Defying the odds with business acumen, the family-run bright pink food truck, Chile con Quesadilla, reigns at the top of Denver’s food truck scene. They are not slowing as soon as they prepare to open their doors at their first brick-and-mortar location in Brighton. Tomorrow, we are privileged to follow Tastemaker Christina Richardson throughout her day-to-day life and journey to where the last three years of hard work have led her and her team. From a grand opening to closing, and all the way back to another grand opening coming on Cinco de Mayo, learn more about this incredible Chef’s story.

Businesses are finally overcoming the pandemic’s challenges, especially in hospitality and our beloved food and beverage scene. Christina and her husband Jason first became restaurant owners in 2017 when they opened Crisp Cafe in the DTC. They intended to expand and reach a larger audience, so they set out to open their food truck in March 2020. Only a couple of days after their first service, restaurants were forced to shut, Crisp Cafe included. While many restaurateurs were sent into a whirlwind and survival panic, the Richardsons permanently closed Crisp and switched all efforts to their food truck. 

Implementing her business smarts and experience, Chef Christina capitalized on the high demand for food trucks at breweries (which were initially not allowed to operate without a food option) and at communities around town that organized visits for residents in lockdown. Beyond the savviness, the Chile con Quesadilla team is family-led and effortlessly creates a welcoming and fun-filled environment out of a truck. Their friendliness and good-time attitudes have led to success with a loyal following, resulting in the opening of two trucks and their new permanent restaurant.

As a testament to Chef Christina’s culinary talents, awards occupy an entire wall of accolades they have won in the past three years, including 2021 Top Taco People’s Choice Creative Taco, 2022 Top Taco Judge’s Choice Creative Taco, 2021 Bacon and Beer Most Creative Dish and Best Overall Dish, 2022 Denver Food + Wine Shake and Brake Showdown Best Food Truck, 2021 Westword Readers’ Choice Best Food Truck, Best Green Chili, Best Tacos, 2023 Westword Readers’ Choice Best Green Chili and Best Tacos. Follow along on DiningOut’s Instagram on Thursday, April 13, and enter for your chance to win a $100 gift card to try out Chef Christina’s award-winning menu at Chile con Quesadilla.

About The Author

Gabriela Reyes

Gaby has been part of the Denver/Boulder food scene since 2015 when she moved to Colorado. While gradually losing her ability to eat due to six years of misdiagnosed food allergies, she became fascinated with the culinary scene. Gaby, aka The Restaurant Encyclopedia, has been DiningOut's restaurant coordinator for food festivals since 2017 and joined the editorial team in 2022.

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