wordplay: Ben Simkins
image: Jesse Pixler
I’ll go out on a limb here and say we all love our little city, standing against the towering majesty of nature. Whether we’re of the “native” or “non-native” ilk, we all find something about this cosmopolitan secret that fits ours needs and tastes, assisted ever so slightly by the fact that, to many (unaware of our true charms), we are still a cowpoke town on the way to the west coast. We know different. But there does come a time when we need to stand up to the spotlight and wow those amassed with a shine all our own.
On May 14, we send five of our best to Gotham, a city where if you don’t start afloat, the current sweeps you away without a second thought. Why would we do this to five of our own? Because we know what they are capable of, having sampled it ourselves for years. It’s time to show those who know it only as hearsay.
Five chefs at the top of their game, five courses and five wines. Five chances, not to prove, but to show 75 of the culinary world’s loudest voices that, “geography alone does not determine a world-class culinary experience.” And although no single location is recognized as a culinary Mecca, the Beard House comes close for the institution that is American cooking. Founded to illuminate the skill and talent that American chefs offer the world, there is no better place to show off what we have to offer.
So, who are these pantheons of Denver’s “cuiscene”? Where can I sample what the world is banging their cutlery on the table to get?
Tyler Wiard: Arguably Denver’s favorite son, John Elway is part of the legacy that is Wiard, Executive Chef at Elway’s. Serving up a true mash-up of American fare, Wiard gives Elway’s something true and inspired when, with a name like Elway’s, it would still be successful if you served ten-dollar burgers with chipotle mayo.
Troy Guard: With Denver top-spots such as Zengo, Nine75 and Ocean under his belt, Guard finds himself in a privileged position. A native of Hawaii, his understanding of Pacific Rim fusion brings a cornucopia of regional flavors to a loyal Mile High public.
Goose Sorenson: Elevation is what Christian “Goose” Sorenson is all about (and I don’t mean altitude). Serving as an ambassador for cheese, Solera dishes up a serious mac ‘n’ cheese. If elevating a staple that many only know as coming from a blue box isn’t enough, Sorenson is a master of wine, paired perfectly with Solera’s menu.
Matt Selby: Americans have a warm place reserved for comfort food, but we also celebrate inventiveness. Selby strikes these chords like a skilled harp player jamming out Zeppelin tunes with Vesta Dipping Grill and Steuben’s. Vesta’s playful dipping sauce concept and Steuben’s heart strongly rooted in American “soul” food demonstrates what it is to be an American on top of one’s game.
Keegan Gerhard: A face most “foodies” will know well, due to his frequent appearances on the Food Network, Gerhard is not just a pretty face. His skill with the dark art of pastries garners a hushed air of respect wherever he goes, including his own D Bar Desserts.
This is your chance, denizens of Denver, to put down your Chinese take-out menus and discover what the whole country is about to. And while you’re at it, try the newly opened place down the street you keep thinking looks good but never go to, and sample what our town has to offer that has the top brass in American cuisine salivating at the mouth.
May 14th @ James Beard Foundation (NYC)
DenverFive.com