January 4-29, 2009 (Sunday - Thursday)

Thomas Kollasch - Executive Chef/General Manager

Thomas Kollasch took a very deliberate path to help him become a well-rounded chef and businessman. In his first ten years of chef training, Kollasch developed his culinary skills, building on a foundation of French technique. Later he began experimenting with unique presentation, his personal palate and philosophies, arriving at a signature style, much of which is reflected in the seasonal items at JUNO.

Kollasch's personal interest in how to build a business, establish customer satisfaction and loyalty, and turn passion into profit, spurred pursuit of opportunities where he could learn more about the business world. He took a break from the kitchen to explore national sales in the tech arena and take a swing at the golf industry at both retail and instructional levels. Taking that learning and combining both his culinary and business interests, he grew his experience in corporate culinary management jobs, namely in hotels and resorts, to round out his practice within "the business of restaurants."

His pursuit of smooth operations, creative menus and first class customer service, alongside maintaining profitability and sound management, are all backed by passion and proven experience that make him uniquely qualified for his role at JUNO.

Kollasch most recently came from Alderbrook Resort & Spa, where he served as the restaurant's general manager and executive chef. Kollasch has also worked Woodmark Hotel, Yacht Club & Spa and Barking Frog at the Willows Lodge. He earned his business management and finance bachelor degree at the University of Washington. He is a member of the Washington State Chef's Association, which honored Kollasch with an Award of Excellence for his cooking, team building efforts, management responsibilities and motivational skills.

Alex Nemeth - Chef de Cuisine

Cooking professionally since the age of 16, Nemeth's passion for food eventually trumped his formal, fine arts studies at State University of New York at New Paltz.

Lured by a healthy, outdoor lifestyle and professional opportunities, he relocated from the east coast to work at Crowne Plaza Hotel as a line cook. Soon after, a skiing accident left his right arm completely paralyzed; unable to work in a professional kitchen, Nemeth decided to further his culinary knowledge more formally by pursuing an education at Seattle Culinary Academy.

Following graduation, professional appointments followed: Brie and Bordeaux, Bandoleone, Adriatica, the Woodmark Hotel and most recently, Purple Café and Wine Bar downtown Seattle, where his meticulous work earned him a three-star rating from The Seattle Times.

As JUNO's chef de cuisine, Nemeth focuses on technique as much as ingredients, showcasing the inherent flavors of fresh peak-season products. The JUNO menu enables him to return to his vision of cuisine: seasonal, simple, fresh and original.