Colt & Gray Temporarily Closes After Kitchen Staff Walkout | Westword
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Colt & Gray Closes Temporarily After Kitchen Walkout

A familiar favorite on Platte Street at the foot of the 16th Street pedestrian bridge will be closed for the next several days. Colt & Gray has temporarily shut down dinner service to hire new staff after a walkout by several members of the kitchen crew. The restaurant released the following...
Colt & Gray is closed until May 2.
Colt & Gray is closed until May 2. Westword
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A familiar favorite on Platte Street at the foot of the 16th Street pedestrian bridge will be closed for the next several days. Colt & Gray has temporarily shut down dinner service to hire new staff after a walkout by several members of the kitchen crew. The restaurant released the following statement to explain the situation to regular customers and guests with reservations:

Due to unfortunate circumstances Colt & Gray will be closed for service the week of April 25-29. Our cocktail bar, Ste. Ellie, will remain open if you find yourself in need of a fine cocktail and delicious meal.

We often think of restaurants as investments in food, wine, and the other architectures of service. Sometimes we are reminded that running a restaurant is actually an investment business in our people, and in our guests that grace us with their business, and trust us to feed them an elegant meal at a fair price.

With the unforeseen departure of many members of our kitchen staff, we are taking the opportunity to welcome in a new brigade, to continue to teach the craft, and to provide cooks the opportunity to learn and grow their careers. To our old team: thank you; and we wish you the best of luck in your new endeavors.

Over seven years ago, we opened under the premise that we would throw a rocking dinner party every evening and invite our neighbors into our home. We look forward to continuing that for many more years to come. We look forward to seeing all of our fans when we return to business as usual on May 2.

Beverage director Kevin Burke notes that chef Tim Ashbaugh stayed on board and got the restaurant through weekend service with the help of front-of-house staff who filled in on the line. Ashbaugh will stay with Colt & Gray, and the restaurant will hire six or seven new employees.

Colt & Gray was opened in August 2009 by chef/owner Nelson Perkins and quickly gained a following for the restaurant's dedication to housemade charcuterie and nose-to-tail cooking. Ste. Ellie followed as a downstairs cocktail bar in 2013. In a nod to Colt & Gray's meritorious meat skills, we awarded the restaurant Best Steakhouse this year — and we'll definitely be returning once the new crew gets its sea legs to make sure the beef is still blue-ribbon.

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