Michael Diaz de Leon, Formerly of Brutø, Announces New Omakase Pop-Up in Denver

“It's hard when you leave something that you’ve established, that you’re so comfortable with. To take that leap was scary, but I knew in my heart that I had to do it," says Michael Diaz de Leon.

Last November, he announced his exit as executive chef of Brutø, the Id Est Hospitality restaurant he'd helmed since 2020. Just a month prior, he was in attendance at Colorado's first Michelin awards ceremony, where Brutø earned one star and a green star for sustainability.

After taking a break, Diaz de Leon will be cooking in Denver once again, with a new taco omakase pop-up at Hop Alley next month. Cena Uno will run from March 11 through April 2 on Mondays and Tuesdays; tickets go live at 10 a.m. on Monday, February 26, via Hop Alley’s Resy page.

Diaz de Leon says he parted ways amicably with Id Est and its founder, chef Kelly Whitaker; he is immensely proud of his time there and happy for the group's continued success, he adds.

The chef, husband and father of two notes that industry burnout is very real — a soul-searching life lesson that he gradually unpacked in mental health therapy. He admits that the machismo culture of kitchens often causes chefs to overlook the toll of fourteen-hour shifts and six-day work weeks. After the roller-coaster ride of his success at Brutø, he came to understand that if his mind, body and family relationships are not healthy, all the milestones, accolades and career momentum don't amount to anything. “The kitchen will always be there. But if I don’t take care of myself right now, then I won’t find longevity," he says.
Ever the wanderer and world traveler, Diaz de Leon started his break with a trip to Uruguay in January. He spent three days cooking for an event where he served 150 people. Then he enjoyed ten days off connecting with local farmers, studying the agricultural systems and relaxing at the beach with family.

Venturing into the small town of Garzón, with a population of approximately 200 people, Diaz de Leon says he was immersed in an eclectic ecosystem of captivating hipster artists and generations of gauchos (South American cowboys). Motivated to share this special experience, he is now in talks with local vineyard Bodega Garzón to develop a six-week culinary educational residency for the end of the year.

If all goes as planned, ten to twelve students would get the opportunity to live in Garzón, visit the vineyard and explore beef production. Diaz de Leon would lead the group on a crash course of everything from fermentation and foraging to front-of-house work and restaurant operations.

Following his excursion in South America, Diaz de Leon traveled to his hometown of El Paso, Texas, marking his first return since 2019.

He visited his mother for a bowl of her signature menudo, then celebrated with a one-night takeover of the 2024 James Beard semifinalist restaurant Taconeta, which is co-owned by his longtime friend and colleague Alejandro Borunda. Four hundred guests turned out for the festivities, including family, school friends, old co-workers and even his chef mentor Oscar Herrera. Diaz de Leon calls the entire experience the grounding that he needed to get back to his roots.
Cena Uno is an homage to his first Pinchi Umami taco pop-up back in 2020. During its run, Diaz de Leon and his "right-hand man" chef Silvino Sanchez will serve a seven-course menu with added small bites throughout the meal. “I’m going back to what got me to the rodeo — a lot of masa, a lot of tacos, a lot of really fun Mexican food.”

He is overjoyed that Lee is hosting the event in what he believes is the best restaurant in town. “Me and Tommy have an amazing relationship together,” he shares. “He’s always been a very kind mentor to me. I just admire his work in this community as a restaurateur.”

Diaz de Leon plans to do a new pop-up every sixty days or so this year. He projects three to four in-state events, with additional appearances in Texas, Kentucky, New Mexico and potentially overseas.
In May, his next confirmed residency will take Diaz de Leon to Marfa, Texas, for a takeover of the historic Capri ballroom. This four-week à la carte pop-up will honor West Texas, the border and Mexico with shareable selections of border classics like flautas and menudo as well as large-format steaks with moles. The event will coincide with Marfa’s annual Agave Festival and close out with Diaz de Leon breaking out his massive outdoor pinchi grill.

Diaz de Leon understands the irony of labeling this year as a break, given his packed schedule, but he says the experience is much different from typical restaurant work. “When I’m home, I’m home," he notes. Diaz de Leon is a certified yoga instructor and appreciates any activity that keeps the body moving. Free time with his wife, Ryan, includes yoga, tennis, outdoor activities and quality time with their two young girls, Olivia and Luna.

This year is a lead-up to Diaz de Leon opening up a Denver restaurant all his own in 2025 that will encapsulate his love of wood-fired cooking, sustainable practices, local agriculture and a whole lot of fermentation. He wants to honor his time at Brutø, expand those ideas and celebrate his culinary identity as a first-generation Mexican American chef, fully on his own terms.

Diaz de Leon says it’s hard to break into the inner circle of industry leaders sitting at the top. “I’m just ready to have a seat at the table,” he concludes. ”If it’s not at their table, I’m going to build my own table.”

For more information about Cena Uno and other upcoming events from chef Michael Diaz de Leon, visit michaeldiazdeleon.com or follow @michaeldiazdeleon on Instagram.