THE

PEOPLE

Behind Pago

PHELIX GARDNER EXECUTIVE CHEF, PARTNER

Born in Spain, Chef Phelix has been cooking for more than 20 years, after starting in the summer as a teenager. He worked his way up through many chain restaurants, and then landed a job with local Florida restaurant, Food Glorious Food, where he was mentored by the chef and learned to prepare creative, seasonal, American fine-dining cuisine. Along the way, he studied finance at Florida State University and attended culinary school at Keiser College.

After moving to Salt Lake City, Chef Phelix held positions as the Chef de Cuisine at the Grand America Hotel, Executive Chef at the Wild Grape, Executive Chef for Pago Restaurant Group, and Chef for Stanza Italian Bistro and Current Fish and Oyster Bar, before moving back to Pago as Executive Chef/ Partner.

Phelix’s approach to food includes using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients to create innovative interpretations of classic dishes or childhood food memories. Once you taste his food, I’m sure you’ll agree, he has a pretty good memory.

SCOTT EVANS FOUNDER, PRESIDENT

After 16 years of working in restaurants across the Wasatch Front, Scott Evans is the Founder and President of Pago Restaurant Group, which includes Pago, Finca, East Liberty Tap House, Hub & Spoke Diner, and Trestle Tavern. He spent the past ten years in restaurant management, at establishments ranging from neighborhood cafes to five diamond hotel restaurants. But his love of food started much earlier, and deepened during his time traveling during college — backpacking, snowboarding, eating, and drinking his way around the world. He also developed a passion and commitment to finding the freshest, locally sourced ingredients possible and adapting the menu to highlight the best of each season.

Before launching Pago in 2009, he spent 2.5 years as General Manager and Beverage Director for Squatters Pub Brewery. Prior to that time, he was the General Manager of The Depot, Food and Beverage Manager of the Glitretind and Troll Hallen Lounge at Stein Eriksen Lodge, Food and Beverage Manager of The Garden Cafe and Gibson Girl Lounge at the Grand America Hotel, and manager at both Sage’s Cafe and Park Ivy.

Scott has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Master of Business Administration degrees from Westminster College.