Café, deli and taqueria owner Beau Schooler was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, and began his cooking career at 14. After working at several restaurants throughout Alaska and in Portland, Oregon, he enrolled at the Italian Culinary Institute in Calabria, Italy, in 2006—a full immersion culinary, baking, pastry and gelato program presented by some of Europe's most renowned master chefs. After completing his studies at the Italian Culinary Institute, Schooler made his home in Juneau, Alaska's capital city, where he owns and operates several eateries.
Schooler's first venture, The Rookery Café, offers globally influenced food featuring seasonal Alaskan ingredients and was voted Best Restaurant in Juneau in the 2014 Juneau Empire's Reader's Choice Awards. That same year, Schooler re-enrolled in the Italian Culinary Institute, this time focusing on traditional Italian charcuterie: curing meats, sausage making and artisanal salumi. Shortly after, Schooler opened Panhandle Provisions, a specialty grocery store featuring house-cured meats and handmade pastas, among other specialty items. His most recent venture, The Taqueria, aims to bring authentic Mexican food to Alaska. Schooler hopes to continue expanding Alaska's culinary scene and to open a traditional Italian restaurant in the near future.