Chef Alyssa has always had a lifelong passion for art and cooking. As a child, she would watch Alton Brown on the Food Network in her mother’s kitchen, turning it into her personal science lab as she experimented with cooking techniques and recipes. Throughout her life, she honed her talents in painting, drawing, cooking, and sculpture.

In 2013, Alyssa graduated from the Columbus College of Art and Design with a BFA, but her yearning for cooking never faded. She decided to invest everything she had into starting her own food cart business, Native Eats, which began in Columbus, Ohio. It quickly gained traction at farmers markets, festivals, and especially at Seventh Son Brewery, where her brand really took off.

With a drive to learn, Alyssa packed up her food cart and moved west. There, she refined her craft, holding various chef positions, including Executive Chef at Shadow Creek Ranch in Silverthorne and Sous Chef at Mountain Standard in Vail. After a decade of professional cooking, Native Eats evolved into Graze & Torreys in 2020, where she now caters and provides private chef services throughout Denver, the Vail Valley, and Summit County.

Alyssa is an open-minded, lifelong learner who credits her success to the education she received from working alongside many talented chefs. She believes her art degree has fueled her creativity and willingness to break the rules in the kitchen. Outside of cooking, she enjoys the mountains through snowboarding and hiking, teaches Hatha yoga, and forages for wild mushrooms.