For those that know him, it’s no surprise that Guy Kugel ended up pursuing a career in the restaurant business. Some of his earliest memories are of playing, and later working, in his family’s restaurant in Boulder, Colorado, all the way through college. Guy’s parents opened the original Cafe Gondolier in 1960 and it is still in the family today—50 years later. His brother now owns and operates it.

Cafe Gondolier was certainly ahead of its time; introducing Boulder to culinary ideas, that are common place today. The family’s business partner was Italian, and his mother came to live in Boulder. It was mamma that developed the recipes and insisted on serving hand-cut pasta, fresh sauces, and thin crust pizza, all very unusual in the 60s. Café Gondolier also gave Boulderites their first taste of espresso, bringing a 1903 Italian-made espresso machine from Turin, Italy, to Boulder long before Starbucks was even a concept. All of this attention to detail instilled in Guy an appreciation for quality ingredients and top-notch service.

In 1997, after graduating from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a degree in public speaking, Guy moved to Seattle on a whim. He initially waited tables at the Luau restaurant, and then moved into management where he stayed for 3 ½ years. In 2000, He joined the team at Flying Fish as an assistant manager. Guy began his study of viniculture under the tutelage of Brian Huse, long time General Manager and Wine Director of Flying Fish.

Guy’s extensive travel has further developed his passion for food, especially for foods with spicy, pronounced flavors. He has been all over the world and has a particular bent for the flavors of Central America as well as Italy and the Caribbean.

Guy assumed the position of general manager and wine director in 2006 and savors the Flying Fish mission, which is to offer an experience to the guest that is completely different from all others. The specific personality of the restaurant allows Guy to weave his personality into the job. He definitely relishes the ever-evolving changes and direction of Flying Fish and knows that he will never gather dust while working there.