen, Alumni/Student Services Coordinator and Recreational Wine Instructor
Wine Instructor Thomas Allen began his culinary work at the Four Seasons Restaurant in New York City, where he immersed himself in the world of celebrity and haute cuisine. Following a stint at a specialty food store chain, he fell into a professional publishing career, and avidly pursued his primary loves — eating, drinking and being merry. When his career took him to Denver, he decided it was time to return to his childhood passion and entered the Cook Street 180° Culinary Program in 2008. A graduate of the International Sommelier Guild’s Sommelier Diploma Program and a Certified Specialist of Wine with the Society of Wine Educators, Thomas is currently working on his Certified Wine Educator accreditation and maintains a reputation as a true epicure among epicures.

altKathryn Brinkmann, Special Events & Recreational Class Coordinator/Wine Buyer
Skilled in event planning and saturated in the world of food and wine, Kathryn cultivated her craft at Denver institutions like Project Angel Heart, Mondo Vino, and the Colorado Culinary Series before joining Cook Street. Kathryn prides herself on being in tune with the tastes of both die-hard foodies and casual cooks, a skill she developed during a long career in fundraising, wine sales, and events direction.