The restaurant industry is full of creative, passionate people who come and go to follow a dream, avoid a fight, and to learn new ways to enhance their craft. But where does your favorite chef go when they bid adieu to a beloved restaurant?
With this new series we aim to have you covered on who’s packing up their knives, and who’s rolling them out. Get the monthly skinny on all the departures, arrivals, and shakeups happening in town, plus how and if the changes impact what goes out on the plate.
Know of any big moves going down? Drop us a line with any tips, pitches, or breaking news at info@diningout.com or ping us on social media, @diningoutdnvr
Geoff Cox Bounces From Hop Alley
After nine years, Hop Alley executive chef Geoff Cox served his last meal at the restaurant in June. We first were tipped off after seeing Hop Alley’s job listing on Poached (an online industry job board), looking for a new executive chef. Nothing else was mentioned, but after Cox shared the update on Instagram we officially knew he was leaving.
“The opportunity I have before me doesn’t exist without him,” he wrote on Instagram, referring to Hop Alley owner Tommy Lee. “So on to new adventures, and a new project to come. More details to follow, but stay tuned for more shenanigans and joy.”
We aren’t sure where he will go from here, but we will let you know when we do.
Corsica Lands a New Lead, While Barcelona Looks For One
Corsica Wine Bar brought in Devin Rachles as its executive chef in mid June. While Rachles came to Corsica via True Food Kitchen, he is a familiar face to the team given a previous role as executive sous chef at Barcelona Wine Bar, which is owned by the same company. Denver diners may have seen him working the kitchen at Redeemer Pizza and the now closed spots Roberta’s and Goed Zuur.
Meanwhile, over at Barcelona Wine Bar, the hunt is on for a new executive chef following the departure of Daniel Lacount. Lacount made a leap to the Colorado restaurant group Big Red F, which runs concepts including Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar, The Post, West End Tavern, Wonder Press Juice, Centro Mexican Kitchen, and Velvet Elk Lounge.
Brasserie Brixton Shakes It Up
This past month Brasserie Brixton welcomed new chef de cuisine Russ Maddux, who comes to the RiNo French staple by way of the Colbert Hills golf club in Kansas. This is the second time the chef has worked in Denver, and also has experience in kitchens in Brooklyn.
According to Brixton’s Instragram, Maddux is “ringing over 20 years of experience dishing up seasonal, sustainably minded food with serious love for nose-to-tail cookery.”
The restaurant had been on the hunt for someone to fill the clogs of former executive chef Harrison Porter. Porter left on good terms with a solid plan to make his solo debut with Bear Leek in July, which took over the former Osaka Ramen space, also in RiNo.
