Chef Sharif Villa Cruz Takes the Helm at Lola

Fifteen year old Lola Mexican Fish House brought on chef Sharif Villa Cruz as the new chef de cocina. A native of Mexico City, Cruz has lived in Colorado since he was thirteen years old. He is a graduate of the Colorado Mountain College Culinary Institute and has spent time cooking with chef David Welch at Foodheadz, Troy Guard at TAG, and Duane Walker at Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar.

At the LoHi restaurant, he is stepping in to replace chef Kevin Grossi who, after a six year tenure with the Big Red F Group, is working on opening his own restaurant. Cruz is excited to be cooking his native cuisine and to bring more authentic Mexican cooking to the Denver dining scene.

"My goal is for Lola to be the place to go to when you want real Mexican food," said Cruz. "I want to show people from Denver that Mexican food can be humble but with lots of personality, spicy but soft, playful but approached with lots of respect," he continued.