Chef Kelly Whitaker Launches Ash, Parts Ways with Cart Driver

Back in June at the FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen, chef Kelly Whitaker gave a quick glimpse into Ash, a new concept he was working on. Attendees of the Wine at the Mine party sampled flatbreads made with house-milled grains and more, which are now part of the offerings of the mobile kitchen that Whitaker has launched in collaboration with Basta chef Cody Taft.

Ash describes itself as focusing on elemental campfire-inspired cuisine that revolves around charcoal, wood-burning, and other traditional methods. There is no brick and mortar but a pop up schedule is filling up and unique catering events are also an option. Every Friday in August, Ash will be at Infinite Monkey Theorem's Denver location from 5 to 11 p.m.

"We're excited to take our cuisine mobile, with the launch of Ash," said Whitaker. "We thrive on customizing menus for each customer, and providing a unique dining experience no matter where the location."

While launching Ash, the chef, whose six year old flagship restaurant Basta is located in Boulder, parted ways with his Denver project Cart Driver. "I enjoyed creating Cart-Driver more than two years ago, and am really proud of what it became," Whitaker said. "Looking into the future, after having sold our interests in the restaurant to our partners, the whole Id Est Hospitality team is looking forward to focusing on the exciting passion projects we have in the pipeline."