Chef Speaker Series Highlights Aurora's Diverse Dining Scene

Speckled with hundreds of restaurants, Aurora's food scene is a destination for global fare, from Korean barbecue to traditional Ethiopian, Thai and Indian foods and much more. From July 21 to July 31, the Aurora History Museum is hosting six different chefs with mastery in different cuisines to highlight not only the diversity within the city's parameters, but the talent, love and community that is fostered in the area.

The museum is tucked away behind Aurora City Hall, and its walls are covered with memorabilia showing off the city's diverse history. Current exhibits offer insight into the history of Lowry Air Force Base, the Great Outdoors of Aurora and the yellow and red trolley car that traveled along Colfax Avenue in the early 1910s. The stationary Trolley Trailer No. 610 has been a focal point for visitors since it was fully restored in 2014.

As part of an effort to draw more visitors to the museum, adult education specialist Emily Miner has begun to organize semi-annual speaker events with rotating topics designed to appeal to anyone, at any age.

The first of these events took place this past December, when famous authors who were raised in the city came and spoke about their work. Chefs of Aurora is the second speaker series. "People love learning about food — people love eating," Miner says. "The city of Aurora is so diverse, it is a really approachable way for people to get to know their neighbors through food. You can hear about someone's story through their cuisine."

Two of the series participants are chef Seble Gobena, from Ethiopian restaurant Eatopia, and Hannah Cho, owner of Shin Myung Gwan, which specializes in Korean barbecue. Both women moved to Colorado over twenty years ago, and neither planned to open or run a restaurant when they arrived. Instead, they were focused on going to school and getting jobs in the corporate world. But ultimately, both were drawn to share their cuisine with their community.
"It just happened one day," recalls Gobena. "I went to see a friend, and he had bought a shop, so I asked him, 'What do you want to do with this place?'" She offered to pay rent for the space, and "the next day, I brought in plates and cooking utensils and I started cooking." Gobena built her business there for three years before opening Eatopia at 1030 Havana Street in Aurora.

Cho chose to step away from her banking job and take over Shin Myung Gwan in 2017. "I never realized how difficult being a restaurant owner would be," she admits, "but finally I realized the impact that cooking very good food for people can have. Some people might be having very tough days, but when you have had a nice, good meal, it can reduce that stress."

As the restaurant industry continues to mend itself after the pandemic, it's clear just how important support from the surrounding Aurora community was for restaurants like Eatopia and Shin Myung Gwan. "We had a lot of difficulties when dealing with finding people who could work and sourcing our ingredients," Cho says. "It was hard. But I was thinking that COVID made us learn to live our lives a different way. And instead of just complaining, we began to move forward, working closer with our friends, family and customers." Her business also made it through thanks to the large, $100+ to-go orders that big families would place on Friday nights. "They were very big blessings from our customers," she adds.
Community, collaboration and good food are all on the agenda for this series. Armed with passion and culinary knowledge, each chef will walk you through their own personal stories and the experiences that led them to share their cuisine with the Aurora community. There will be samples of each chef's cuisine available during the events, though you're sure to go home with more than a full stomach: You'll also take home the message of authenticity both in and outside the kitchen, the importance of diversity, and the beauty of sharing meals and stories with one another.

The four other chefs who will be joining Gobena and Cho will cover topics that include Asian fusion, Polynesian cuisine, soul food and Venezuelan fare. This event, as well as entry to the museum anytime, is free, but guests are encouraged to RSVP on Eventbrite.

Here's the full schedule for the Chefs of Aurora speaker series:

• Friday, July 21, at 6:30 p.m.: Ethiopian cuisine with chef Seble Gobena from Eatopia
• Saturday, July 22, at 1 p.m.: Asian Fusion with chef Thoa Nguyen from Banh & Butter Bakery
• Tuesday, July 25, at 6:30 p.m.: Polynesian cuisine with chef Shauna from No Ke Aloha
• Saturday, July 29, at 11 a.m.: Korean barbecue with Hannah Cho and chefs Ms. Park and Mr. Kim from Shin Myung Gwan
• Sunday, July 30, at 10 a.m.: Venezuelan gastronomy with chef Gastón
• Monday, July 31, at 6:30 p.m.: Soul Food with chef Priscilla Smith from Cora Faye's Cafe