At Scratch Burrito and Happy Tap, Clay Markwell is doing what he loves

Clay Markwell majored in fine arts and photo journalism in college; he wanted to be a photographer. He wound up in advertising, though, where he found himself "very unhappy." Markwell knew he needed a change, but instead of doing what most of us do -- which is pursuing a similar...

By Gretchen Kurtz

January 21, 2014

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Clay Markwell majored in fine arts and photo journalism in college; he wanted to be a photographer. He wound up in advertising, though, where he found himself "very unhappy." Markwell knew he needed a change, but instead of doing what most of us do -- which is pursuing a similar path at a different place -- he started looking for something else. And when he realized he was "playing hooky to go home and make homemade sausage and brew beer for Octoberfest parties," he says, he knew just what it would entail: food. See also: A $10 burrito? Somewhere in Denver, a hard-working Mexican is laughing, says a reader

So Markwell left Chicago and moved to Denver, where he was willing to start over in the kitchen -- beginning as a prep cook at TAG and working his way to sous chef.

And then he worked his way out of TAG, opening his own place, Scratch Burrito and Happy Tap, at 4262 Lowell Boulevard (that's the former home of Shazz) this summer.

"If we're going to be working the rest of our life," explains Markwell, "I want to be lucky to do what I love."

See if you're going to love what he's doing at Scratch when my review is posted on westword.com tomorrow.

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Gretchen Kurtz has worked as a writer for 25 years; during that time she's stomped grapes in Napa, eaten b'stilla in Fez, and baked with Buddy Valastro, aka the Cake Boss. Her work has appeared in publications including Boulevard (Paris), Diversion, the New York Times and Westword. Our restaurant critic since 2012, she loves helping you decide where to eat and drink tonight.

Contact: Gretchen Kurtz

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