Kitchen and Dining Room

Vista Verde Ranch Staff is the Best! Colorado Vacation Luxury Ranch

Cholly McGlynn

Food and Beverage Director
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
School: CU Boulder

Cholly started of as a Sous Chef at Vista Verde in the winter of 1998. He proceeded to stay on the ranch for approximately nine years before leaving to pursue Artisan bread baking skills. It didn’t take long for Cholly to realize that Vista Verde was his true home, and he returned as Executive Chef in 2012 with his wife, Alaya, whom he met at VVR. They have a little boy named Eamon and love spending time with him along with their little girl, Saoirse! Some of Chef Cholly’s interests include: hiking, fly fishing, camping, bow hunting and bread baking. Cholly is also a lifetime member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and a member of The Bread Baker’s Guild of America since 2004.

Jonathan Executive Chef Vista Verde Ranch

Jonathan Gillespie

Chef De Cuisine
Hometown: South Burlington, VT
Previous Position: Head Chef at The Home Ranch

Originally from Vermont Jonathan, his wife, and their kids have called Clark, CO their home for the last 12 years. Jonathan is a longtime friend to the ranch and we are thrilled to have him join our team this winter. Before coming to Vista, he was the head chief at The Home Ranch. When Jonathan is not cooking in the VVR kitchen, you will find him hunting and fishing! Fun Fact: He has been perfecting his apple pie recipe for 30 years!

Tanner, Chef at the all-inclusive guest ranch

Tanner Price

Chef De Cuisine
CPR/First Aid, Basic Fire Fighter, Personal Survival, STCW
Hometown: Denver, CO
School: CU Denver
Previous Position: Head Chef at The Griffin Tavern

Tanner is a Coloradoan, born and bred. He says, “If I were a recipe I would consists of three main ingredients. 1= Camp; I have been a part of a non-profit that reunites brothers and sisters separated in foster care since 1995 called Camp To Belong (my mother is the founder). 2=Chef; I have over 14 years of experience in the professional kitchens of various concepts. Most recently as a chef, I was the opening chef of a tavern in the Denver Tech Center, spent 3 months traveling abroad in Spain as a hostel cook and tour guide, and worked for a river cruise line on the east coast and in the Sea of Cortez. 3=Skate/Snowboard; I have been riding since I could walk and attribute many of my defining characteristics to the lessons I have learned from falling hard and progressing in sports that have no limit. If it has to do with giving I am in, and if it has to do with an outdoor adrenaline filled adventure, I’ll meet you there!” He is excited to become a part of the VVR team and looking forward to creating one master piece of a dish after another.

David M. Lossing

Chef De Cuisine
ServSafe Manager Certified, ServSafe Proctor
Hometown: Marine on the Saint Croix

David has been all over the west coast working seasonally in various national parks as well as doing private chef work. Some of the destinations David has worked include Glacier Bay Lodge and Tours in Alaska, Beach Chalet Brewery in San Francisco, Wuksachi Lodge in Sequoia National Park, and National Half Dome Lodge in Yosemite. While he isn’t working, you might find David fishing, hiking, camping, and of course, cooking!

Melissa Margason

Pastry Chef
School: New England Culinary Institute AOS

A lifelong love of horses, food, and anything outdoors brought Melissa west in 2015. After one summer season at a ranch in Wyoming, she found Vista Verde and called it home. Working at VVR has provided a way to combine the career of a pastry chef and the desire to spend time outside hiking and riding like nowhere else could. Each season has it’s own highlights; the Christmas Day feast, skiing, snowmobiling, fall cattle drives and pumpkin pies, summer popsicles and long hikes in the Zirkels.

Prior to heading west, she worked in various pastry positions for ten years in the Northern Virginia region, including restaurants, catering and wholesale volume pastry production. She graduated from the New England Culinary Institute AOS in Montpelier, Vermont in 2004.

After her first winter season, it was quite apparent that Nathan (our safety manager) was the cowboy she had been waiting for, and they were married in October of 2016.

Alex Dallas

Line Cook
Hometown: Dayton, TX
Previous Job: Waiter at Fish Tales

Alex is joining us from the great country of Texas, and is joining VVR for his third season! He is a huge fan of fantasy fiction literature, his favorite author is J.R.R. Tolkien and has read the “Lord of the Rings“ books three times. Alex is a former Cadet Gunnery Sergeant in Dayton High School MCJROTC and is a proud Eagle Scout. Alex also loves Dungeons and Dragons and Magic the Gathering. Fun fact: Alex once spent 24 hours straight binge watching “Doctor Who“.

Daniella Maldonado

Line Cook
Hometown: Helena, MT
Previous Job: Yellowstone National Park

Our newest addition to the VVR kitchen is Daniella! She is joining us for her first season here at the ranch. Daniella was a military kid growing up all over the United States. Her favorite place she has live is Germany! Before coming the ranch she was working in Yellowstone National Park. Daniella loves to play the flute and paint. You can catch Daniella snowshoeing around the ranch with her bright green snowshoes!

Zane Ross

Sanitation Specialist
School: Souix Falls, SD

We are excited to welcome Zane to Vista Verde! Zane recently interned at a production studio where he was a camera operator and a sound engineer. Zane has an interest in studying the culinary arts further and is excited to get more experience in the VVR kitchen! Fun Fact: Zane spent this past summer touring in a band!

Damon Shaw

Head Server

Hometown: Nashville, TN

Damon is joining us for his third season in the dining room. He enjoyed his winter on the ranch so much that he decided he had to see what summer has to offer! You can catch Damon hiking and fishing on his off days. He loves to workout and spend time in the outdoors. We’re glad to have his smile back in the dining room this season!

Katie Grosso

Server
Hometown: Whiting, NJ
School: MA Candidate: University of Colorado Denver, BA: Rutgers University

Katie is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Counseling Clinical Mental Health at UC Denver. She has an interest in transpersonal, Jungian, and somatic psychotherapy. Her bachelor’s degree is in Women and Gender Studies. She is also a certified Mind Body Eating Coach through the Institute for the Psychology of Eating. When she’s not serving in the dining room, you’ll likely find her out in the sun reading, working on a screenplay or poem, or pondering life’s deep questions. When she grows up, she either wants to be a philosopher queen or Marion Cotillard. She’s excited for her second season at Vista Verde, and the chance to live and work in this beautiful mountain oasis.

Annie Wingo

Server

Hometown: Greeley, CO

We are elated to have Annie back working at Vista Verde Ranch. If you see her around, say congratulations, because she just passed her exam to become a licensed cosmetologist! Annie met her now husband, Zach, at the ranch, and they got married this spring. Fun fact: Annie has a beautiful singing voice, and can bake with the best of them!

Erica Yaeger

Server
Hometown: Madisonville, LA

School:The University of New Orleans

Erica is joining us for her first season at the ranch! She recently graduated with her degree in hospitality. During college Erica worked at Disney World. Before coming to Vista, she was working in Washington at a kid’s camp. Fun Fact: Erica is scuba certified!

Luxury All Inclusive Colorado Ranch Vacation Vista Verde

Jessica Fanczi

Server
Hometown: Dacula, GA
School: Reinhardt University

We are excited to welcome Jessie for her first season at Vista! The first time she visited Colorado was during an accidental layover and knew she wanted to come back. Jessie, studied English in college and has been published in a few academic and art journals. One day she hopes to publish a book! Her favorite book ever is Jane Eyre by: Charlotte Bronte.

Chase Wonderlic Dining Room at Vista Verde Guest Ranch

Chase Winderlic

Server

Wilderness First Responder

Hometown: Liberityville, IN

Chase is joining us this winter for his first season! Before coming to the ranch Chase was leading service trips in Morocco. Chase is a foodie. He is excited to be working in the dining room seeing the behind the scenes of how great food is made, as well as trying it all! Fun Fact: In college Chase minored in Ancient Greek.

Clarice Callahan

Server
Hometown: Grand Rapids, MI

School: Grand Valley State University

Clarice is joining us for a for her first season at VVR! She has graduated from college and is taking a gap year before beginning medical school in the fall! She wants to specialize in pediatrics. When she is not in the dining room, you can find Clarice going for a ski or a run. Fun Fact: In high school she held her schools record for the fastest 1 mile!

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Kitchen and Dining Room

Cholly McGlynn

Jonathan Gillespie

Tanner Price

David M. Lossing

Melissa Margason

Alex Dallas

Daniella Maldonado

Zane Ross

Damon Shaw

Katie Grosso

Annie Wingo

Erica Yaeger

Jessica Fanczi

Chase Winderlic

Clarice Callahan

What Are You Waiting For?

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