Rick Bayless

Round two with Nate Bychinski, exec chef of Mateo

Nate Bychinski Mateo 1837 Pearl Street, Boulder 303-443-7766 mateorestaurant.com This is part two of my interview with Nate Bychinski, exec chef of Mateo; part one of my interview with Bychinski ran yesterday. Most memorable meal you've ever had in Denver: Although it wasn't a traditional meal, l ... More >>

Jose Guerrero, exec chef of ViewHouse, on the "swoosh," licking a cactus and why he won't touch foie gras

Jose Guerrero ViewHouse Eatery, Bar & Rooftop 2015 Market Street 720-878-2015 viewhouseco.com This is part one of my interview with Jose Guerrero, exec chef of ViewHouse Eatery, Bar & Rooftop; part two of our chat will run on Cafe Society tomorrow. In hindsight, things could have gone very differ ... More >>

Paul Nagan, exec chef of Zink Kitchen Bar, reveals his top ten pet peeves

Paul Nagan Zink Kitchen Bar 7801 East Orchard Road, Greenwood Village 303-779-1559 www.zinkdtc.com This is part one of my interview with Paul Nagan, exec chef of Zink Kitchen Bar; part two of our interview will run tomorrow. I was always interested in cooking," says Paul Nagan. "My grandpare ... More >>

George Eder, exec chef of Pizza Republica, on grubs, Groupons and the guest who was aghast

George Eder Pizza Republica 5375 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village 720-489-2030 www.pizzarepublica.com This is part one of my interview with George Eder, exec chef of Pizza Republica; part two of our conversation will tun tomorrow. George Eder grew up in Detroit, one of five siblings whose mothe ... More >>

Round two with David Payne, executive chef of Jelly

David Payne Jelly Cafe 600 East 13th Avenue, 303-831-6301 1700 East Evans Avenue, 720-596-4108 www.eatmorejelly.com This is part two of my interview with David Payne, executive chef of Jelly; part two of our interview ran yesterday. Favorite dish on your menu: I love our French toast with freshly ... More >>

David Payne, exec chef of Jelly, on losing your authority, Rick Bayless and gross sticky goo

David Payne Jelly Cafe 600 East 13th Avenue, 303-831-6301 1700 East Evans Avenue, 720-596-4108 www.eatmorejelly.com This is part one of my interview with David Payne, executive chef of Jelly Cafe; part two of our chat will run tomorrow. My mom," sighs David Payne, "wasn't a good cook. At all." Pep ... More >>

Round two with Ignacio Leon, exec chef of Paxia and Los Carboncitos

Ignacio Leon Los Carboncitos 3757 Pecos Street 303-458-0880 www.loscarboncitos.com Paxia 4001 Tejon Street 720-583-6860 www.paxiadenver.com Part one of my interview with Ignacio Leon, exec chef of Paxia and Los Carboncitos, ran yesterday; this is part two of our conversation. Favorite food city ... More >>

Kevin Morrison, exec chef-owner of Pinche Taqueria, on learning enough to move on

Kevin Morrison Pinche Taqueria 1514 York Street 720-475-1337 pinchetacos.com This is part one of my interview with Kevin Morrison, exec chef-owner of Pinche Taqueria; part two of our conversation will run tomorrow. "Just shut the fuck up and give me the taco." That was the order Kevin Morrison re ... More >>

Round two with Lucas Forgy, exec chef of Freshcraft: Avery beer rep is a ninja!

Lucas Forgy Freshcraft 1530 Blake Street 303-758-9608 www.freshcraft.com Part one of my interview with Lucas Forgy, exec chef of Freshcraft, ran yesterday; this is part two of our chat. What do you enjoy most about your craft? Being able to engage with people in real time and make things happen.

Round two with Josh Barhaug, exec chef of Fired Up

Josh Barhaug Fired Up 1135 Bannock Street 303-825-1995 www.gtfiredup.com Part one of my chef interview with Josh Barhaug, who mans the line -- and pizza oven -- at Fired Up, ran yesterday; this is part two of our chat. What you'd like to see more of in Denver/Boulder from a culinary standpoint: ... More >>

Since when did black beans become "higher class"?

America's love-hate relationship with Mexicans and Mexican food

Round two with Randy Balch, chef of Wazee Supper Club

Randy Balch Wazee Supper Club 1600 15th Street 303-623-9518 www.wazeesupperclub.com This is part two of my interview with Randy Balch, chef of Wazee Supper Club. Read part one of my chef and tell interview with Balch. Favorite dish on your menu: The meat-over pizza, with Canadian bacon, pepperon ... More >>

Gustavo Arellano on Tim Tebow, Tom Tancredo and the glories of Chubby's Mexican hamburger

"Denver has the most gabacho gabachos in the United States," Gustavo Arellano, author of Ask a Mexican, proclaimed yesterday, name-checking Tim Tebow (briefly), John Elway and Tom Tancredo, with whom he'd debated immigration eighteen months ago on the same Su Teatro stage.

Gustavo Arellano on Chubby's, Tom Tancredo and Den-Mex

Gustavo Arellano, author of Ask a Mexican, returned to the Su Teatro stage last night, where eighteen months ago he'd discussed immigration with Tom Tancredo. Before that debate, Tancredo and Arellano had met across the street for dinner at El Noa Noa. And no matter how he feels about Mexicans, "Tan ... More >>

Does the cold weather make Mexicans mad??

Round two with Beau Green, exec chef of the Denver Zoo

Beau Green Denver Zoo 2300 Steele Street www.denverzoo.org Read part one of my interview with Beau Green, exec chef of the Denver Zoo. Most memorable meal you've ever had: Chef Travis Kight -- our corporate chef here at the zoo -- always takes me out to the best/coolest places to eat. During my tr ... More >>

La Revolución Taqueria Cantina opening next week in Louisville

Fifteen years ago, remembers Rick Betance, he hired James Lee at Zolo Grill, giving the bartender his first real bar job, a position that would plant the seeds for Lee's rise to mixology stardom. Now, after Betance spent years as an owner and operator of a boutique hotel in the Alaskan wilderness an ... More >>

In honor of his Taco USA, the Mexican sounds off on Mexican food

Empty your wallets! Tickets to the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen are now on sale

I'll never forget the first time I attended the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. It was the final year that Julia Child, the late, great American chef who demystified French cuisine -- and passed away in 2004 -- made an appearance at the annual Aspen culinary orgy, back when there was no Food Network, ... More >>

Round two with the Trinity Grille's Patrick Canfield

Patrick Canfield Trinity Grille 1801 Broadway 303-293-2288 www.trinitygrille.com This is part two of my chef and tell interview with the Trinity Grille's Patrick Canfield. Part one of our chat ran yesterday. Favorite restaurant in America: Edwardo's in Westcliffe, Colorado. Going there always rem ... More >>

Frasca Food and Wine's Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson on eating fox tartare and the get in -- and get out rule at Frasca

Lori Midson​ Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson Frasca Food and Wine 1738 Pearl Street, Boulder 303-442-6966 www.frascafoodandwine.com This is part one of my interview with Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson, co-owner and executive chef of Frasca Food and Wine. Part two of my chat with Mackinnon-Patterso ... More >>

Round two with Andy Martinez, exec chef of Citron New World Bistro

Lori Midson​ Andy Martinez Citron New World Bistro 3535 South Yosemite Street 303-771-5800 www.citronbistro.com This is part two of my interview with Andy Martinez, exec chef of Citron New World Bistro. Part one of that interview ran in this space yesterday. Favorite restaurant in America: ... More >>

Even the "inferior meats" are done well at El Camino

Frank Bonanno weighs in on Denver Restaurant Week

Lori Midson​Five of the half dozen enterprises commanded by prolific restaurateur/chef Frank Bonanno are participating in Denver Restaurant Week, which gets underway on February 26 and continues through March 11, offering two weeks of multi-course dinners, priced at $52.80 per couple or $26.4 ... More >>

Today: Rick Bayless cooks for Douglas County books

WTTW11Rick Bayless​Top Chef Masters winner Rick Bayless is spending the day in the Denver 'burbs, starting with an exclusive lunch at the Old Blinking Light Kitchen & Cocktails, 9344 South Dorchester Street in Highlands Ranch.

Culinary calendar for the week ahead: Rick Bayless, fresh hops and craft spirits

WTTW11Rick Bayless​This week, Rick Bayless, the Top Chef Masters winner, will be hanging around the Highlands Ranch/Parker area for some special events; other foodie fun includes the Fresh Hop Celebration and Breckenridge's Craft Spirits Festival. Here's a taste of what's ahead:

Part two: SAME Cafe's Brad Birky on Queen Elizabeth, Led Zeppelin and the woman who wanted one egg

Lori MidsonBrad and Libby Birky, owners of the SAME Cafe​ This is part two of Lori Midson's interview with Brad Birky, chef/owner of the SAME Cafe. To read part one of this interview, click here. Greatest accomplishment as a chef: Starting SAME Cafe with really no kitchen experience to spea ... More >>

Observations from the 2010 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen: José Andrés, Jacques Pépin, getting porked, scrambled egg mousse, Alex Seidel and a smoking gun

Lori Midson Jacques Pépin, Jean-Claude Szurdak and José Andrés​Thus ends four days of liver damage, debauchery, hangovers, embarrassments and a swollen stomach. The 2010 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen officially came to a close yesterday, and while the weekend isn't without its fuzzy moments, ... More >>

Chef and Tell with Sergio Romero from Argyll Gastropub

Lori Midson ​"My goal," says Sergio Romero, "is to be on a wait as often as possible, to have people love our food and eat it up, and to provide an experience that's a little different from everything else in Denver." And the exec chef of Argyll Gastropub fiercely believes that the Cherry Cree ... More >>

Part two: Chef and Tell with Olav Peterson from Bistro One

​ This is part two of my interview with Olav Peterson, exec chef of Bistro One. To read part one, click here. Culinary inspirations: Whenever I go to Paris, I always come away with so many influences, whether it's from the art in the city or eating an iconic banana Nutella crepe off the stre ... More >>

High-roller alert: Tickets for Aspen Food & Wine Classic on sale now

​No time like now, just four days before Christmas, for those of you blessed with holiday bonuses to blow some of that wad on tickets to the annual Aspen Food & Wine Classic, one of the biggest culinary blowouts of the year.Tickets went on sale last week for the three-day feedbag, which comes ... More >>

Red alert! Why do older Mexican women cut and dye their hair?

Interview with Matt Selby

Tonight: Frasca chef competes on Top Chef: Masters

Lachlan Mackinnon Patterson If you've been following Top Chef: Masters, the Top Chef spinoff that airs every Wednesday night on Bravo, then you know that Lachlan MacKinnon-Patterson, exec chef at Boulder's Frasca Food & Wine (1738 Pearl Street), is a contestant on the show, wielding knives alongsid ... More >>

What's cooking at the White House? Maybe Denver chef Daniel Young

Star-Crossed

Can a yaktivist and a government worker find love?

Gourmet Eats and Treats

The Name Game

Modern Mexican standoff

Trained Eyes

Boulder celebrates the art of collecting art.

Bite Me

Comforting Thoughts

Bush Bash

Hustler's Flynt takes on el presidente

The Bite

Season's Eatings

French Twist

Tante Louise's Duy Pham is the real thing.

The Bite

Stuff your stocking with cookbooks.

Mouthing Off