Meet Our Team
Garden of the Gods Resort and Club offers a variety of locally sourced, farm-to-table dining options to suit differing dietary needs and desires.
Our entire team brings distinguished and celebrated careers to the resort. They are wholly committed to the hospitality industry and ensuring a memorable culinary experience for every member and guest.
ante kulusic
vice president of food and beverage
With over 30 years of hospitality leadership experience aboard cruise ships, hotels, resorts, restaurants and theme parks, Ante Kulusic joined Garden of the Gods Resort and Club as vice president of food & beverage. Ante previously served as director of food and beverage operations at Theme Parks SeaWorld , Aquatica & Discovery Cove, Orlando, FL where he oversaw countless high-profile Banquet events while managing daily food and beverage services for the park’s 17 outlets and bars, generating $60M a year. Ante was part of excellence for SeaWorld Orlando when voted the Best Amusement Park in the country by USA Today readers for 2021.
Originally from Croatia, Ante began as a server and worked his way to the Senior Maître d ’Hotel position. He later rose to the position of Director of Restaurants through three cruise lines including Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise. In these roles, Ante launched major events and created innovative services. He developed the 5 Star White Glove service for Celebrity 5 Star Ships. He was also selected to manage the successful opening of the cruise line’s largest ship at that time, the Adventure of the Seas, overseeing a team of 250 who serviced 3,114 guests on world cruises. In an increasingly competitive and rapidly evolving industry, Kulusic recognized the need for ongoing foundational training and team building. As such, he implemented a training program for two Michelin Star and Master Chef restaurants aboard Celebrity ships and oversaw the training of all restaurant staff for several ships while at Royal Caribbean & Carnival Cruise line.
Ante is delighted to now call Colorado Springs home, and in his spare time enjoys family time with his 10 year old daughter and wife or by watching the European soccer leagues.
Heather Stugart
Executive Pastry Chef
Heather Stugart comes to us from Lake Tahoe, Nevada, where she was the opening Head Pastry Chef at Edgewood Tahoe Resort. Heather’s distinguished and dedicated pastry experience includes two separate assignments at Thomas Keller’s famed Bouchon Bakery in Napa, as well as working for acclaimed chef Michael Mina.
With over a decade of hospitality service, her career has taken her through San Francisco, California wine country, Northern Nevada, and now beautiful Colorado. By way of her acute eye for detail and focus on culinary excellence, Heather joins our accomplished bakery team and leads them into the next chapter of the Garden of the Gods Resort and Club story.
Heather shares her passion for the culinary arts with her affinity for competing in marathons and insatiable love of all things Disney.
