Jax Fish House’s Longtime Leader Takes the Reins at a LoHi Staple

As of this month, 20-year Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar vet Sheila Lucero is also leading the kitchen team at Lola Coastal Mexican in LoHi. Lucero is now the culinary director of both Lola and Jax, the latter with five (soon to be six) locations across Colorado and Missouri. She’s replacing longtime manager Jamey Fader, who has moved on to head culinary operations at Marczyk Fine Foods, overseeing production of all prepared foods and baked goods.

“Jamey had a big influence on Sheila,” said Dave Query, founder of Big Red F, the restaurant group behind Lola and Jax. “[Fader] hired her and she stepped into his job at Jax LoDo when he left and we opened Lola; it’s the natural progression of things, circle of life.”

And at Congress Park’s popular 12 @ Madison, chef and owner Jeff Osaka has hired a replacement for his opening chef de cuisine, Ashley McBrady, who left in September. Toby Prout starts this week in the award-winning, 40-seat restaurant and brings with him nearly 30 years of experience in local kitchens from Prohibition to Bar Dough, Señor Bear, Leña, Ultreia, and Rioja. Last year, McBrady was nominated locally for Eater’s chef of the year award, and 12 @ Madison became one of our 38 essential Denver restaurants.

• Previous Coverage of Lola [EDEN]
• Two Big Denver Restaurants Are Coming to the Airport [EDEN]
• Previous Coverage of Marczyk Fine Foods [EDEN]
• New Chefs Are Taking Over at These Essential Denver Restaurants [EDEN]