Chris Starkus is the Dual Director of Food & Beverage for the Springhill Suites (@springhillcsdowntown), Element (@elementcsdowntown), and LUMEN8 Rooftop Social restaurant (@lumen8rooftopsocial) in downtown Colorado Springs. He has achieved numerous awards during his Food & Beverage career, including “Best New Restaurant 2018 (303 Magazine) and Best Eco-Friendly Restaurants in America (opentable.com, April 2019). In 2019, Colorado Biz Magazine named him one of Denver’s Most Influential Young Professionals (Top 25 Under 40). 
Starkus moved to Colorado from the Pacific Northwest driven by a strong desire to forage the Rocky Mountains. He brought with him 25 years of experience in hospitality, with an accent in sustainability, farm to table operations and epicurean philosophy.
For Starkus, sustainability is success. His strength is developing leaders and Food and Beverage sustainability programs that produce positive fiscal, environmental, and concept branding results. He is a frequent contributor and guest speaker for creating and maintaining 360-Degree Sustainability in professional F & B operations. His work can be found at 303 Magazine, Diningout.com, themoderneater.com, 5280 Magazine, Heritage Radio, and Slow Food Nations.
Chris became a member of the Pikes Peak Mycological Society two years ago. On Wednesday, July 27, 2022 at 6:00 PM, he will do a Chef’s Demo for our club at the new Springhill Suites in downtown Colorado Springs, located at 402 South Tejon Street. All activities will be held in the courtyard area.
There will be a cash bar available, featuring Chef’s own Cordyceps cocktail, as well as other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Chef will demonstrate different ways to prepare many types of mushrooms, including how to serve them dried, grilled, sautéed, and pickled, and give you the opportunity to sample each dish.
A special thank you to Microvora and Fungus Farm Colorado for donating fungi!