DIRECTOR
Alex Tolger
Alex came up with the idea for Kitchen Collab from his own desire to start a food truck, MOGROG Rotisserie, and learning the hurdles involved in getting a small food business going and operating. Creating access to a quality, affordable commercial kitchen for culinary entrepreneurs to grow and thrive was the biggest roadblock in the area. Out of this realization and his interest in growing the over all stability of the local food economy he founded Kitchen Collab, a culinary incubator and commissary kitchen.
Before deciding to develop Kitchen Collab. Alex was with Truckee Craft Brewing at Drunken Monkey Sushi. He moved to the Tahoe region from Portland, OR in the winter of 2010 when he started at Drunken Monkey Sushi.
While in Portland, Alex watched the explosion of the food truck scene and transformation of the culinary offerings of the city. As a consumer and cook he was inspired by the reduction of financial barriers to both the customer and the business owner with the expansion of offerings. His own background in the kitchen and with front of the house created multiple opportunities to learn from this transition and bring that experience with him to Kitchen Collab.
Outside of Kitchen Collab, Alex is busy raising two little mountain girls with his wife, Kate, and expanding their exposure to local foods, foreign flavors, pump tracks, trails, and skiing.
Kitchen Manager
Katie Livingstone
Katie’s food obsession started young; often eating things most kids wouldn’t touch. After college she found while working as an Economic Consultant that spreadsheets and algorithms were not feeding her soul. In 2009 she moved to the Tahoe/Truckee area where she got her start in the food industry, and reignited her passion for being outside, traveling, and eating good food.
Katie’s taste buds have led her to countless culinary and cultural experiences while traveling. Whether it was on the campervan trip down the Pan-American highway where she was exposed to small roadside kitchens featuring dirt floors and hard-working, happy people making simple foods to nourish their neighbors. Or the visit to Japan when she experienced the seasonal and regional specialties which varied from prefecture to prefecture, and saw first-hand how locally grown, seasonal food can have an economic impact on a community and its people. Katie truly believes the heart of a community centers around the dinner table; a place where all that matters are family, friends, and food.
As the Kitchen Manager at Kitchen Collab, Katie’s goal is to support small local food producers showcasing regional and specialty foods, and to see them become thriving business owners. By supporting local businesses she hopes to strengthen the local food supply chain and our local year-round economy in the Tahoe/Truckee region.