The 1860 discovery of gold outside of Leadville drew hundreds of people to the Arkansas River Valley, initiating a boom or bust cycle that’s carried into the 21st century. Today, a century-and-a-half later, House Rock Kitchen’s Owner, Turtle, has discovered his own gold mine in Kassie Dodge, the restaurant’s sous chef who this week celebrates her one-year anniversary working at Buena Vista’s newest health and community-focused restaurant.
Sweet, humble, and incredibly hard working, Kassie is a sixth-generation Buena Vistan, a position that’s allowed her to watch the town grow, not just from her own lens, but from those of her parents and grandparents.
At twelve, Kassie moved to Texas, where her love of food began. There, she studied culinary arts at the Art Institute of Houston and worked as a sous chef at the Bentwater Yacht and Country Club. It was also in Houston where she met her fiancée, who is currently the sous chef at the Mount Princeton Club Restaurant.
The pair returned to Buena Vista last year to be near their family and to raise their three
-year-old son Ayden, who carries the proud title of seventh generation Buena Vistan. The tradition of serving good food is strong in Kassie and her family. When they aren’t working at their respective restaurants, they’re home tending their large 30-foot by 17-foot garden. Kassie plants just about anything she can get her hands on, from lettuce, spinach, and fennel to several varieties of tomatoes—Kassie’s personal favorite.
-year-old son Ayden, who carries the proud title of seventh generation Buena Vistan. The tradition of serving good food is strong in Kassie and her family. When they aren’t working at their respective restaurants, they’re home tending their large 30-foot by 17-foot garden. Kassie plants just about anything she can get her hands on, from lettuce, spinach, and fennel to several varieties of tomatoes—Kassie’s personal favorite.
Visit House Rock Kitchen today and give a shout out to Kassie, whose dedication to the culinary arts is some of the best in the valley. If she’s not tending her garden or fishing with her son, you’ll find her in House Rock’s Kitchen, serving up some of the valley’s healthiest and tastiest dishes.