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Gerald McKalister
Born in Chicago and raised in Boulder, Colorado, Gerald developed a deep passion for restaurants at the age of 15. Working at a seasonal restaurant in Boulder as a dishwasher, he became enamored with the fast-paced "organized chaos" environment and the interesting characters he met.
He graduated from the Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Ore., where he gained a great deal of knowledge of classic French cooking.
Gerald is quick to point out that the real training started the day he graduated. "Culinary schools give you a great start, but the real knowledge and skills come from working with established chefs and gaining hands-on experience," Gerald explained.
Returning to Boulder to fulfill his scholarship obligation, he went to work at the internationally acclaimed Flagstaff House restaurant. After two years of polishing his technical skills by working at every station, Gerald decided he needed more experience in a major metropolitan environment.
Our hero left Boulder in 1990 to take a position as sous chef with Charlie Trotter in Chicago. Working side by side with chefs from all over the world, he witnessed a cross-section of the top culinary talent, such as Emeril Lagasse, Thomas Keller, Norman Van Aken, David Bouley and Nobu Matsuhisa. These renowned chefs helped to shape Gerald's perspective on food and cooking.
After a year-and-a-half stint with Trotter, Gerald decided it was time to look for his own operation. Thumbing through a culinary publication, he read about an opportunity for a chef/general manager of a new restaurant in Telluride, slated to open in the winter of 1991.
Remembering a fond visit to Telluride as a high school senior, he took the position at the newly dubbed "221 South Oak."
Throughout the next seven years, Gerald honed his ideas about food, wine and restaurant management. The cuisine he developed was immediately recognized as Telluride's best. He received accolades from publications such as Gourmet, Food and Wine, USA Today, the Denver Rocky Mountain News and numerous international magazines. His cuisine has been described as internationally influenced regional American. Asian and Mediterranean flavors intertwine with classically prepared foods. Simple, creative combinations with an emphasis on quality ingredients and impeccable preparation have become his trademark.
Gerald constantly focuses on ways to improve upon and refine his unique brand of cuisine. He introduced the concept of a chef's menu, or tasting menu, to Telluride as a regular dining option. The wine list he developed at 221 is still considered one of Telluride's finest.
During the winter of 1999, we recruited McKalister as chef de cuisine and general manager of a new fine dining establishment at the top of the gondola, Arthur's, which opened on Dec. 8, 2000. Here, Gerald will once again help to redefine resort cuisine and create a truly unique dining experience.
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