Erik Skaar, Executive Sous Chef:
I was born and raised in Minneapolis, MN. Living in the diverse inner city I was exposed to many different cultures, cuisines and ingredients. This unique environment allowed my interest in cooking to flourish and shaped my love for food. When I turned 23 I realized I needed a change of scenery to help grow my skills and learn from new and difference experiences. I moved to central Florida to work for a large seafood restaurant as a corporate trainer. This allowed me to move around and see more places as I helped to open new restaurants for them all over the state. Wanting to get more creative experience actually working in a kitchen, I turned down a culinary director
position for the opportunity to head a new kitchen in Denver. A year after I created the menu for its opening, the economic downturn forced the restaurant to close. After a couple of short stints at local restaurants I found my home at Olivéa where I've been since December of 2009, and was promoted to Executive Sous Chef in January of 2011.
Ernest Waldrop, Sous Chef:
I grew up in a large family with three older brothers in Pensacola, FL. They are all Jehovah’s Witnesses outside of my oldest brother Jonathon, so my childhood was a little restricted to say the least. That is one of many reasons I have always aspired to be a chef, it was a way to have no boundaries and be creative. My father used to take me Waffle House on Sunday mornings and from before I was a teenager I always said that I was going to cook there someday. Turns out I did. I went on my 16th birthday to get a job at Waffle House. It was my entrance to the culinary world. From there my culinary adventures led me to Jamie’s French Restaurant where I met my future wife Hannah, and a year later she and I moved to New Orleans so I could work at Commander’s Palace. After Katrina hit, Hannah and I decided moved back home for a short stint before moving to North Carolina where I worked at Fig in the Biltmore Village, then to Tennessee where I worked at Margot’s where we changed the menu daily based on what was brought in from by the local farmers.While working at Margot’s, I got a call from my old Sous Chef Danny Trace from Commander’s in New Orleans. He offered me a line cook position to move to Destin, FL to help open the second Commander’s Palace. So, I had to accept and Hannah and I moved again. Unfortunately Commander’s Palace wasn’t a good fit for the beachside clientele, and it closed shortly after, allowing me to move to 30A, a tasting menu only restaurant. I worked there until the BP Oil Spill caused the whole town to shut down
I love Olivéa and enjoy cooking in that wonderful small kitchen so much. One thing that I truly love about cooking here is the quality of ingredients, it is unsurpassed. I have been committed to Olivéa since my first day that I staged and I wasn’t going to take no for an answer I am excited about my recent promotion to Sous Chef here.
Liz Batkin, Manager:
I grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico where my father directs a museum and my upbringing was saturated with the visual arts. I completed my degree in Art History and English at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ. After college, I returned to Santa Fe and spent some time working at the highly acclaimed staple, Cafe Pasqual’s. The level of dedication to organic food at Pasqual’s was very inspiring to me, and was very much the impetus to get my hands dirty and explore some farming myself. I left Santa Fe to travel around the Mediterranean alone for a while. In Italy I worked as a WWOOFer (Willing Workers on Organic Farms) at several organic farms and Agriturismos. Down South in Abruzzo with pigs, goats and an organic vegetable garden, and up North in Piedmonte, on a hazelnut orchard and farm.
After I returned home from my trip in 2007 I re-located to Denver, and started working at duo immediately, and met my husband Andrew there soon after. I moved from duo to open Olivéa and am delighted to be a part of the management team here, and to celebrate four years with the company.
In my free time, my hubby chef and I, along with some friends run a pop-up restaurant in Denver; Noble Swine Supper Club. We strive to provide a creative venue to highlight the talents of young chefs and sommeliers, and bring folks in the Denver community together around a beautiful table. My mother frequently said, “food is love” when I was growing up, and I try to bring that simple philosophy with me into all of my work.
Libby Tegeler, Manager:
My appreciation for wonderful food started at home, in Morrison, Illinois, a very small Midwestern farm town where every meal was Farm-to-Table. Everyone has a lovely garden that they enjoy and share during the summer, can or freeze what they are able to in the fall, then enjoy it again in the winter. Our meat comes from the butcher shop located right on the farm where the animals are raised. Needless to say, I grew up eating a lot of local, fresh foods.
I started working in restaurants in high school at a little family owned Mexican Restaurant. Everything they made was a family recipe and made in-house. It was so small that as a server, you were also the bartender, cashier, food-runner, and buser. I even cleaned the griddle at the end of each night. Everyone helped each other, which was a great learning opportunity for the restaurant industry. After high school, I went to college at the University of Iowa and studied Social Work. I worked at a couple restaurants along the way and even served patients their dinner at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. In 2003, I graduated and moved to Denver, CO.
Not long after moving to Denver, I found my way to Duo. After working there for 4 years, I moved to Duo’s sister Restaurant, Olivea. I have been with the company for almost 6 years now and it has been such a treat working in such a great learning environment. I really appreciate the time and effort that goes into all of our menus. I have learned so much about food wine and that continues everyday.
When I’m not at Olivea, I have a handful of activities that keep me busy. I’m a massage therapist with a small practice out of my home. I love spending time with my pink Kitchen Aid making treats for my sweet tooth. Hiking with my dog Murphy, yoga, and planning my wedding fill in the rest of the gaps!
