As president of operations for Vibe Concepts, Justin Adrian’s role doesn’t fit neatly into a single job description. While he oversees a portfolio of 12 restaurants across Colorado, on any given day you might find him behind the line at T Street Kitchen, jumping into service at Spanky’s Roadhouse, or bartending at one of the Great Divide Brewery & Roadhouse locations.
“I usually end up at three or four restaurants a day,” said Adrian. “If it’s busy, I’ll jump on and help them rock out lunch or dinner, do some cooking, some bartending if need be, kind of all over the place. Really just supporting the team and giving them a voice.”
He’ll also carve out time for R&D and regular check-ins at each restaurant, holding weekly meetings designed to keep teams aligned, reviewing the past week, planning ahead for upcoming events and holidays, and giving teams the opportunity to flag needs and priorities. It’s all in a day’s work.
Good Vibes at Vibe Concepts
Vibe Concepts was founded by brothers Dan, John, and Mike Shipp, who opened Spanky’s Roadhouse near the University of Denver in 1991. More than three decades later, the company has grown to roughly 600 employees across 12 restaurants, including T Street in Aurora and Lakewood; Montezuma Roadhouse and Kickapoo Tavern in Keystone; Reiver’s Bar and Grill in Denver; Penn Street Kitchen in Englewood; Dusty Boot Roadhouse in Beaver Creek; and five Great Divide Brewery and Roadhouse locations across the Front Range, the newest of which debuted in RiNo last year.
“We have a range of concepts from neighborhood bars and grills to more upscale, mid-market [places] where you can dress up for a date night or just come in for a burger and a beer,” said Adrian, who has played a major role in shaping many of those concepts, including helping design and build out all of the Great Divide locations and both T Street concepts. “That’s my favorite part of the job, designing new restaurants, implementing teams and developing recipes.”
Great Divide Debuts in RiNo
According to Adrian, each Great Divide location feels distinct. Since opening, the RiNo outpost has been focused on tailoring the experience to the neighborhood. With the brand, he explained, the goal was to push beyond the expectations of a typical brewpub.
“A lot of breweries aren’t food-focused, but Great Divide is a full-blown restaurant, it’s a dining experience,” said the chef. “You can come in for a great draft, but you can also get a cocktail. It’s the best of all worlds.”
Located in the former Stem Ciders taproom, Great Divide’s sister brand, the RiNo taproom and restaurant features a sprawling patio and a lineup of programming like trivia nights, Taco Tuesdays, plus plenty of board games to enjoy. Pair one of the twelve beers on tap, including one cider from Stem with one of the pub’s 15 new burgers, which range from classics like the Americana to more playful options like the Peachy Keen (topped with peaches, goat cheese and peach sriracha glaze) and the Sticky Situation (layered with candied smoked pork belly, sweet barbecue glaze, red onion, roasted jalapeño and onion rings).
Adrian points to the Jam It Up Burger stacked with bacon, onion, apple jam, arugula, and brie as a longtime favorite of his, alongside the Samurai Japanese lager.
“A lot of it comes down to sourcing,” he said when we asked what makes the perfect burger. “If you’ve got a great product like Colorado beef and good buns, you’re already halfway there. Then it’s about making everything in-house and doing it right.”
Justin Adrian’s Culinary Career
Adrian’s path into the industry began in Texas, where he got his start cooking at Northwood Club in Dallas under the guidance of his uncle, Michael Scott, who happened to be a member of the Epicurean World Master Chef Society and American Academy of Chefs Honor Society. After a year, he returned to Colorado, landing a job at Bisetti’s in Highlands Ranch before setting off on a stretch of travel that took him from California to Texas to the Virgin Islands working under a range of chefs.
That foundation eventually led him to Vibe Concepts, which was known as Roadhouse Hospitality at the time. He was hired more than 12 years ago as executive chef at the now-closed Hodson’s Bar & Grill in downtown Denver. Not long after, an unexpected opportunity shifted his trajectory.
“The general manager at the time was about to have a kid, so he put his resignation in and went down to Arizona,” Adrian recalled. “I threw my name in the hat to take over the GM role. I was expecting them to offer me that position, but when they didn’t, Dan Shipp came in and offered me culinary director of the whole company.”
In that position, Adrian was tasked with overhauling operations, standardizing systems, and refining menus, and, ultimately, helping reshape the company’s identity. Within a few years, he stepped into the role of president of operations as the company rebranded from Roadhouse Hospitality to Vibe Concepts.
“When I took over the role there were 12 different recipes for balsamic dressing, [and] 12 different marinara sauces. So there was overhauling the basics like the recipes and systems and how we do things,” he recalled. “But more importantly, it was about putting the people first, leading by example, and creating a team of juggernauts that are awesome to work with.”
It’s also worth noting that Adrian and Vibe Concepts has been a big part of the DiningOut Events festivals, including the new Surf Seafood Competition, Top Taco, Chicken Fight!, and RARE Steak Championship.
The Takeover
During the takeover on Thursday, April 16, follow along to see a day in the life of the president of operations of a major restaurant group. Adrian will start his day early at the Great Divide Brewery and Roadhouse in Castle Rock before making his way across multiple locations, and carving out time for some R&D later in the day.
Make sure to follow DiningOut Denver on the Instagram stories to see what it’s like working for Vibe Concepts. You can also comment on the pot for a chance to win a $100 gift card to any of the restaurant group’s Colorado eateries.
