FIVE inducts three new chefs and one awesome mixologist: Paul Reilly, Brandon Biederman, Enrique Socarras and Bryan Dayton

Last night at Roth Distributing, where state-of-the-art kitchens played house to some of Denver's top chefs and mixologists, Leigh Sullivan-Guard, the founder of FIVE -- a cartel of chefs who cook in Denver, at the Aspen Food & Wine Classic and the James Beard House every year -- introduced the...

By Lori Midson

January 11, 2011

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Last night at Roth Distributing, where state-of-the-art kitchens played house to some of Denver's top chefs and mixologists, Leigh Sullivan-Guard, the founder of FIVE -- a cartel of chefs who cook in Denver, at the Aspen Food & Wine Classic and the James Beard House every year -- introduced the four new members of FIVE: three chefs and, in a surprise twist, one mixologist.

Specifically Brandon Biederman, the executive chef of Steuben's; Paul Reilly, the executive chef/owner of Encore; Enrique Socarras, executive chef of Cuba Cuba; and Bryan Dayton, one of the state's best mixologists and a partner at Oak at Fourteenth, in Boulder. "I'm super, super psyched and super, super honored to be the first mixologist invited to join FIVE," enthused Dayton, who joined the other inductees on the main kitchen stage, where the cocktologist and newly anointed chefs high-fived and back-slapped one another, while several ProStart students (the beneficiary of all 2011 FIVE events) and four of the existing FIVE chefs -- Troy Guard (TAG and TAG | RAW BAR); Matt Selby (Vesta Dipping Grill and Steuben's); Brian Laird (former chef of Barolo Grill); and Tyler Wiard (Elway's Cherry Creek) -- cheered and and yelled macho chef-y things, like "Yeah, dog! Yeah, dog!"

The existing FIVE, including Jamey Fader, who was absent last night because of another commitment, will stay on as mentors to the new batch. In the meantime, Sullivan-Guard is still searching for a fifth chef to complete the circle. If you're interested, shoot her an e-mail at: [email protected].

The first FIVE event of 2011 will be in late February or early March, most likely at TAG or Steuben's.

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