Kelly Liken is an American chef and restaurant owner. She has appeared as a contestant on the television shows ''Top Chef'', and ''Iron Chef America''.

Personal life

Liken was born in

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...

, and she currently lives in

Vail, Colorado Vail is a home rule municipality in Eagle County, Colorado, United States. The population of the town was 4,835 in 2020. Home to Vail Ski Resort, the largest ski mountain in Colorado, the town is known for its hotels, dining, and for the num ...

. She attended the

Culinary Institute of America Culinary arts are the cuisine arts of food preparation, cooking and presentation of food, usually in the form of meals. People working in this field – especially in establishments such as restaurants – are commonly called chefs or ...

where she graduated first in her class. She married Rick Colomitz in 2004.

Professional career

Liken was an intern at the Inn at Little Washington in

Washington, Virginia The town of Washington, Virginia, is a historic village located in the eastern foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park. The entire town is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district, Wa ...

. She moved to Colorado in 2002 and began to work in the kitchen at Splendido at the Chateau in

Beaver Creek, Colorado Beaver Creek is an unincorporated community in Eagle County, Colorado, United States. Beaver Creek is located immediately south of the town of Avon and encompasses the Beaver Creek Resort and adjacent business, lodging, golf course, and resid ...

, where she met her future husband, Rick Colomitz. In 2004, she opened Restaurant Kelly Liken in Vail and later that year, she married Colomitz. Her husband was general manager and wine director at the restaurant, which closed in 2015. In June 2016 she opened her new restaurant project, Harvest Vail located in

Edwards, Colorado Edwards is an unincorporated town, a post office, and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Eagle County, Colorado, United States. Edwards is the principal town of the Edwards, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area. The Edwards ...

. She visited the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in ...

Washington DC ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

on 19 April 2011 two months after First Lady Michelle Obama visited her restaurant for dinner with her daughters. She has appeared on television on the Bravo Network's Top Chef D.C, on the Food Network's Iron Chef America, and on the CBS Morning Show.

Charity work

Liken is one of the founders of the Sowing Seeds Program (Part of the Vail Valley Youth Foundation). Sowing Seeds focuses on the scientific aspect of teaching children about how foods grow, as well as the accompanying nutritional message of eating healthy. This program involves a greenhouse project at Brush Creek Elementary School where students plant and care for their own gardens. Liken and her namesake restaurant are supporters of the Vail Jazz Foundation; hosting events throughout the year in conjunction with the foundation.Vail Jazz Festival
Vail Jazz Foundation

Awards

* Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. 2005–2012 * AAA 4-Diamond Award, Restaurant Kelly Liken. 2006–2012 * James Beard Award Semi-Finalist; Best Chef Southwest. 2009, 2010, 2011 * Winner ''Wine Spectator'' Taste of Vail Bar Chef Mix-Off. 2007, 2008 * Taste of Vail Lamb Cook-Off Winner. 2010, 2011

References

External links

Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Liken, Kelly American chefs Living people Businesspeople from Pittsburgh 1976 births Culinary Institute of America alumni People from Vail, Colorado