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There are a few occasions in Life where you are presented with an option that just makes too much sense not to take. I have been blessed with many of them in the last few years. I am very thankful for those occasions. To God

and to those involved with those options presented to me, I say Thank you. Since this is supposed to be a quick blurb, I’ll just get to it.

A few years ago, living in New Orleans, I had a rare occurrence which led me to sobering up. I quit drinking and two weeks later quit smoking cigarettes after 21 years. Life seemed to open up to me at the point that I started actively participating in it. Soon after, I was found by the Love of my Life, the “One that got away” fourteen years ago.  She invited me up here to the Rockies where she has been in her snowy tower, waiting (it’s all a fairy tale to us these days). I fell in Love with so much while out here on this trip that it only made sense for us to make the next moves. Four months later I pulled up in my U-Haul, settled into our mountain home and married that woman! That’s one of the greatest events in history as far as I’m concerned!

While in the process of planning to move here I stumbled across a little ad taken out in the local paper that advertised for an Executive chef. No other real details were given except a phone number. So, I called. This phone call would open up yet another great opportunity in my (so far) short life. I lined up a job via a verbal handshake and an understanding that this new venture was the beginning of something great, and it was and still is! The Ouray Brewery opened up with myself as Executive Chef, trying my hand at adding something new to a town so full of wonders. I will admit that the Only way in which Ouray let me down was that there were not Fairies floating in the air as I walked through the forest (something I believe I have seen since).

I have had a wonderful time being the Executive Chef at the Ouray Brewery and am proud of the accomplishments we have had together. The opportunity to open a brand new restaurant, create a menu, develop that menu and watch it evolve and grow has been a great one. The chance to work with Erin Eddy and Butch Karl and so many others has also been wonderful for me. I believe that Erin has a keen eye for business and an honest desire to succeed in a venture that adds to the community which he Loves so dearly. Butch has been my assistant for the last eight months or so, fresh from a career changing culinary school graduation. I have had the pleasure of knowing them both and congratulate Butch on his new opportunity, in this community that he has been knocked awestruck by. They have both become friends that I have treasured getting to know and working with.

Very recently I have had another opportunity come my way. This opportunity takes me away from the Brewery and into a corporate world of travel. I take with me the tools that I have picked up in this small town, the lessons learned and the love of a job well done. Another Broken Egg of America is a company based out of Florida that I had the privilege of working for until about seven years ago. After helping this company grow, as their Corporate Chef, I left knowing that there was a bridge still there if the time was right. I never dreamt how much distance that bridge gapped. I am very thankful to have been sought out and asked to join this team of professionals. My travels will bring me to many parts of this beautiful country opening restaurants, meeting new people, teaching and growing professionally. I cherish this opportunity, I am very excited about what it brings, I look forward to learning and to traveling and most importantly, I look forward to coming Home.

I know that none of us are easy to Love all the time, but we are human enough to work together, strive together, shovel and shiver together, build fire and eat together, walk, talk and grow together and do our parts to help this great little community succeed. I for one wish these ladies and gentlemen well in their efforts to grow this business, to add a little more life and energy, to add more jobs, to support those around them through donations, time, space and general generosity. I hope to watch them grow, and to succeed. I hope to know the ladies and gentlemen whom I have met through this endeavor for years to come, to look back and “remember when” together, to break bread together and watch this community succeed together.

Thanks. . . For everything.

Sid