CHEF / OWNER

It was the love of bringing family and friends together around a home cooked meal that led Diego Coconati to co-found CREATE.

He fell in love with cooking as a young boy, watching his grandmother make ricotta gnocchi from scratch. Diego had a diverse childhood, filled with interesting cuisines, growing up in Argentina, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico.

His love for food was reaffirmed when he decided to pursue a career as a chef, attending the prestigious Johnson & Wales University, in Miami, Florida.

Diego’s style calls on his experience with tropical and Caribbean foods, with a healthy dose of Italian style. When he’s not in the kitchen, Diego enjoys spending time with his wife and kids, and the occasional pisco sour.

CHEF / OWNER

In Ras’ family, everyone cooks, and his hospitality education started at an early age. His father, Jose Manuel, armed with impeccable fire-starting skills, would man the grill, and his mother, Santa, would prepare intricate sides and traditional salsas. Weekends at home came with an open door policy, encouraging spontaneous neighborhood dinner parties. Their house was constantly filled with family, friends, food, and music.

In 2005, Ras left Texas to study Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI. After spending a year in New England, Ras transferred to the Denver campus to finish his degree. After college Ras refined his style in fine dining restaurants around the city.

CREATE is the next step in Ras’ quest to bring people together with loved ones, and empower them to get in touch with their food. With CREATE, Ras hopes that he can share the hospitality he learned at an early age with the community he has grown to love in Colorado.