Brandon Biederman

Elway's lights up the grill and Trillium celebrates Finland tonight

The fifth annual Hot Rocks Griller Challenge heats up this evening at Elway's Cherry Creek, 2500 East First Avenue. The party, which runs from 6 to 9 p.m., pits fifteen of Denver's top chefs against each other in a friendly competition benefiting the Denver Health Foundation. See also: - Slideshow: ... More >>

Cochon 555 Punch King title served up at Ace

On a booze-filled Sunday afternoon at Ace, ten of the top bartenders in the country -- Josh Wortman of Anejo NYC; Trip Sandifer of The Spence in Atlanta; Dustin Hoeft of Modis in Breck; Adam Fortuna of Artusi in Seattle; Kevin Mabry of JM Curley in Boston; Daniel Godinez and Andrew Meltzer of 15 Rom ... More >>

Five places to eat, drink and be merry this weekend

The Highland Farmers' Market begins today, June 1, and runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays through October 12. Check the website for more information -- and keep reading for four more places to eat, drink and be merry this weekend. See also: - May showers bring beer flowers at taphouses in Denver, ... More >>

Photos: Ace lobs up vegan bao buns and jungle curry for spring

We stopped by Ace recently to take a look at some of the new dishes on the restaurant's revamped menu. Continuing his foray into Asian cuisine, executive chef Brandon Biederman has added Vietnamese noodles, a dry curry and eggless bao buns to the mix -- lighter fare that won't leave you bogged down ... More >>

Photos: Steuben's lightens up with revamped spring menu

With winter finally behind us, Steuben's Food Service has swapped out some of its heavier menu items for lighter springtime dishes that should be as "Steuben's" as the meatloaf and fried chicken in no time. Executive chef Brandon Biederman looked to his team of chefs and sous-chefs to revamp the ... More >>

Dos Casas is sold out, but you can still enjoy Lola's house party tomorrow

Dos Casas, the fundraising dinner at Lola tomorrow night, is completely sold out. "Brent's Place, and all the great things they do to help cancer patients, is extremely near and dear to everyone at Lola, and to all the chefs who participate in this event," says Jamey Fader, the culinary director of ... More >>

A new juice bar at Ace, 4/20 parties and more on the menu this week

Ace our Best New Bar at 501 East 17th Avenue, will introduce another great feature this morning: a juice bar featuring six juice varieties. The ping pong hall/restaurant will also be offering a raw breakfast menu: nuts, dried fruits, flax and chia seeds, almond butter and honey. The juice bar at Ace ... More >>

Steuben's debuts a new late winter cocktail menu

March is just around the corner, which means that winter is in full swing here in Colorado. Ryan Layman, the bar manager at Steuben's Food Service, has recognized this by creating a new cocktail menu to beat the winter blues. See also: - Denver's ten best plates of chicken and waffles - Just in t ... More >>

Ace serves up a new menu today

In her recent review of Ace, Gretchen Kurtz noted that the four-month-old restaurant was a work in progress, and that owners Josh and Jen Wolkon and executive chef Brandon Biederman would soon introduce a revised menu, one that increased the number of tried-and-true dishes -- including the Brussels ... More >>

Ace scores with action, drinks and decor; food is a tie game

See also: Behind the Scenes at Ace

Matt Selby leaving Vesta group for the Corner House

No sooner had Josh Wolkon broken the news that executive chef Matt Selby was moving on after fifteen years at Vesta Dipping Grill (and then Steuben's and Ace) that just where Selby is moving became clear: Selby will join James Iacino and Scott Kinsey as a full partner at the Corner House, slated to ... More >>

Photos: Happy birthday to Vesta Dipping Grill

"We've done dipped for fifteen years." Vesta Dipping Grill celebrated fifteen years of dipping in LoDo last night with a six-course feast and fundraiser benefiting the nonprofit LoDo Cares. Owner Josh Wolkon invited former Vesta chefs Tyler Skrivanek of Duo, James Rugile of Mizuna, Wade Kirwan of A ... More >>

A birthday bash at Vesta, beer and wine and more on this week's calendar

Vesta Dipping Grill turns fifteen this month, and owner Josh Wolkon and crew have invited former Vesta chefs Tyler Skrivanek of Duo, James Rugile of Mizuna, Wade Kirwan of Adrift, Dillon Maddox of Solera, Drew Hardin of Lola and Brandon Biederman of Steuben's to cook at a six-course feast and fundra ... More >>

Guest chefs at Frasca and El Diablo, beer dinners and more on this week's calendar

Happy Monday! Here are some cool events to help get your mind off the heat this week:

Round two with Pete Marczyk, chef-owner of Marczyk Fine Foods

Pete Marczyk Marczyk Fine Foods 770 East 17th Avenue, 303-894-9499 5100 East Colfax Avenue, 303-243-3355 www.marczykfinefoods.com This is part two of my interview with Pete Marczyk; read part one of Pete Marczyk's interview Rules of conduct in your kitchen: Show up; try hard; think; keep making it ... More >>

Hot Rocks Griller Challenge heats up Cherry Creek

The fourth annual Hot Rocks Griller Challenge at Elway's Cherry Creek last night, a benefit for the Denver Health Foundation, was hot in more ways than one: hot in temperature, with the the late spring sun beating down during the first hour or so; hot in hotties who stripped down because of that sun ... More >>

Big names on the menu for tonight's Hot Rocks Griller Challenge at Elway's

The fourth annual Hot Rocks Griller Challenge heats up this evening at Elway's Cherry Creek, 2500 East First Avenue. The party, which runs from 6 to 9 p.m., pits fifteen of Denver's top chefs against each other in a friendly competition benefiting the Denver Health Foundation.

Photos: Brandon Biederman unleashes the biggest menu change in the history of Steuben's

Here today, gone tomorrow: These days, that's the siren song of more and more menus, many of which change monthly, some weekly, others daily, which means that if you get too attached to a dish, at some point -- sooner rather than later is the most likely scenario -- you'll be jilted by its abrupt fa ... More >>

Lola hosts Dos Casas benefit for Brent's Place

On Wednesday night, Lola hosted its fifth annual Dos Casas event benefiting Brent's place -- but the diners packed into every corner of the restaurant were the real beneficiaries, since they got to enjoy the fare of some of Denver's top chefs, who all donated their efforts. Here's what they cooked ... More >>

Casa for a Cause

Steuben's and Vesta group are building a ping-pong hall and Asian restaurant

It's always onward and upward for Josh Wolkon, the restaurateur who brought this city Vesta Dipping Grill, Steuben's and the Steuben's Food Truck (better known as "Pearl") with the help of his wife, Jen, and other cohorts, including Matt Selby, Brandon and Emily Biederman, and Jeff Bustos. Now Wol ... More >>

A bartender needs to know the score, about everything from the Avs to absinthe

​Sean Kenyon's Ask the Bartender has been on a break, but Kenyon hasn't been taking it easy: Over the past five weeks, he's been traveling (Germany, France and New York City twice), working at Euclid Hall at night and opening Williams & Graham during the day. Now he's back, plenty of stories t ... More >>

Brandon Foster, exec chef of Vesta Dipping Grill, on Jimmy Buffett Fridays, the yuck of a yam cake and tie-dye

Lori Midson​ Brandon Foster Vesta Dipping Grill 1822 Blake Street 303-296-1970 www.vestagrill.com This is part one of my interview with Brandon Foster, executive chef of Vesta Dipping Grill. Part two of my interview with Foster will run tomorrow. "Sweat Hog." Those are the words inscribed ... More >>

Six kick-ass Denver chefs, a stellar mixologist and one meaty sausage slinger: Foodography from the James Beard House dinner in New York

Lori MidsonTop from left to right: Tyler Wiard, Matt Selby, Bryan Dayton and Paul Reilly. Bottom from left to right: Mark DeNittis, Brandon Biederman, Jamey Fader and Enrique Socarras​When six Denver chefs, one bartender and, for good measure, a muscled and tatted sausage emperor all trotted ... More >>

James Beard House will host The Five -- and dinner prepared by ten Denver chefs

Jamey Fader and Tyler Wiard are back at the James Beard House.​Lori Midson is off on a mouth-watering mission: She's winging her way to New York City, where she'll attend tonight's dinner at the James Beard House being prepared by the Five -- which now comprises ten local chefs. The Five con ... More >>

Tonight: El Diablo hosts Hacienda de Chihuahua dinner with guest chefs Matt Selby and Brandon Biederman and cocktail kings Randy and Ryan Layman

Lori Midson​If you're looking to have a devilishly good time tonight, make plans to attend the Sotol Hacienda de Chihuahua dinner at El Diablo, the rollicking Mexican cantina in the Baker 'hood, whose kitchen extols the virtues of exec chef Sean Yontz. Tonight though, Yontz is sharing his k ... More >>

Culinary calendar for the week ahead: Wine dinners, beer and yoga, and more

​In addition to a number of restaurant openings, this week is packed with wine dinners, anniversary celebrations and much more; here's a taste of what's on the culinary menu.

Tonight: FIVE dinner at Il Mondo Vecchio

Lori Midson​ Tonight, at 5 p.m., the crew of FIVE, a bumper crop of local chefs who cook their hearts out in Denver, at the James Beard House in New York and at the FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen, are gathering at Il Mondo Vecchio for their second collaborative dinner of the year. And at the bar ... More >>

Guy Fieri, host of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, hits up Steuben's -- and brings home the mayo

Lori MidsonGuy Fieri puts his mayo where his mouth is​Exactly thirteen minutes after Guy Fieri ended his animated commentary of Steuben's, spotlighted last night on the Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, the phone at Steuben's rang. It was a caller who had just watched exec chef Bra ... More >>

New Year's resolutions from Max MacKissock, Matt Selby, Mark DeNittis, Michael Long and twenty-one more Denver/Boulder chefs

Lori MidsonBrad Rowell, chef at Colt & Gray, resolves to eat twenty percent less pork fat per day and replace that with twenty percent more Schlitz​ Haven't made your New Year's resolutions yet? That makes two of us. But instead of focusing on ourselves, we prodded more than two dozen Denver/ ... More >>

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

Lori MidsonFour of the new FIVE: Brandon Biederman, Bryan Dayton, Enrique Socarras and Paul Reilly. ​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 c ... More >>

Raves and rants: Local chefs weigh in with their culinary predictions for 2011

Lori MidsonTAG executive chef/owner Troy Guard predicts that cheese will be the top food of 2011​What does 2011 hold for the culinary world? We asked several local chefs to consult their crystal orbs, talk to the (whole) beast, bend their ears to the farmland and unearth a few trends that will ... More >>

Diners, Drive-ins and Dives filming at Sam's No. 3 on Sunday (and allegedly, a whole lot of other joints)

​ Just got word that a production crew from Diners, Drive-ins and Dives has touched down in Denver, and for the next week, they'll be lugging their camera equipment all over the Mile High City and Boulder amassing footage for a future episode of the popular Food Network show hosted by Guy Fier ... More >>

This week in Cafe Society food bloggery: beer, Bon Appetit, Brandon Biederman and ChoLon Modern Asian Bistro

​ Behold the highlights from this week's Cafe Society blog: 1. With the streets of Denver flooded in suds, it's likely that you're well and truly hammered while reading this, but if you can still see the screen without covering up one eye, and you haven't had your fill of hops and barley, the ... More >>

Steuben's chef Brandon Biederman on that whole local, sustainable, green movement and the woman who weighed her food

Lori Midson​ Brandon Biederman Steuben's 523 East 17th Avenue 303-830-1001 www.steubens.com This is part one of Lori Midson's interview with Brandon Biederman, exec chef of Steuben's. Part two of that Q&A will run in this space tomorrow. Brandon Biederman is having a difficult time coming ... More >>

Flagstaff House cancels its beer dinner, but here's a six-pack of other beer-and-food pairings you shouldn't miss

​The beer extravaganza of the year is upon us. Starting this weekend, hundreds of breweries from around the country will descend upon the Mile High City for the Denver Beer Fest and the Great American Beer Festival. With so many rare brewed beverages suddenly available, it takes a lot of will ... More >>

Despite massive egg recall, Denver restaurants aren't scrambling to yank the yolk

Who, me?​In spite of a massive outbreak of salmonella poisoning (1,300 cases at last count), and the resulting recall of more than 380,000 million eggs, Denver restaurants aren't scrambling to remove eggs Benedict, Cobb salads, croque madames or other egg dishes from their menus.

Tonight: Strike it while it's Hot Rocks Griller Challenge at Elway's Cherry Creek

Lori Midson Vesta Dipping Grill executive chef Brandon Biederman and Lola and Big Red F executive chef Jamey Fader at the 2009 Hot Rocks Griller Challenge at Elway's Cherry Creek​ A swell of Denver's top kitchen masters are playing with fire tonight at Elway's Cherry Creek, 2500 East First Av ... More >>

Manning the Grill

Food and Shelter

A fleet of gourmet food trucks is about to hit Denver

Food Ink: Tattoos from Denver restaurant peeps

​As part of an upcoming photo essay project spotlighting Denver restaurant pros whose tatts are as prevalent as their dissections, burns, blisters, knife slashes and stabs, we promised that we'd post some of the best on the Cafe Society blog. Brandon Biederman, chef of Steuben's, didn't waste ... More >>

Part Two: Chef and Tell with James Mazzio

Lori Midson ​This is part two of James Mazzio's Chef and Tell interview. To read part one, click here. What you'd like to see more of in Denver from a culinary standpoint: More chefs going out on their own and expressing their individual culinary talent rather than working for chain restaur ... More >>

50top is the most exclusive dinner invitation in Denver

Tonight: March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction

​Tonight, the Colorado Chapter of the March of Dimes will host its annual Signature Chefs Auction at 6 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Denver, 650 15th Street. Tickets to the event are $150 per person and include small plates from many of Denver's top chefs, as well as live music and an auction th ... More >>

Back at the bar with Sean Kenyon of Steuben's

​This is part two of Nancy Levine's interview with Sean Kenyon, the bar manager at Steuben's. You can read the first part of Levine's interview with Kenyon here. What do you think of bartending school? I am not a believer in generic bartending school as a way to get into the business. I think ... More >>

Jennifer Jasinski's shrimp sliders win by a shrimp at Hot Rocks Griller Challenge

Lori Midson All the rain in Spain couldn't have dampened the spirits at last night's Hot Rocks Griller Challenge at Elway's Cherry Creek (2500 East First Avenue), a benefit for the Denver Heath Foundation that brought together eleven Denver chefs, chaperoned by Denver Bronco cheerleaders, who coer ... More >>

Top Denver chefs play with fire for charity tonight at Elway's Cherry Creek

Real food. Sharp utensils. Big fire. A good cause. And Denver's top chefs. That's what's on tap tonight, from 6 to 9 p.m., at Elway's Cherry Creek, 2500 East First Avenue, when eleven of the town's top cookers - Tyler Wiard (Elway's, Cherry Creek); Sean Yontz (Mezcal, Tambien and Sketch); Justin ... More >>

Let there be light! Chefs cook for a cause

How do chefs find time to run their own kitchens? Last night, Brandon Biederman (of Steuben's), Jamey Fader (of Lola, shown at right) and fast fill-in Paula Lueske (Goose Sorenson was stuck at Solera) met in the big demonstration kitchen of Mise en Place, the cooking school in the Ice House that's ... More >>

Food for Thought

Road food brakes for the Denver Public Library.