Troy Guard (Owner and Executive Chef of TAG Restaurant Group) announced the addition of two new Chefs, Steven Garza and Ryan Walker to his culinary team at Guard and Grace, the award-winning modern steakhouse in downtown Denver.
Says Guard, “We couldn’t be more excited to bring in Chefs Steven and Ryan to our already stellar crew at Guard and Grace. As our flagship restaurant, we have an extremely high standard for our kitchen staff, and these two bring a ton of experience and expertise and that can take us to the next level. We’re thrilled to have them as part of our ‘Ohana’ and can’t wait for guests to try their cooking!”
Chef Steven Garza is the new Executive Chef at Guard and Grace and brings with him an impressive culinary background. Originally from Dallas, Garza has worked in kitchens in Chicago, New York and Denver. Like Chef Guard, he also had a long international stint in Asia, where he was part of the teams at Maximal Concepts and S&S Hospitality who received Michelin Stars and were named the Top 50 Restaurants in Asia. Before joining TAG Restaurant Group, Garza was an Executive Chef at Fox Restaurant Concepts. Garza brings a Michelin Star level of leadership, culture and culinary expertise to Guard and Grace.
Says Garza, “Our core values and the dedication of the teams around me really challenge me to be the best chef I can be. As the Executive Chef of Guard and Grace, I love the opportunities we have to put out some of the best food in Colorado.”
Chef Ryan Walker joins Guard and Grace’s kitchen as their new Pastry Chef. A Colorado native from Vail, Walker grew up around cooking. His father was the Executive Chef with Marriott Hotels, and he began his own career at the age of 14 at a bakery in the mountains. A self proclaimed expert in sugar, he graduated culinary school and worked with Chef Guard in Denver for three years before moving to New York and the prestigious Eleven Madison Park, and the NoMad Hotel. Walker also worked at the renowned Attica in Australia as part of a grant program before moving back to Vail and the kitchens at Sweet Basil and Mountain Standard. Eventually, he was drawn back to Denver to rejoin Chef Guard.
“I felt at home when I worked for the company in the past and was happy to see that they were hiring, so I jumped on board.” Says Walker about rejoining Guard and TAG Restaurant Group.
Chefs Garza and Walker join Troy Guard and the culinary team at Guard and Grace that have received numerous 2022 and 2023 recognitions and accolades including Best Steakhouses in Denver, #12 Best Steakhouse in America, #16 Best Steakhouse in the World and Best Seafood in Denver.
