Winning a burrito eating contest in high school might just be the catapult that shot McLean into a professional cooking career.  He grew up in Fredericksburg, Virginia and his first job in the industry was at a local Italian restaurant washing dishes and rolling pasta.  He went to culinary school at Johnson and Wales and spent some time in the Outer Banks, North Carolina.  He first came to Eagle County without a plan, a job, or a place to live, he just knew it would work out.  And it did, his first job in the valley was at Vin 48 in Avon.  He left, and came back to the Vail Valley, like most people who fall in love with mountains and community here in Colorado.  He became a Sous Chef at Mountain Standard the summer of 2021 after working at The Willows Inn on Lummi Island, Washington.  Among his many hobbies and interests is disc golf.  He has so many discs that when stacked, they are taller than his wife.