Cristian not only brings talent and passion to the Sweet Basil kitchen, he has charisma and character that encourages a professional yet fun environment. He will do almost anything to get a good laugh out of everyone.
However, when it’s time to provide a guest with a memorable experience rich in culinary excellence, he gets the job done with perfection and leaves the guest no choice but to return. Chef Cristian grew up in restaurants and at a young age was determined to follow another path, but as the saying goes, you can take the boy out of the kitchen but not the kitchen out of the boy. His family and their businesses are his biggest inspirations and feed his determination to grow, learn, and create. Seeing the happiness that can be gifted to others just through cooking them great food is something his grandmother taught him and what he strives for every day in the kitchen. Cristian grew up in New Buffalo, Michigan and has always been an outdoorsy kind of person, so Colorado was a natural choice when he decided to move. He spent a few years in Fort Collins but always heard the mountains calling.
In April 2023, Cristian's talents were recognized and he was promoted to Sous Chef at Sweet Basil.
He loves Vail because you are a member of a close community of very cool people, the small town vibe he grew up with, where everyone has a thousand different interests which allows you to find your own. He is a hockey player, snowboarder, climber, and kayaker, and is very excited to find more Rocky Mountain activities to love and adventures to pioneer.
