Colby Garrelts                                               Owner/Chef

Colby Garrelts, a Kansas City native, started his career at 14 and over a 10 year span learned the ins and outs of food and restaurant business. Today, Colby has a resume which includes some of the most prestigious kitchens in Kansas City: Loch Lloyd Country Club, Hallbrook Country Club, the American Restaurant and The Stolen Grill. Once he had those experiences behind him, he moved to Chicago and became the Senior Sous Chef at the 5 Star, 5 Diamond TRU. He met his wife, Megan, a pastry chef, at TRU and soon they moved to Las Vegas then on to Los Angeles. In November, 2003, Colby returned to Kansas City to open the Bluestem Restaurant. At the Bluestem, Colby and Megan merge seasonal, local foods into the Progressive American cuisine which their culinary histories have created.

• Liz Huffman-Blue Bird Bistro
• Colby Garrelts-Bluestem
• Frank Marciniak–Café des Amis
• Mark Juhnke–Grand Street Café
• Danial R. Turner–JCCC
• Jeff Berges-Majestic Steakhouse
• Michael Mitchell-MelBees
• Mark Mollentine-Governors Meeting House
• J. Lavell Willis and Vera Willis-Peach Tree
• Pete Castillo-Great Plains Catering
• Sean Price-Lidias