Nadine Donovan of Old Major on Her PBR Tattoo

Who are the Denver FIVE? Eater has heard the question many times. The short answer is a group of five highly-skilled and well-recognized local chefs who represent the city's culinary scene on a national level. The group is selected each year by Leigh Sullivan of Leigh Sullivan Enterprises, a local strategy and public relations company. Sullivan created the Denver FIVE in 2008 and, over the years, included several well-known chefs in her group, with Hosea Rosenberg, Brian Laird, and Tyler Wiard among them. This year's class includes Elise Wiggins, executive chef of Panzano, Aniedra Nichols, executive chef of Elway's Cherry Creek, Carrie Shore, executive chef of Table 6, Nadine Donovan, pastry chef at Old Major, and Jenna Johansen, innovation chef at Epicurean Catering.

Of course there are bios for each chef on the group's website and other bits on their careers floating around the web, but Eater wanted to bring you something you could not find quite that easily: five things you don't know about the Denver FIVE. Today, chef Nadine Donovan, pastry chef at Old Major, remembers getting a PBR tattoo: How, why, and when.

I remember the day it happened: I was a freshman in college living in a house with a handful of close friends. I was (almost) 18, convinced I was 28. It was a typical weekend that took an unusual turn when a friend told me about an "incredible" tattoo artist who was in town. Everyone was setting up appointments, so I had to jump on the band wagon.

I wasn't exactly planning to get a tattoo so I didn't have a clear idea in mind of what it should be. So in a few hours I had to decide-- a few hours to settle on a permanent fixtue on my body seemed like plenty of time.

I thought long and hard about what inspires me, motivates me, and most importantly connects me to my heritage. The thing that stood out most in my mind was... Beer. Cheap beer. So, I opened my fridge, grabbed a can of PBR and branded my body with part of the iconic logo.

In hindsight, I have no regrets. It's a permanent reminder not to take myself too seriously. In the end, we all make mistakes, and it's the mistakes we make that help us grow as people. Sometimes I feel like I might be growing up a little too quickly - and then I look at my PBR tattoo.

The 2014 FIVE kick off dinner will take place on Sunday, April 20 at Old Major starting at 6 p.m. There will be a cocktail reception followed by a five-course wine dinner created by the five chefs, along with wine pairings by Travis Plakke and Brian Smith. Tickets are $75 per person and can be purchased online.

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