Executive Chef – Rick Yale
Rick Yale leads a team of culinary superstars. He is a third generation, classically-trained chef, bringing over 30 years of experience to the Spice kitchen. Taking over as our executive chef in 1998, Rick has brought a tremendous amount of continuity to our culinary staff and consistency to our food. He has an incredible capacity for running an efficient kitchen while cultivating the talents of those around him.
When he’s not in the kitchen, Rick can be found thumping his vintage ’72 Fender jazz bass for local rockers “The Rock Doctors.” Rick is married and has five children.
Sous Chef – Nato Delgado
Nato Delgado, our Sous Chef, is a strong foundation for the Spice kitchen. With a smile on his face, he constantly puts out fantastic meals. Nato came to A Spice of Life 12 years ago after working as a chef in several popular Boulder restaurants.
Nato is highly involved in the community and is the leader of the Boulder chapter of his church. He is married with two sons.
Chef de Cuisine – Pieter Dijkstra
Hailing from Arizona, Chef Pieter Dijkstra has a love for creating tasty, creative cuisine. Pieter started his international career studying traditional French cooking in Holland.
For several years, Pieter was Chef for Penski Racing, an exciting and fast-paced position which took him to numerous cities internationally.
In 2008, Pieter started at A Spice of Life as Chef de Cuisine. This has allowed him to showcase his many talents through weddings, tastings, corporate events and fundraisers. Pieter continually creates new, delicious and unique menu items for his clients using diverse cooking techniques, most of which are self-taught.
Joining the Denver Metro area’s restaurant elite, Pieter Dijkstra showcased a taste of his innovative cuisine at the 2009 March of Dimes Signature Chefs Event and won best chef. Dijkstra served Molten Pepper-Jack Cheese Polenta with Smoked Pork Shoulder, a Skewer of Pine Nut-Crusted House-Made Marshmallows with Caramelized Berries, and a Jalapeno Infused Honeydew Melon Shooter.
In addition to his passion for food, Pieter enjoys getting outside; climbing, hiking and biking. He also loves hanging out with his dog, Rug.