CHRIS CROWL, EXECUTIVE CHEF/PROPRIETOR

Crowl is no stranger to fine kitchens. He attended The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, from 1991 to 1993 and then completed a formative externship in Philadelphia at the award-winning Fountain Restaurant in the Four Season's Hotel. One week after graduation from CIA, he strapped his snowboard to the top of his ten-year-old Honda and moved to Sun Valley, Idaho. There, he worked in fine dining for the ski area and later at Salvatore's Italian restaurant before packing his belongings and driving to Colorado. Once in Aspen, he was executive chef for three of his six years at Krabloonik, a restaurant that specializes in wild game.

By the late 1990s, Crowl wanted a break from overseeing a kitchen and was eager to learn a new cuisine. He found a change of pace as a line cook at Aspen's Matsuhisa, which is world-renown for Nobu Matsuhisa's Japanse and world fusion cuisine. The work environment was tough. Crowl had to prove that he could retain information and do a good job before the sushi chefs would share their knowledge, but he gradually gained their confidence and was entrusted with techniques in the disciplined style of Japanese cooking. During this time, he was also awarded a certificate in the Court of Master Sommeliers.

Crowl moved to Durango in 2002 to buy a house and start a family. Eventually, he became the executive chef at Glacier Club at the Tammaron, where he stayed for over two years.

With nightly sushi specials, Crowl's influence is readily apparent on the Cosmo's menu, but much of his impact is subtler. He's built a rapport with local growers because he believes in buying locally whenever possible. From a chef's perspective, this translates into each dish's ingredients being fresh and succulent. From a customer's perspective, it means that each item on the menu is infused with creativity and awash with flavor.

ALEX KLINOVSKY, PASTRY CHEF

Alex's culinary journey began before he can remember, when his parents would cart him along to work at the local food co-op where they volunteered.  This exposure to organic produce and high quality food products would stick with him forever.  In high school he would go on to become an employee of the The Glut food co-op, embracing a healthy diet of local and vegetarian foods.

After graduating from the University of Colorado at Boulder, Alex pursued his passion of cooking, moving to Telluride to work at the acclaimed 221 South Oak Restaurant as well as baking pastries for the New Sheridan Hotel.  Under Chef Eliza Goodall, he would be given his first opportunity in the pastry arena where he discovered his natural talent in creating original desserts.  He managed to juggle both pastry and garde manger duties while snowboarding 100 days a year.

A year later, Alex leapt at the opportunity to move to California to work at the highly acclaimed Gardens of Avila Restaurant under Chef Ralph Fabula.  At the Gardens, a massive variety of fruits, vegetables and herbs were always at hand.....you just had to go pick them.  It became a daily ritual for the chefs to meet in the gardens and discuss the day's specials.  This experience would forever impact his culinary style and more with less ingredients when they at the peak of freshness.  After three years, Alex decided to return to the Rocky Mountains.

After receiving a call from Chef Andrew Marx of the Greenbriar Inn in Boulder, Alex packed his things and rushed back to Colorado.  Several years later he settled in Durango and hasn't looked back since.  He loves collaborating with Angela Heuman, another pastry chef friend, reinventing classic flavor profiles.  Alex spends his free time hiking with his dogs, biking and tending to his vegetable gardens.

JAMES ALLRED, DINING ROOM MANAGER

James Allred returns to the Cosmo family after gaining experiences in a range of fine dining establishments across the west.  Common themes for James include working in beautiful towns that value outdoor pursuits, seeking fine and unique food preparations and utilizing his extensive knowledge of wines.

James was first exposed to these themes while working at the Mural Room at Jackson Lake Lodge in Grand Teton National Park.  He was then lured to Telluride to work a the Peaks Resort.  This was not a difficult move for James given his love of skiing. 

After gaining experience in serving, bartending and banquets, James joined the Cosmopolitan in Telluride in 1996.  With a chance to move to the "big city", James joined the management team at EO's Chophouse in Durango.  While working at EO's he met his future wife.  In order to support her in pursing her graduate education and start her career, he followed her to Oregon and Utah where he continued to serve, bartend and manage fine dining establishments including the award winning Metropolitan in Salt Lake City.

After seven years, James and his wife returned to Durango, the area they call home and the place they want to raise their two daughters. After managing East by Soutwest and The Golden Triangle, James returned to the Cosmo family by accepting the dining room manager position at the Durango establishment.  He is excited to have the opportunity to continue to expand his culinary and enological horizons.  James is presently in negotiations to some day be a business partner of the Cosmo with Chris Crowl.