Maria Busato, originally from Brazil, arrived in the Vail Valley about a decade ago. In the time since, she has left her mark, first working her way up through the ranks of Sweet Basil and ultimately being named chef de cuisine of Mountain Standard. She was awarded the title of the Colorado Restaurant Association’s Colorado Chef of the Year in 2020, and she recently competed on (and won!) the Food Network’s Grudge Match against fellow Vail chef Taylor Frankel (at right). Busato has since left Mountain Standard to run her private chef business.

Chef Taylor Frankel has the unique ability to appear in more than one place at once. She cooks at Slope Room while also being a private chef, and she’s got serious accolades. Chief among them, she was the youngest and first female chef de cuisine in Sweet Basil’s history. She’s also appeared on the Food Network multiple times. 

Before he became a private chef, Josh Monopoli also hailed from the ranks of Mountain Standard, where he served as chef de cuisine. (See a pattern here?) With 20 years of experience, Monopoli works with locally sourced ingredients, adding a personal touch to dishes by using vinegars scratch-made from Colorado peaches and other regional bounty that tease the taste of summer well into winter. 

Tracey Van Curan, owner of Foods of Vail, also seems to be everywhere at once. She’s behind many of the valley’s best catered events, in addition to constantly refreshing the grab-and-go, take-and-bake, and dine-in menus at her Avon shop. After 40-plus years in business, she has her thumb on what locals and visitors crave.

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