Table For Flood Relief is going strong, as the Great Roads To Great Chefs guest chefs continue to roll out their dinners. There is a different chef for every dinner, with a roster of chefs from Denver, Boulder, and beyond.
[Photo: Ryan Leinonen]
March 7 through 8, Ryan Leinonen of Trillium will prepare a sampling of his menu with some new items, too— all American spins on traditional Scandinavian flavors. Click here to get tickets to his Great Roads To Great Chefs weekend at The Stanley Hotel.
How did you become a chef? [As a young child,] my Fisher Price kitchen/range/oven were my favorite toys. I started working in restaurants when I was sixteen and was immediately addicted to the passion, craftsmanship, camaraderie, teamwork, and ruthlessness of it all.
What cooking style are you the most passionate about? I like to cook modern, yet rustic food that is rooted in other culinary traditions. Basically taking old world food, recipes, techniques, and foodstuffs, and putting the Modern American spin on them.
And how do you apply that cooking style at your current restaurant? Trillium is an American bistro inspired by the traditional foods of Northern Europe and Scandinavia. We take those traditional concepts and rustic ideas and spin them. [Our] dishes that let ingredients and flavors speak for themselves.
How would you describe Denver's (or Colorado's) food scene? It's a nice collection of chefs and professionals from around the country doing what they do best, focusing on the guest through great drinks, service, and food. There is so much talent here, and the new James Beard nominations tell the story.
What restaurants in Colorado are you most looking forward to trying? I would just feel lucky to be able to go out and eat anywhere. My Wife and I have a beautiful five month old daughter at home, so the ability to go out to eat anymore is hard to come by. I would love to get to Old Major and Fruition again if time permits, or get to The Populist for my first time, but right now, I get really excited just for some excellent sushi.
You can have one food-related super power. What is it? To instantly turn any quality food into instant pure, fresh, clean baby food.
2014 will be the year of the... Ballpark neighborhood.
So why cook at Great Roads To Great Chefs? When I asked to do this dinner, and some of the revenue will be benefiting flood victims, I jumped on it. I always love helping through cooking.
What do you plan to make? It'll be a seasonal sampling of some of Trillium's most popular menu items, and a few new ones too; New American spins on traditional Scandinavian flavors.
What will you do with the percentage of the dinner's proceeds that you get? I'm not sure yet, but they will probably go into the "new patio furniture for Trillium" fund for later this spring.
What are you most looking forward to about your stay at the Stanley Hotel? Checking out their kitchens, meeting their chefs, taking in some fresh mountain air, and getting away from the hustle of the city for a couple of days.
· Great Roads To Great Chefs [Official Website]
· Table For Flood Relief: Great Roads To Great Chefs [EDen]
· Geoff Rhyne on The Wave of Butcher Shops and The Throwback [EDen]
· Orlando Benavidez Wants Go Go Gadget Arms [EDen]
· Drew Hardin on Colorado's Supportive Chefs and Stopping Time [EDen]
· Alec Schuler On Northern Italian Cooking and Tangerine Two [EDen]
· Ian Kleinman On Chef Dreams and Science As A Food Tool [EDen]