WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. — How many people can say they have been feeding Coloradans professionally for more than seven decades?
At 90 years old, Bert Kotlarczyk still works full time in the kitchen of the Rehabilitation Center at Sandalwood, after serving up meals for 48 years at Denver Health.
This is certainly an unlikely tenure for the beloved Denver legend, whose journey initially started in Germany during the onset of the Nazi regime.
"My mother lost all of her family in Germany," Bert told me, while recounting his eventual emigration from Europe to America. "She had a family of 13 brothers and sisters - all gone."
After 10 years in Shanghai, Bert eventually found a home in Colorado, where he discovered his passion for cooking. Even today, at 90-years-old, he will take personal requests from residents and cook them their favorite meal. He just truly loves to make others happy.
In the above story, you can hear more about his journey, and why he refuses to retire.