The Summit Steakhouse - Chef Patrick Swetnam

I am a Colorado native with a well rounded background in upscale dining and cuisine. My career in food started in my teens, where I held kitchen positions in various chain restaurants. At the age of twenty, I decided to pursue my culinary education at Johnson and Wales University, there I flourished and graduated with honors in the advanced standing class. When I was finished with my culinary education, I had the opportunity to train and polish my skills at the Broadmoor Hotel working an intense externship program under Chef Ziggy Eisenberger, while I was there they had offered me a Demi Chef position which I accepted. After five years at the Broadmoor Hotel, I tested my skills at Mackenzie's Chop House and later accepted a Chef de Cuisine position at the Cliff House at Pikes Peak to work under Chef Scott Savage; I was able to adapt a lot of his technique to create my own signature cooking style. After three years, I was promoted to Executive Sous Chef which I held for four years.
My opportunities had rounded my skills and taught me so much that I decided to start my own catering company. My culinary career had thrived in Colorado; after successful cooking competitions and working for exceptional kitchens, I decided to take an opportunity to move to Texas and work for the Historical Gage Hotel as their Executive Sous Chef with Chef Bandon Waddel. I have always prided myself in my knowledge and preparation of meat and Texas was a "prime" location to do just that. Working with fresh wild game meats, it helped me expand my knowledge and skills of preparations to be able to bring a fresh authentic experience to the customer. Being a Colorado native, naturally I was a little home sick, but just in time because the View House of Downtown Denver had called and needed a new Executive Sous Chef to work with Chef Jose Guerrero, which I happily accepted. Although my time at the View House was short and sweet, I was promoted to Executive Chef, which opened up the doors for me to accept the Executive Chef position here at the Summit Steakhouse.
Finally able to run my own kitchen, I have been bringing my flair in presentation and fresh weekly specials to the table. Some of the product we have been featuring includes meats such as rattlesnake, king crab, and high quality beef from Sterling Silver. What I would like to accomplish here at the Summit Steakhouse would be to expand the catering department, which we have already started to do and to revamp the menu, so we can bring a new upscale twist to the already classic dining experience that the Summit Steakhouse has provided to the community for the past forty years.