What’s Eliza Gavin
Got Cooking Now?

Chef Eliza Gavin was raised in Richmond, Virginia. It was while attending the University of the South, she went to the one and only fine dining restaurant in town hoping to land a job waiting tables.  And, as Eliza says, “They told me the same lie they tell most people that end up working in the kitchen — that they had a position in the back of the house, and I could work there until something opened up.” As it happened, she took to cooking quickly and realized that it was a conduit to channel her creative energy, and in a very gratifying way, it satisfied her love of working with her hands.

Following graduation, Eliza moved to New Orleans, and learned classic Creole cooking at the prestigious Galatoire’s on Bourbon Street. She did a stint in Napa Valley internalizing the importance of fresh ingredients while attending the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. While there Eliza cooked at Brix, learning the cuisines of Asia, Hawaii and India that informed the fare at this James Beard nominee for the best new restaurant of 1997. She then attended Le Cordon Bleu in Paris France for a year to hone classical French techniques. It was while in Europe that she met and was impressed by the friendliness of some people she met from Colorado…and so a seed was planted.

221 South Oak

After returning from France, Eliza was Colorado bound, and in 1999 she landed a job in Telluride, cooking at 221 South Oak. By fall the following year, she ended up buying it! Since that time the restaurant has become a Telluride treasure known for its impeccable service, and a delicious cuisine that incorporates all the craft and eclectic influences that its owner brings to the table.  

Intimate and charming, the restaurant is a tastefully refurbished historic home, located just steps from the Gondola. The colorful palettes of Marshall Noice’s expressionist landscapes on the walls help create an ambiance that’s warm and inviting. 

Diners will make note of the extensive vegetarian and vegan options on offer at 221. Not a vegetarian herself, Eliza was inspired two years after acquiring the restaurant by customers who had also lived at 221 S. Oak before it became a restaurant. One was a vegetarian, and challenged her to create delicious meatless dishes. Challenge accepted with impressive results.

A Competitive Nature

Early on in this restaurateur role, Eliza participated in Telluride’s annual cooking competition, which provides some one-to-one mentoring and Chef Eliza emerged the victor. She immediately appreciated how the positive publicity was a real boon for the restaurant. So, when Bravo came to Colorado looking for the next “Top Chef,” Eliza chose to compete and earned a spot on Season 10 of the show. She has since also competed on episodes of Beat Bobby Flay and Chopped. Apparently, they are always on the lookout to showcase female chefs, and as Chef Gavin says, “Once you’re on their radar, you keep getting asked back,” adding, “You know, I never win any of these things, but I have so much fun doing them!” And the exposure has been phenomenal for business.

Let’s Get Cooking

If you’re in the market for something experiential—look no further that one of Chef Eliza’s Wine & Delectable Pairing Classes. These take place at 221 South Oak, where you’ll learn not only how to cook appetizers, canapes and more, but also the art of pairing them with wine. Participants get to try their hand at no less than twelve dishes. Some recipes are favorites from the restaurant’s menu, while others are inspired by seasonal ingredients. These are paired with ten wines from the restaurant’s extensive wine list. Dates and times can be found on her website, or book Eliza for a private class and delight friends or make lasting family memories, and some delicious food in the privacy of your own home!

A Penchant for Publishing

Chef Eliza also had an affinity for compiling fun anecdotes and delicious recipes into wonderful cookbooks. Her first, Foreplay: A Book of Appeteasers, as the name suggests, is full of appetizers and finger foods and serves as great source material for Eliza’s cooking classes. In her second, Recipes From 221 South Oak Bistro, she was inspired to collect some of 221’s most beloved recipes past and present.

Her third and most recent offering is: Hold the Meat Vegan & Vegetarian Recipes with Sassy Asides. At 400 pages, it is a veritable tome of over 120 well tested dishes. Since accepting the challenge and creating her first vegetarian menu in 2002, you can rest assured that subsequent decades of expanding, evolving and fine tuning those offerings at the restaurant have led to a compilation of all that is delicious. The first chapter is an introduction to becoming a vegetarian with recipes, composed dishes, and helpful hints—everything anyone interested in the lifestyle would need to become a well-fed vegetarian. The next chapter explores the tricks and tips for creating umami—that pleasant, savory taste, and the final chapter specializes in vegan recipes and dietary information. 

All of her books are a wealth of information and can be purchased at the restaurant, or online at 221southoak.com.

Telluride Catering

For over twenty years Chef Eliza’s Telluride Catering has dazzled gatherings large and small with her culinary mastery. Eliza creates specialized menus to suit your tastes. From brunch to dinner, accommodating vegetarian or vegan, adapting recipes to be paleo, keto or low carb—Eliza has done it all.  

If you’re in need of a venue, 221 South Oak is available. Seating about 65 in the winter, and 100 people in the summer, with a garden patio for mixing and mingling. It’s a perfect space for dinners, reunions and parties.

However, this full-service catering company goes where you want, attending to all your needs, from the custom menu to assistance with trusted vendors and venues. Rest assured, meticulous planning, outstanding food, gracious service, and elegant presentations are all hallmarks of Telluride Caterings’ service. 

LIZ — The Next Venture

Chef Eliza has brought her culinary expertise to her latest enterprise—
LIZ. Opened in the spring of 2024, this small 30 seat venue is located at 200 W Colorado Ave in downtown Telluride. It’s a concept inspired by and named for her maternal grandmother, Marquerite Elizabeth Butler Gallagher, who by all accounts was great at making reservations. So, in honor of Nana, or Liz as she was also known, if you’re coming up empty when confronted with “what’s for dinner?”— LIZ is here for you!

For dinner, starters are made to serve two. Salads and dinners entrée are made for one, or prepped family-style for four. Most are vegetarian dishes, with the option to add protein. Enjoy a beer or a glass of wine while you wait for your meal, or get a bottle to go, and dinner is in the bag.

Of course, LIZ isn’t just for dinner. Open year-round from 8am-9pm, its mission is to deliver convenience without compromising on quality or taste.

Breakfast service begins at 8am, so fuel your day with a smoothie or enjoy a cappuccino and a freshly made breakfast burrito. Lunch features—acai bowls, rice bowls, salads, and a special daily panini.

Whether you’re feeding yourself or a crew, all meals are made fresh to order and anything on the menu can typically be prepared in 8-15 minutes for dining-in or take-out. For convenience pre-order through LIZTelluride.com and prearrange a pickup time.

You might think that after all the year’s of success, Eliza would consider slowing down, but apparently, she’s still got a lot of creative energy to expend, and its full steam ahead!