MEET YOUR INSTRUCTORS
Chef Justylyn Alair
Specialty - International Cuisine
Justylyn Alair was born in Angeles City, Philippines and migrated to Northern New Jersey as a young child. She grew up in an ethnically diverse metro suburban area on the outskirts of New York City that planted the seed for her love of international cuisines.
She attended culinary school at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI. During the summers of college, she worked at The Westchester Country Club under Chef Edward Leonard, CMC. This experience ignited her passion and drive to learn under the best culinary kitchens being surrounded by IKA Culinary Gold Medalists during her time at Westchester.
After graduating from culinary school, she worked at Bar Boulud in New York City, the French Brassiere and charcuterie restaurant of Daniel Boulud. She was accepted into the prestigious Greenbrier Apprenticeship program in West Virginia where she spent the next 4 years honing her culinary and competition skills.
Once graduating her Greenbrier apprenticeship, Justylyn was a Chef de Tournant at the Polo Club of Boca Raton and then the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. During her travels throughout the country, she furthered her culinary education and flavor profiles by constantly exploring the local cuisines and cultures around her. She believes that food is a common ground that is a universal language.
Pastry Chef Sarah Helzer
Specialty - Fine Pastry and Dessert
At a young age, Sarah Helzer was always in the kitchen baking with her mom and then realized her love of pastries. She was able to guide her homeschool education towards the pastry arts and after high school graduation she moved to West Virginia to work under Executive Pastry Chef Jean Francois Suteau at The Greenbrier Resort.
Sarah became his first pastry apprentice and studied in the program for 3 years. After a live judged pastry competition where she completed chocolate and sugar showpieces, entremets, petit gateaus, bonbons and much more, she graduated and was looking for her next step.
Deciding to become well versed in all areas of the pastry arts she became the Cake Artist at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach and created many unique custom cakes and desserts. Sarah then went to Las Vegas and met many acclaimed Pastry Chefs from all over the world. She was a Pastry Sous Chef at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and produced petit pastries and plated desserts.
Choosing to leave the city she discovered Steamboat Springs and quickly grew to enjoy everything that the area offered. While she was Executive Pastry Chef at Sauvage she developed plated desserts for the tasting menus and produced all the breads. Sarah enjoys experimenting with different and unexpected flavors and hopes to share her passion and experience with others.
