Chef/Proprietor Alec Schuler was born and raised in the suburbs of New York by immigrant European parents. As a teenager, Alec began bussing tables and washing dishes and became captivated by hustle and bustle of restaurants, the restaurant industry in general, and the creativity and passion that goes into preparing and serving great food. After graduating from University of Colorado, Boulder, while skiing, traveling and mountain bumming he landed back in the restaurant scene and that spark was immediately rekindled.
In his late 20s, wanting to take a step further in the business, Alec enrolled in the Chef Training Program at Manhattan’s nutrition-oriented Natural Gourmet Institute and fell even more in love with inventing innovative dishes and putting flavors together. His extensive world travels have strongly influenced his outlook on world cuisines. After eating his way around the world for a few years, he found his culinary interests resonating most with European Mediterranean – specifically Italy, France and Spain. After spending time in the kitchens of Boulder’s famed L’Atelier and Niwot’s Treppeda’s Italian Ristorante, chef Alec Schuler opened Arugula Restaurant in Boulder in 2009 (now closed), Tangerine in Boulder in 2011, Tangerine in Lafayette in 2018 and Tangerine in Longmont in 2019.
Gabriella and Alec are proud, busy parents of four sons. Alec is a graduate of the University of Colorado, Boulder and Manhattan’s Natural Gourmet Institute. As an avid biker (and bike commuter), skier/boarder/tele, mountain man, nature lover and 8EXMerdian Qigong practitioner, he is mindful of the importance of a wholesome and healthy diet. His nutrition-oriented culinary training, culinary passions and lifestyle all come through on the innovative menus he created for his award-winning Tangerine restaurants.
