wordplay: Ben Simkins
image: Sean Hartgrove

It has been a rocky journey for Duy Pham. Some, myself included, would argue that the fickle business associated with the restaurant route contributed to Pham’s hard fought journey. But hard fought journeys are often an artist’s best friend.

Pham harbors a rare gift in the culinary world. Not only does he have unbridled ambition and gusto when discovering new ways to play with our palates, he also possesses the knowledge and expertise to see them through with near flawless execution. Showing this flair for the best, Pham wowed Denver in his position at Opal. From there, his fusion style took him on a journey that saw him not only work through some of Denver’s renowned beacons of good eats, such as Sushi Sasa, but sent him as far a field as Florida to put his ability to wow crowds to the test with such humbling fare as meat-loaf.

Upon his return to the mile-high way of life, Pham found a home with his friends from Opal who also own Aqua across the street. Pham has shaken things up to the point that Aqua, a restaurant we already loved, has progressed leaps and bounds.

This is not the journey’s end, in the least, for Duy Pham. Hopefully this is the beginning of a new journey for one of Denver’s best and brightest. And what a way to start it!

925 Lincoln
(303) 839.0034
AquaDenver.com