Keystone Resort announced Tuesday that Steve Nguyen was named Executive Chef of Keystone Hospitality.

Nguyen, who most recently served as the Keystone Conference Center’s executive chef, will oversee all kitchen operations within Keystone Resort’s hospitality division, including the Conference Center, Keystone Ranch, Ski Tip Lodge, Bighorn Bistro & Bar, Black Bear Grill, Edgewater Café, and the River Course Grill.

“I am looking forward to working with our chefs and building upon the great foundation that our culinary team currently has in place,” Chef Nguyen says. “This is a dream come true to be in this position.”

Chef Nguyen began his culinary career at Keystone Resort in 2002 immediately following graduation from Colorado Mountain College’s culinary apprenticeship program, where he was named the Apprentice of the Year. His culinary career began as a tournant cook with the Conference Center before ultimately being promoted to the Conference Center’s executive chef in 2008.

“My ability to grow my culinary career with Keystone Resort upon graduation from Colorado Mountain College says a lot about their culinary apprenticeship program and what they have to offer,” Nguyen says. “Hats off to CMC.”

A native of Colorado, Nguyen was invited to cook at the award-winning James Beard House in 2007, which remains one of his proudest accomplishments.

In addition to his more traditional kitchen duties, Nguyen also oversees all responsibilities for Keystone’s ice carvings, including teaching an ice carving class for CMC culinary apprentices.

Nguyen’s ice sculpture work has been seen throughout Keystone Resort during the winter months, and he has carved ice at several Colorado festivals. Since 2004, he has also provided ice carvings for Breckenridge’s International Snow Sculpture Championships.

Outside of the kitchen, Nguyen has earned a third-degree black belt in Taekwondo.

“Chef Nguyen is a dedicated and passionate chef,” says Stephane Ohayo, Keystone Hospitality’s director of food and beverage. “He has demonstrated that he can effectively run the biggest conference center program in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, while also developing and mentoring apprentices and seasoned cooks alike.”