Meet Your Chef: Alex Rejonis’ mission at Up the Creek is a “true Colorado dining experience”
Whether ordering to-go or dining in, local chefs are working hard to keep people fed safely this winter
Editor’s note: To answer the Vail Daily’s Meet Your Chef questionnaire, email Assistant Editor Ross Leonhart (rleonhart@vaildaily.com) or Arts & Entertainment Editor Casey Russell (crussell@vaildaily.com).
Like many people living in the valley, the mountains of Colorado lured chef Alex Rejonis here, but he’s found himself happily working creekside in Vail Village at Up the Creek.
1. How long have you lived in the valley and what brought you here?
I have lived in the valley since 2013, and snowboarding is what brought me to Vail.
2. Where did your passion for cooking come from?
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My passion for cooking came from a childhood friend’s family in South Carolina. Their dad owned a restaurant and I would go there to hang out and learn from their dad and the chef about cooking. That is when my passion for cooking started.
3. What do you enjoy about being a chef in the Vail Valley?
I love being a chef in the valley because I love cooking for people from all over the world. I get to utilize global cuisine and I work at night so I get to snowboard all day
4. What’s one thing you are proud of that people might not know?
People might not know that I am an Eagle Scout. I am super proud of that. I have learned a lot of great skills and discipline being an Eagle Scout.
5. Skier or snowboarder (or neither)? How often do you get out and where do you go. Also, what are your favorite summer activities?
I wish I could say both but I am just a snowboarder. I get on the mountain a lot — I do 100 days a year! My favorite summer activities are mountain biking, rock crawling in my jeep and camping, especially at Piney. Living in Vail is great — there is so much to do all the time!
6. What do you like to eat?
I love seafood. I could eat it for every meal my whole life if I had to. I love anything local. I love the cultural concept of food so I love eating local no matter where I go.
9. If you weren’t a chef, what would you be doing?
I will always be a chef. I have worked in a kitchen since I was 15 years old and I can’t see that changing!
10. What can diners expect from a meal at your restaurant?
Guests of Up The Creek can expect to enjoy local Colorado organic cuisine. We are using as much organic and local ingredients that we can get our hands on, down to the butter we use. I get everything I can possibly get from Colorado. When you dine with us you will get a true Colorado dinning experience. My biggest goal is to give customers a true Colorado dinning experience.
