Denver Dean of Culinary Judges Food Network Challenge

Jorge De La Torre, Dean of Culinary Education at the Denver campus, served as a judge on Food Network’s “Great American Pie Cook-Off.” The competition featured five amateur bakers mixing up their best recipes in order to wow some of the toughest chefs in the industry and take home the $10,000 prize.

Originally from Albuquerque, N.M., De La Torre has worked in restaurants and hotels in California, Hawaii and Colorado. Prior to arriving at JWU, he was chef instructor at the Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College in Philadelphia. He has extensive experience in all aspects of foodservice operations, from menu development and hiring to purchasing to cooking. Past positions include partner/operations manager at Pasta Pronto Ristorante in Vail, Colo., executive chef with Blue Chalk Café Corporation in Palo Alto, Calif., and executive chef for several Vail Associates restaurants.

De La Torre holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, and an associate degree from California Culinary Academy. He also has a Tour Manager Certification from the International Tour Guide Academy in Denver, Colorado.