Meet the judges for 2013 Chefs' Gala

Along with Nathalie Dupree, two other highly qualified judges will scrutinize the chef’s creations this month at the Colorado Springs Chorale’s Chef’s Gala.

Casey Higgins, American Culinary Federation certified executive chef and executive chef at Wildwood Casino in Cripple Creek, will do the honors as the second judge. Higgins began his career at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Las Vegas. He’s worked at a number of large-scale dining venues, including Siena Golf Club in Las Vegas, Butterfield Trail Village in Fayetteville, Ark., Double Tree Guest Suites in Bentonville, Ark., and Garden of the Gods Club.

The third judge is Luis Pagan, culinary arts department chair at Pikes Peak Community College. When Pagan retired from the U.S. Army, he attended Colorado Technical University, where he majored in graphic design and marketing. He has an associate’s degree in culinary arts and restaurant management. For three years, he owned a restaurant in Colorado Springs, where he served food from his native Peru.