A good chef does more than just feed people, they give back to the community, to farmers, and to the people who need it most. Such is the case with chef Tajahi Cooke, who recently partnered with event master Deuce Thevenow. The two care about Colorado so much, they’ve dedicated a dinner series to the land. Dubbed Breaking Bread Dinner Club, the pair debuted the concept in early October.
Breaking Bread Dinner Club
The two-night launch featured a pair of distinct events. Each featured a 100-person, family-style meal set up outdoors. The dinners miraculously showcased the product of the host farm across five tasty courses.
“He’s been having this idea of wanting to do farm dinners since we first met,” said Cooke, remembering their intro back when the chef was still with Freedom Street Social in Arvada. The two immediately clicked, both sincere advocates of local food sourcing, and using cuisine as a way of fostering connections.
“We had 200 diners, 14 different dishes, and every ingredient came from within the state,” the cheff added.
At the last event, held on October 6 at Longmont’s own YA YA Farm and Orchard, the duo brought together farmers, ranchers, food and spirits producers, and even some local lemonade for a progressive feast. Rex Moore of Rock River Ranches, who hosted the previous night’s seating, sat and enjoyed dinner. The main course put his bison on full display.
“Farm to table dinners are not a unique idea, so how are we going to do this differently,” said Thevenow. The answer was rather than bring the farm to the table, they brought the table to the farm.
A Match Made in Restaurants
Cooke, who also does some in-home catering, prepared a banquet at one of these get-togethers. “Deuce was in my ear every fucking second. I just wanted to put a fucking apron on him because he was never going to leave,” laughed Cooke, speaking of the two chefs’ budding culinary compatibility.
While Cooke takes care of the bulk of the actual menu building, the breakdown of responsibilities isn’t nearly so simple as just one of front versus back of house. Both Cooke and Thevenow show plenty of facetime, introducing each course alongside producers and hosts.
“Deuce was more conceptual,” said Cooke. “I may have been the chef behind the menu, but Deuce was the chef behind the event.”
Thevenow’s path to the food world was anything but ordinary. Up until now, his career has largely been in music, which he began in college. His first show saw performances by LMFAO and Mike Posner. The artists played to a sold out crowd of five-thousand behind one of Indiana University’s local fraternities. Thevenow would go on to throw similar parties with artists like Pretty Lights, Chiddy Bang, Calvin Harris, The Chainsmokers, and Diplo.
While his inroad was nontraditional, Thevenow clearly has a knack for event planning. His fondness for food is as sincere as his passion for music.
“The through line is my love for putting on events, but mostly for the opportunity to bring people together,” said Thevenow.
The Skill of Chef Tajahi Cooke
Cooke is, and has been, a community fixture. He’s cooked and consulted his way across Denver. His roving Supper Club brought his brand of thoughtful, warmhearted, and conversational dining into renowned kitchens like The Ginger Pig and BRUTO.
But his biggest claim to fame, and certainly the most bonafide expression of his culinary philosophy, is the annual Thanksgiving charity Ms. Betty’s Harvest Madsgiving, which he runs with his wife Danielle. Named after his grandmother, the event galvanizes donors and volunteers for a massive undertaking that last year alone got meals into the hands of over thirteen thousand individuals who otherwise may not have eaten that day.
“One hundred percent of ingredients and time are donated,” said Cooke, adding that nearly 300 people contributed time and energy to making the dream come alive.
This year will mark Madsgiving’s sixth iteration. This time around, donations from Ardent Mills, Cherry Creek Innovation Campus, Harvest Moon Bakery, Healthy Harvest, Italco, Lakeland, Mean Street Worship Center and Rescue Mission, Metro Caring, Miller Farms, Raquelitas Tortillas, Red Bird Farms, Shamrock Foods, Stillman Meats, The Knife Guys, US Foods, and Zeppelin Zeppelin station have all been crucial in building up the massive supply required for the enormous giveaway. Cooke says he is still seeking additional help for this year’s prep and delivery.
“I’m trying to feed as well as to nurture,” he said.
The Future For the Duo
Recently Cooke landed on the board of directors of The Colorado Restaurant Foundation. While there, he will advocate for mom-and-pop locales, pop-ups, and personal chefs, as well as traditional businesses.
“This business has changed. It’s gotten more diverse. It’s not just a restaurant in a brick and mortar,” he continued, adding that he intends to champion programs that address mental health issues within the restaurant community. “We can fix it. We don’t just have to sit on the sidelines and watch.”
Cooke and Thevenow’s Breaking Bread Dinner Club is another way the chef and the event planner can share the joy of food and a promise of better ways to source food and serve it. Though the dinner series is done for this year, Thevenow said he’s planning on doing eight dinners, each with its own story, across four different farms in 2025. The duo plans to make initial announcements regarding the specifics in January 2025.
Until then, Ms. Betty’s Harvest Madsgiving is on, and needs more hands on deck. Find out how you can help by going to the website, msbettyscooking.com
