MEET THE TEAM

Sean & rebecca gafner

Owners

Raised on a farm and cattle ranch in the San Joaquin Valley of California, Executive Chef Sean Gafner was born into a great appreciation for high quality food. Serving tables in Sacramento as a young adult, Sean quickly realized that he loved the creative, high-energy restaurant industry. Upon graduating from Golden State Culinary Institute in 2000 with honors his mission was to work in a wide variety of cuisines to broaden his palette and expertise and he did so at The Country Club of Mobile AL, PF Chang’s China Bistro, City Treasure French-Italian Cuisine, Celestine’s Caribbean Restaurant and Bella Bru European Café. As Executive Chef of Sacramento landmark restaurants Celestine’s and Bella Bru, Sean made several appearances on TV show’s such as Good Day Sacramento, Chef’s Challenge, and Breakfast at Your Place. In 2006 the love of the North State led Sean to accept both the position of Executive Chef at Tierra Oaks Country Club and Instructor of Culinary Arts at Shasta College in Redding, CA. As a passionate restaurant designer and consultant he opened the Stirring Café in 2011, Wrapped Inc. in 2012 before taking over as the Executive Chef & Partner of Redding’s finest restaurant View 202. Sean and his wife Rebecca have also owned a high-end catering business since 2000, while managing to have four beautiful children Skylar, Caleb, Ryder and Hailey.

After their first visit, the Gafners quickly fell in love with the city of Longmont and couldn’t be more excited to put some roots down in the beautiful state of Colorado!

Alishia Moore

Director of Operations

Alishia is a Boulder County native and wouldn’t want to call anywhere else home. While earning a Humanities degree at CU Boulder, she quit her job in medical billing and moved to Longmont. In August 2000, Alishia started waiting tables and tending bar at the neighborhood pizza place, trying to meet new people and learn something new. It didn’t take her long to realize that the restaurant industry was exactly where she belonged.

Over 20 years later, Alishia has extensive experience in bars and restaurants, with most of that time spent working in small, independent, and Colorado-grown concepts.

Passionate about people and art, she believes that a great meal might just be the best expression of bringing those two things together. She’s proud to be a part of this community that so strongly supports independent business and all things local.

When she’s not working at the restaurants, Alishia can be found hiking or camping with her two kids, Liam and Fiona, daydreaming about her next trip to Belize, or at Happy Hour with a gin cocktail in hand.

Matt Grimes

Executive Director

Growing up in Maryland, Matt, at a young age realized his love for the outdoors and adventure. While attending college in western Maryland he had an opportunity to learn the craft of bartending at a local tavern that incorporated great beer and live music. Upon graduating with a degree in adventure sports and management he quickly decided that Colorado was where he should be. Chasing big rapids and steep mountains he ended up in Crested Butte, Colorado. It was here he that continued pursuing his passions, the outdoors, craft cocktails, and hospitality. While living in small town Crested Butte he started realizing the importance of local goods. Whether it be local beer, crops, or cattle, he knew sustainability was a huge priority.

Matt started with Gafner Hospitality Group in 2015 shortly after we opened our first concept, The Roost. After many years of bartending and managing at all of our concepts he joined our team of directors.

Today he oversees our bar programs across all our concepts but also is very passionate about creating sustainable growth for Gafner Hospitality Group through innovation, and leadership development.

When he is not at our concepts you can find him enjoying all Colorado has to offer with his wife Heather, and their two children Jaxon, and Avery.

Leslie White

Culinary Director

After graduating Le Cordon Bleu, Leslie landed at Emeril’s Fish House at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV. He also held positions at the high profile Lake Las Vegas Como’s under Chef Stephen Romeo and Joseph Keller and at the Sugarbrook Bakery & Café and Havasu Skybox in Lake Havasu City, AZ. Driven by a passion for organic, local, GMO-free food and for a desire to bring his family to a close-knit community, Leslie moved to Longmont and worked in Boulder as the Sous Chef at The Greenbriar Inn for 3 years before becoming the Executive Chef at Zeal on Pearl Street for the last four years. While in Longmont, he and his fiancé Ali also added two beautiful daughters, Evelyn and Delilah, to their family, joining siblings Alyssa and Conor. Leslie is excited to bring his experience back to the Longmont Community and help level up the culinary experience people can have here.

Colton Ceplina

General Manager

Growing up in Wisconsin, Colton is no stranger to the outdoor lifestyle, or cold, snowy winters. While on a snowboarding trip to Colorado in 2009, Colton decided that the “hills” of Wisconsin were no longer large enough to satisfy his shredding appetite. Upon returning home, he vowed that after college he would make the move west. While attending college at the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay, Colton began to polish his skills behind the bar as well as in the kitchen. From preparing fillet mignon for the Green Bay Packers, to making cocktails in Green Bay’s growing “Titletown district”, Colton has always been in or around the industry.

When Colton isn’t crafting cocktails or slingin’ steaks, you can find him playing hockey, or somewhere in the mountains, 4x4ing, snowboarding, camping, or fishing, with his pup, Pepper. He is also frequently found jamming along to some tunes at Red Rocks. Whether he’s in the kitchen or behind the bar, he brings an optimistic, can-do attitude wherever he goes.

Jordan Dunehew

Assistant Manager

Jordan has spent most of her life in Longmont, Colorado, but is a California girl at heart. She started in the service industry when she was only thirteen years old. Jordan quickly developed a love for customer service. Throughout the years this industry has been a home to her. On top of serving tables, she has extensive experience with catering and coordinating events.

When Jordan isn’t at Swaylo’s, she is spending time with her boyfriend, Dillon, and their two dogs Kona and Beau. Jordan loves enjoying a glass of malbec or pinot grigio, reading books, baking delicious desserts, petting baby cows, and anything related to true crime. You might spot her frolicking around town with those closest to her. She loves to entertain guests whether it’s at work or in her own home. No matter what, she is always putting her loved ones first. If you’re lucky, she might even bake you your favorite treat!

Cody Wherli

Bar Manager

Born and raised on the Front Range, Cody has art and adventure flowing through his veins. After many years of traveling and experiencing random jungles, corn fields, and cities of the wold, both stateside and worldwide, he landed back in his hometown of Longmont, CO.

Through his travels he has experienced vast amounts of culinary delights along with incredible people to share them with. As he always says “I’ll try pretty much anything you put on the plate”. Pairing this with his love for the arts, craft beverage and the enlightenment you can get by sharing a beer with someone, he found a huge heart for the massively growing restaurant scene on the Front Range of Colorado. Bartending quickly became a passion and he immediately started honing his skills.

Out from behind the bar, Cody is still an avid traveler and foodie, always on the lookout for new adventures to top the last.