For over 20 years chef Tim Kuklinski has worked under chef Jennifer Jasinski and her concepts, but now he oversees Bistro Vendôme in Park Hill as a partner and owner. While finding the right place to grow his career happened quickly for the chef, he didn’t start out in the kitchen.
Kuklinski grew up as an “Airforce brat,” settling in Nebraska when he was in fifth grade. He stayed through college, where he studied engineering. Lucky for us he decided that career path wasn’t for him, and neither, as it turned out, was midwestern life. On a whim, he decided to go to culinary school, which is how he ended up in Colorado.
“Gathering and sharing meals was always important to me, my two brothers, and parents growing up,” he said. “Everyday at six we sat down and ate dinner. My mom could make like 20 different [recipes], but it was good.”
The family had a large garden and Kuklinski’s dad would hunt. Venison, doves, and fresh produce often graced the table. As Kuklinski and his brothers got older, each would take a weekly turn in the kitchen to make dinner.
“My older brother made frozen ravioli, but we had homemade tomato sauce,” recalled the chef. “I wanted to try different things. So I made chile and read cookbooks…that’s where the culinary [interest] came in.”
Finding His Place in the Kitchen
Kuklinski joined Jasinski’s team over 20 years ago, when he started working the pantry station at Rioja. At the time he was still in culinary school at Johnson & Wales
“I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, but I definitely fell in love with the idea of being a line cook,” said the chef. “Working hard, going to the bar, that gritty lifestyle, and working with people that weren’t who I grew up with in Nebraska.”
Self-described as a competitive person, Kuklinski strived to be the best line cook. It worked, and after about four years in the kitchen he became sous chef. Next, he became the executive chef, all before he turned 30.
As Kuklinski rose up, so did the company. Owned by Jasinski and Beth Gruitch, Crafted Concepts was born and included Rioja, Bistro Vendôme, Euclide Hall, Stoic & Genuine, and Ultreia. By 2019 he became the culinary director for the group, overseeing all five concepts.
Like most restaurant stories, when the pandemic hit in 2020 things changed. Crafted Concepts shuttered Euclid Hall in LoDo, and a few years later closed Stoic & Genuine in Union Station when the lease ran out.
“The position of culinary director became redundant, we didn’t need that level of management for three concepts,” said the chef. “So I moved over to Bistro, and it moved to Park Hill about a year-and-a-half after.”
Bistro Vendôme 2.0
For almost 20 years Bistro Vendôme resided in a quaint spot on Larimer Square. It had Parisian cafe vibes that were unique to Denver at the time. While Jasinski and Gruitch hadn’t wanted to close that location, when the building sold they had no other option.
“There were things at Bistro downtown that were incredible, and irreplaceable,” said Kuklinski. “You felt like you were being transported to Paris. But that is no more.”
Luckily, the team found a new spot to rebuild Bistro Vendôme, though in a neighborhood far from its downtown roots. Enter, the second version of the French cafe, in Park Hill.
“It was a restaurant called Tables, and from the second you walked in the door you could feel the work and love they put in the space,” he told us. “I was like, this feels right. Met the landlord, that was awesome, looked at the lease and that was awesome. So we moved Bistro and it was incredible.”
That was February 2023, and since then the restaurant has become a neighborhood staple.
“When I moved out there as an owner and chef, I knew exactly what I wanted Bistro to be,” explained Kuklinski. “Having that vision really helped solidify what we are now.”
His goal: “To be a neighborhood staple, a place you can go to have a cheeseburger at happy hour, or brunch, or a graduation or a fine dining experience. We have found out how to blend the dining experience. There are people that come in many times a week for a glass of wine and snack, or dessert. They come to just hang out.”
Kuklinski credits a lot of the success to his staff. The turnover is low, he said, which means the team likes being there and knows the business as well as he does.
“When it comes to what I want to do at Bistro, we take care of the people, and make good food. What is there besides that?” stated the chef. “If you take care of people and food, it takes care of itself.”
One of those treasured team members is Kuklinski’s wife, Erin, who manages the pastry and bakery program. Working together was something he always dreamed about, and now, he gets to share both the work side and the family side. Often the couple’s two kids, ages 11 and 7, are in Bistro too, which has truly created a second home for the Kuklinskis. And, added the chef, he has no plans of leaving.
The Chef Takeover
Follow along today as the chef shows us his garden, a bit of family life, and of course, life inside Bistro Vendôme. There may even be the prepping of the restaurant’s 30-pound porchetta. In an extra special twist, he will end the day as one of our judges for Top Taco in Westminster, so you’ll get a behind the scenes look at how we award the best tacos in the city.
Bistro Vendôme is also giving away a $100 gift card to the restaurant. To enter, simply follow along on the stories, like and share that static post on DiningOut Denver’s Instagram, follow Bistro Vendôme on Instagram, and comment.
Visit Bistro Vendôme for yourself Sunday through Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 4 to 10 p.m., and for brunch Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 2267 Kearney St., Denver, bistrovendome.com
