Dieter H Kiessling

Born on March 26, 1937, in Brieg, Germany, Dieter completed his apprenticeship in the culinary arts at Fürstenhof Betriebe in Dortmund, Germany, from 1952 to 1955. He began his distinguished career working in prestigious hotels across Europe, including establishments in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Paris, and England.

In May 1961, Dieter immigrated to the United States, where he accepted his first position at the Garden of the Gods Club in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

In April 1964, he married Gertrude Reith, and together they raised three sons: Richard, Christopher, and Roland. The family resided in Denver, Colorado, from 1964 to 1973 before relocating to Evergreen, Colorado, in 1973.

Dieter became an American citizen on April 14, 1967.

Dieter held esteemed Executive Chef positions in the Denver metropolitan area, including at the Denver Petroleum Club, Cherry Hills Country Club, and Pinehurst Country Club. In 1981, while serving at Pinehurst, he earned the prestigious Certified Master Chef (CMC) designation from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. He was one of the first five chefs to achieve this honor, marking the inaugural class of Certified Master Chefs in the United States.

Dieter competed and won gold in the 1984 Culinary Olympics in Frankfurt Germany with the L.J. Minor team. He became a food show judge, enjoying travels across the US to evaluate contestants' dishes, and concluded his professional career as Director of Education at the Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts from 1989 to 1998.

Upon retiring in 2000, Dieter settled in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, a place he cherished deeply. He embraced an active lifestyle, enjoying hiking, tennis, and cycling between Glenwood Springs and Carbondale. His greatest passion, however, was the local hot springs pool, where he maintained a dedicated routine of workouts at the athletic club followed by relaxing soaks in the hot springs.

Dieter is survived by his three sons, Richard (Dolly), Christopher, and Roland (Lisa), as well as two grandchildren Haydon and Ariana.

He was known for his memorable sayings, including:

· “Vaya Con Dios”

· “If you don’t use it, you will lose it”

· “The devil never sleeps”

Having survived a heart attack while living in Glenwood Springs, Dieter expressed gratitude to the Glenwood Springs Fire Department for saving his life. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Glenwood Springs Fire Department.