After serving time, this cook now serves the night owls of Anchorage | INDIE ALASKA

Alaska Public Media | By Valerie Lake

Published July 15, 2024 at 10:03 AM AKDT

A Latino man with tattoos on his arms hands food to a customer. — Ricky Vazquez, owner of The Kitchen, serves food to patrons at the Anchorage bar, Chilkoot Charlies. (Valerie Lake/Alaska Public Media)

Ricky Vazquez is a proud Puerto Rican who rarely slows down. After spending almost a decade in incarceration, he doesn't like to get bored. These days he prefers the adrenaline of the busy Saturday night rush at one of Anchorage's most beloved historic taverns.

INDIE ALASKA is an original video series produced by Alaska Public Media in partnership with PBS Digital Studios. The videos capture the diverse and colorful lifestyles of everyday Alaskans at work and at play. Together, these stories present a fresh and authentic look at living in Alaska.

Video produced by
Valerie Lake
Matt Faubion

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Valerie Lake

Originally from the Central Coast of California, Valerie joined Alaska Public Media in July 2017. She creates original video content for the station's TV and digital platforms while also overseeing the Production Department. Before moving to Alaska, Valerie worked as an ENG Editor at WRAL-TV in Raleigh, North Carolina. She also served in the U.S. Air Force as a TV and Radio Broadcast Journalist where she traveled around Europe, Africa, The Baltics, Australia, and the Southern United States reporting on military events, exercises, and missions. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, backcountry skiing, backpacking, yoga, and traveling.

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