JW Marriott Cherry Creek Names DF&B and Exec Chef

Anton Barich and Jason Rogers

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. January 20, 2009

DENVER, CO, January 20, 2009 - Peter Karpinski, Chief Operating Officer of Sage Restaurant Group has announced the selection of two industry leaders to take the culinary helm at Second Home Kitchen + Bar and the JW Marriott Cherry Creek in Denver. Anton Barich joins as Director of Operations Food & Beverage and Jason Rogers joins as Executive Chef.

"This is a big move for our food and beverage operation at Second Home and the JW Marriott Cherry Creek," said Karpinski. "Anton and Jason are two of the most exciting players in the Colorado food and beverage world. They will bring a new level of product and excellence for our guests."

Anton Barich's passion for cooking began at a young age in his grandmother's kitchen in Chicago, and continued throughout high school when he cooked at the local Italian restaurant and for various community programs. While he started his career in public relations, his heart drew him to culinary and he attended the Cooking & Hospitality Institute of Chicago (CHIC), a Le Cordon Bleu institute. After graduating, he opened his own Italian restaurant and steak house, Rendezvous, in downtown Chicago and later opened a nightclub, Mystique which was deemed the "Hottest Nightclub in Chicago" by the Chicago Tribune, Metromix and the Chicago Sun Times.

Barich went on to work as a Regional Beverage Manager for the T.G.I.Friday's chain and then as a General Manager and Director of Market & Brand Development for the Rosebud Restaurant Group managing all 8 of their Chicago locations. He left Chicago with the Hard Rock Corporation moving to Vegas, then on to Universal City in Los Angeles to produce movie premiere soirees and act as a corporate training manager, and finally on to San Diego as the General Manager of La Jolla Hard Rock.

Barich joined Sage when he returned to Chicago to become part of the Mercat a la Planxa team at the famed Blackstone Hotel. With cuisine inspired by celebrity chef Jose Garces, Barich directed the restaurant and helped it achieve accolades such as "Mission Accomplished" from the Chicago Tribune and the "Top 20 Restaurants of 2008" list in Esquire magazine.

Like Barich, Jason Rogers' passion for cooking began at a young age in his parents' kitchen in Chicago, and continued throughout high school, during which time he cooked in fast food restaurants and at a private golf course. While pursuing his physical therapy degree, he felt the call of the kitchen, and worked at various restaurants in the famous Little Italy neighborhood of the city.

After college, Rogers traveled to Iowa City, where he worked as a butcher and baker at the New Pioneer Co-Op, an establishment that piqued his interest in organic and all-natural foods. He then landed at The Whitehall, a boutique hotel in Chicago, and finally moved to Colorado in 1997 to work as the chef de cuisine at the Alfredo's and Chaps restaurants at the Vail Cascade resort.

Rogers worked as the executive chef at the St. Regis Hotel and Spa in Aspen. He opened Olives with the famed Todd English and went on to replicate this popular restaurant in Boston, Washington, D.C., and New York City. Rogers then made his way to Atlantic City, where he worked as executive chef at the award-winning Specchio, Ombra, and Risi Bisi, all located in the Borgata Casino and Spa. Rogers has twice been invited to cook at the illustrious James Beard House-in 2001 with Todd English and in 2003 when he cooked with Palladino. Most recently he was the Executive Chef at the acclaimed St. Julian Hotel and Spa in Boulder, CO.

"You will see Anton and Jason apply their passion for excellence to create a unique overall restaurant experience," Karpinski added. "Together, they will focus on providing an unforgettable experience that blends a menu of culinary flavors with an extensive beverage program, all in a comfortable and causal setting."