A Star is (re)born
A big update on The Blue Star's return; local operators weigh in on 2025's minimum wage hike; Mountain Shadows saved; who won the Knife Fight + more food & drink news
If you’re one of my earlier Side Dish subscribers, you may recall back in the fall of 2023 that I broke the news on something significant for the Springs F&B scene: the return of The Blue Star. Not that the Blue Star Group hasn’t remained vibrant now for decades, in recent years launching brands like Stellina Pizza Cafe in the Shook’s Run Neighborhood and a cluster of outfits housed in the Ivywild School: The Principal’s Office, Decent Pizza Co., Ivywild Kitchen, and most recently Gold Star Bakery. I’m talking about the shit-kicking, pioneering, OG mothership itself, the one that incubated dozens of industry people still relevant on the scene today: The Blue Star restaurant at 1645 S. Tejon St., across the street from Ivywild, which closed in 2017, having originally launched in Old Colorado City in 1995. (At this link, you can share memories, tell them your favorite dish and get on their newsletter for project news.)
To catch up on the history, I highly recommend our Tap&Table podcast episode with Blue Star Group founder Joseph Coleman, who sat down with us around this time last year to spill the delicious little beans on what’s coming. He’s remarkably forthcoming about past failures and they’re helping shape the new-era vision for the flagship eatery. As he’d said back in our 2023 chat, Blue Star 3.0 will be “the greatest hits” and “everything I’ve learned about the old Blue Star, and why the new one will be better.”
That reads vague now, I’m aware, but that was then and this is now, and I’m writing this with a brand bible and investor’s portfolio in-hand (no, I have no financial stake in the biz) which illustrates everything from architectural renderings to future menu descriptions down to meticulously selected tile, fabric, fixture and furniture choices. I have my first taste of the space through this expansive virtual tour and now I see how different 3.0 will be from what you remember from the prior spot. As Coleman says in my most recent chat with him this week, “It’s fucking sexy dude. I feel great about it.”
Read to the bottom of this story for updates on the opening timeline (yeah, I’m a tease, you love it), but first I want to unpack more about the Blue Star Group as a whole: the interesting aspects of it that have come back into focus for me with this most recent round of reporting, as BSG is this month’s Side Dish Dozen sponsor spotlight. What many people may have missed in recent years, COVID distraction understandable, is that BSG has continued to innovate in trailblazing ways that are largely unrecognized.
“I want to give anyone eating out in Colorado Springs more options that enhance our community and sense of place and our environment,” says Coleman. “I want us to have more choices the way there are in Denver and Boulder.” It’s why, when people pressed him back in the day to open more Blue Star locations along the Front Range, he resisted, saying it didn’t feel comfortable to him. He’s never been a clone stamp restaurateur. In our talks he evokes the foundation of the culinary “arts” — saying people regularly dine out and eat art and don’t truly appreciate it. He speaks passionately and exudes intensity, confessing the drive behind it all is his perfectionism. “Tyler [Schiedel, a longtime BGS manager, now Burrowing Owl owner] would laugh, and would tell you I’m never satisfied,” he says. “At Nosh (which also closed in 2017) I’d always be asking if we can make something on the menu better, or something better that knocks that item off the menu.”
For all that, he’s also self-deprecating and shows humility, saying “The Blue Star Group isn’t just Joseph. It’s a lot of people who work hard. I just make the bank payments.”
He names multiple people I’m familiar with inside the company, and cites Heather Briggs at Gold Star Bakery (which BSG absorbed in late 2023) as one example of stacking his deck. He’d tried a bakery of his own before (Breadheads, if you’ve been around a while to recall), but it failed, so in this iteration he acquired a strong upstart company (who’d launched as a food truck). He loves “how much effort and integrity there is in her product” and says with her and her sister Tessa Flowers part of the team, he’s “winning.” Ditto with Executive Chef Will Merwin, a former Blue Star employee who returned to the company to help launch Stellina.
Merwin and Coleman even went to Rome for R&D, returning with their specs on what became a unique sourdough take on rectangular-shaped, Italian-style rustic pizza. Most people probably don’t know it’s the same sourdough they utilize at Decent Pizza in Ivywild. Whereas it’s thinner and brick-oven baked at Stellina, it’s par baked in a deep steel pan at Decent resulting in caramelized edges for a textural treat. Decent’s inspiration, by the way, comes from a place called Blue Pan Pizza near the Sloan Lake neighborhood in Denver, where Coleman would regularly take his nephews. And if I haven’t digressed enough here — at least I didn’t go down the rabbit hole of noting the sourdough’s fit for gluten-sensitive folks… oops just did — Decent’s Detroit-style symbolically ties to Ivywild’s proximity to Motor City and a nod to the historic auto industry as Coleman views it.
Back to BSG’s people-forward approach though, I’m put in touch with Chief Operating Officer Megan Obernesser, who shares the company’s “Hospitality Theory document” with me. (What, your business doesn’t have one of those? Geez.) It’s perhaps the most this-is-so-Joseph-Coleman moment of my interviewing, as is the term “radical hospitality” that underpins BSG’s ethos. The document quotes academics like Brené Brown and famed NYC restaurateur Danny Meyer, aiming to instill in employees a sense of “shared ownership” with a curiosity for relationship building, plus a deeper knowledge of how service (the technical action) differs from hospitality (how that product delivery makes the recipient feel). It’s all about taking care of people, fostering community and holistic wellbeing while placing emphasis on quality and consistency. It even touches on spacial concerns (giving me more insight to the renderings I study), people-flow and says hospitality actually begins in the design phase when forming a restaurant concept.
“I would say that we seek to curate spaces and environments in all of our shops that cultivate connection, care and the welcoming of all our guests that leaves them heard, fulfilled and restored,” Obernesser says in summation.
Allow me to break the fourth wall for the ninth time here to point out how rare this level of philosophical overlay atop day-to-day operations is in our local industry. Yes, I know a handful of other operators who dig deep, try and treat staff well and all, and speak about improving our cultural scene. But Coleman is next-leveling it with Blue Star’s rebirth on the horizon — righting his wrongs, learning from the past missteps and applying the desire for excellence to every touch of the table, at each restaurant.
The hospitality extends out in the community from there. Be that Stellina’s nonprofit nights (where sales percentages benefit various groups) to inclusive and wide-ranging community events in Ivywild spaces. BSG’s aiming to further activate Ivywild School. Coleman feels more stories can be told to either reacquaint people with the brands or introduce newbies. Whereas he calls Ivywild Kitchen his “battleship” that’s steady and popular for family-friendly comfort-food items, The Principal’s Office doesn’t always get its due for high-level craft cocktails constructed with housemade bitters and elixirs, and top-tier coffee. Its original crew included people who went on to start Loyal Coffee, and, related to the old elementary school’s history, Coleman says “the idea was this unruly bunch of children making craft cocktails and serving coffee in the principal’s office, literally located in the former school’s principal’s office.” (Relatedly, BSG’s contemplating bringing back early morning hours there this summer; they used to be open at 7 a.m. pre-COVID.)
Similarly at Stellina, people may not know the element of historical preservation that went into keeping a building that dates back to 1908 alive for the community to enjoy (versus being converted into residential). It was one of the first neighborhood grocery stores in the city. Coleman desired to keep it “vital” for the wider town to enjoy. Beyond the pizza, it’s less recognized for homemade gelato and excellent housemade pasta. (There’s a short list in town of who takes the time to make their own pasta).
Okay, now the moment you’ve been patiently reading down for (or not): When’s
The Blue Star reopening? Well, there have been significant delays from earlier estimates of being open by now. One example is hugely disappointing soil tests around the structure that forced a redesign of the entire front facade — literally back to the drawing board. That added months to the clock, as did changing direction with new design consultants from those originally working on the project.
But I do have a textbook Joseph Coleman answer for you; bear with me. “Number one, we’re working on it, he says.”Number two, I’m not attached to a timeline, I’m attached to doing a good job and I’m committed to doing it right. It will open when it opens.”
Then, finally sorta an answer: “If all goes to plan, which it hasn’t so far, then it could open sometime in summer.”
After I’ve held his feet to the fire, we spend another moment recapping the overall intentionality of The Blue Star rebirth. “The dining game has changed a lot since 1995,” he says. “Brand and environment didn’t matter as much then; people cared about food and service more. We aren’t stepping those down at all, but we’re more focused on brand and environment now to create the experience we want customers to have. We really want to impress them when they come in. This is us really wanting to build something that is remarkable and worthy of repeat patronage.”
Cuban Ropa Vieja with Ranch Foods Direct and Gather
Though Ropa Vieja translates to “old clothes” it’s anything but passé on the plate. It’s best known as a staple Cuban dish, but its roots date back to Sephardic Jews on the Iberian Peninsula. Some versions call for leftovers, but we encourage a fresh start with Callicrate Beef flank steak from Ranch Foods Direct. Chef David Cook’s recipe at Gather Food Studio calls for sofrito ingredients and ample spices (available fresh at Gather) plus all-important olives and capers. Making it in a pressure cooker is quick and tenderizes the beef, resulting in a fantastic stew, just right for this cold season.
Take a hike
It being the new year, Colorado’s minimum wage has increased, as the state adjusts it annually for inflation based on the consumer price index. It went from $14.42 to $14.81 an hour; for tipped workers it also rose 39 cents to $11.79. (In some counties and cities it’s higher, like in Denver, where it’s now $18.81 and $15.79 respectively.)
Given all the restaurant closures that I recently reported on here, the increased minimum wage made me wonder if restaurants and bars have taken it in stride, or would this new cost of doing business be the proverbial straw to break anyone's back who was struggling to stay in operation?
So, I cast a wide net, posting to local foodie Facebook groups seeking testimonials from restaurateurs, making a few calls and reaching out to my contact at the Colorado Restaurant Association for data. Much as I tried to keep the focus tightly on this one factor — did the new minimum wage increase significantly impact you? — it quickly became clear to me from feedback that restaurateurs desired to air other grievances more crucial to operations, some of which I’ve included as worthwhile insight. I gleaned that essentially, there’s a holistic grouping of overall conditions that overlap and relate to each other, and in the words of one source, my Side Dish Dozen member Dieter Schnakenberg of Edelweiss Restaurant, “It’s hard to isolate this one factor because restaurants are trying to figure out how to be affordable. We’re terrified to raise prices and lose business. We’re having all these extra things forced on us, and trying to make it work. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Each business is trying what works best for them.”
“What I don't think people understand is tying the minimum wage increase to inflation creates an endless loop where every year they will both go up.”
That said, I got some pretty startling numbers from the Colorado Restaurant Association that I’ll share below — wait for it — but first, here’s something you may find surprising: Several spots did shrug off the increase, because they’re already paying above it. (Bear in mind these businesses range in size and employee head-count.) Examples:
• Phil Duhon of Avenue 19 and Burnt Toast says: “I’ve always been above minimum.” His larger worries: “It’s the credit card processing fees, doubling of insurance, elevated rents and cost of goods that put the breaks on many of us.”
• The area franchise owners of Capriotti’s Sandwich Shops in town say they “have tipped employees, but have always paid over the state requirement for tipped minimum wage.”
• Steven Fuller, owner and head brewer at Wackadoo Brewing, says “We already paid well above minimum wage, so no impact to us. Working on pay raises throughout the year to keep them as far ahead as they were already.”
• While I had Joseph Coleman on the phone for the Blue Star Group story this week, I asked him what they pay. He said, “We don’t have any minimum wage employees. If we paid that we would get minimum wage employees. We pay a commensurate raise when the minimum goes up because we don’t want it to catch us.”
• Brian Mark, a former food truck operator (of Smokehouse BBQ & Ramen), business consultant and partner in Dad’s Donuts, says “we pay above non tip minimum wage for staff that would typically make tipped minimum. This means our retail staff can also collect tips from the generosity of our patrons. Wage increases are part of the model… I want people that work for us to actually afford to live here.”
Back to Schnakenberg at Edelweiss, attempting to isolate the wage factor: “It doesn't even affect us directly because we're not paying anyone minimum wage, however any increase in minimum wage bumps the whole pay scale up. This year luckily it was less than previous years and more in line with what are typical cost-of-living wage increases. What I don't think people understand is tying the minimum wage increase to inflation creates an endless loop where every year they will both go up. It's forcing people to pay more for the same skill set of work, forcing inflation on all the goods and products. It’s a never-ending cycle. COVID was a great example: No one wanted to work because the government was paying them more to stay at home, so restaurants and other businesses immediately started offering more for those low-paying jobs to get people to cover them.” (Side note: Edelweiss struggles to create more parity between front- and back-of-the-house workers. To that end, they added a kitchen appreciation fee, which customers often don’t fully understand the mechanics of (to adhere to laws), so sometimes they get upset. “It’s tough,” he says.)
Micah Maffeo, owner of the Springs’ Voodoo Brewing location says, “I had only two employees on the minimum tip wage, so their labor only went up $1,622 if we assume they work full time all year,” he says. “I think a better angle would be covering the four to five Colorado labor law changes (mandatory sick leave, mandatory retirement, FAMLI tax, overtime exempt hikes) that have passed in the past two years that make a compounding effect on labor costs. With those combined my labor went up over $65,000… It even gets worse when we look at the inflation of food costs. Both to restaurants, which are forced to raise prices, and the customers in grocery stores. Cost of living goes up and cost of dining out or ordering goes up. Many people lost the ability to dine at restaurants last year, developing a barrier to entry for folks… It’s shaping up to be a recession in the restaurant industry that gives flashbacks to the COVID times.”
That feeling rings true to Jasmine Andrew, owner of two Narai Thai locations, who tells Side Dish “restaurants are getting pinched from all the directions.” She breaks it into categories. “From the government: minimum wages raised, more regulations from health departments which [increased costs]. From suppliers: constantly have to battle with prices on chicken, eggs, even vegetables. For example, red bell peppers used to be $25-$35 per case; now they’re $48-$60. From the landlord: Everyone’s rent will go up 3-5 percent based on the leases. This year my South side location lease will end and rise 20 percent. From customers: Not enough portion, prices are expensive.
From Mechanic: I paid $350 for a commercial faucet seven years ago; now it’s $700 plus $300 in labor.” She says Narai is “running great with regular customers who come in to support us,” but at this rate their profit is shrinking.
“The question to ask operators,” says Kyle Gerstner — who we heard from last month in my story about the recent restaurant closures, and who operates a Rock N Roll Sushi franchise locally plus several Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers — “is with the level of wage increase, how do you manage labor costs knowing you cannot keep pace with same percentage of price increases? Like most others, we’re above minimum wages to attract and retain great talent. The struggle is managing productivity levels (we manage sales per labor hour) versus sales to understand utilization. That generally declines with wage increases when you cannot hold the same level of price increase. The result is compressed margins as sales grow nominally.”
So, that’s a snapshot of what the locals are saying, but what about the statewide data from the Colorado Restaurant Association that I mentioned? Well, Communication Director Denise Mickelsen, when I first reach out, says “just about all I do these days is field calls from media about the minimum wage and why restaurants are closing in droves. In fact, we’re putting together a proactive bill proposal to try and help the back-of-the-house teams that keep getting left behind every time the wage goes up, and also help restaurants stay in business.” She says the CRA is presently polling members to find out the impact of the latest minimum wage increase.
With 95 restaurants responding to the survey thus far, she says “they’re reporting that the rate increase will cost an average of $63,283 (for those paying the state rate, which is what operators in the Springs pay). As a result, that same group paying the state rate says that 90+ percent will increase menu prices, 72 percent will decrease staffing levels, and 70 percent will decrease staff hours. Almost 10 percent say they’ll have to close a location… Denver operators say the increase will cost an average of $91,000.”
Bites & Bits
• Kasie Swain, longtime owner of Mountain Shadows in Old Colorado City, found a buyer for her restaurant, which closed in early December, 2024. She posted online to say the restaurant has been the “Highlight of my life! Not many waitresses end up owning the place they work in and love. It's a true Cinderella in an apron story.” Swain went on to assure fans that “The people I have chosen for this next chapter are good people. They will cherish Mountain Shadows as much as I…. They intend to keep it as original as possible. I will be with them for awhile for a smooth transition. I hope you all will support them, offer kind opinions, help them be true Mountain Shadows Restaurant owners.” The post noted a sale closing date of Jan. 17, but didn’t indicate a reopening date.
• The Gazette reported last week on the closure of Manitou Springs’ historic Briarhurst Manor Estate, shortly after news of its demise circulated. Business (but not property) owners Ken Healey and Janice Montoya told the paper 2024 was “a very slow year” and Janice also noted the difficulty of having no visible signage for passersby on Manitou Avenue (due to not owning land along the driveway that leads to the recessed mansion). But those were just some elements of a “series of misfortunes” according to the writer, who notes the business has been up for sale for some time. Meanwhile, I checked in with Chef Victor Matthews, who operates Paragon Culinary School out of the Briarhurst’s building, to ask the implications. (Matthews was a recent guest on our Tap&Tap podcast and is also working on opening TAVA House in Woodland Park.) “Paragon is doing great,” he says, adding they are still operating classes at the location and that “much needed and serious” renovations and improvements remain underway. “I am of course very sad for Janice and Ken, but the place is going to be better than ever,” he says, speaking in relation to whoever takes it over.
• Olde World Bagels & Deli just opened a new location in Fountain. It joins the original location at 1670 E Cheyenne Mountain Blvd.
• Bella’s Bagels’ new dining room expansion opened on Jan. 13. (I had just visited a few weeks ago to see the construction in progress.) Co-owner Jason Stele went on Loving Living Local on Jan. 15 for National Bagel Day and to talk about Bella’s bagel style. (Relatedly, Side Dish Dozen member Odyssey’s Gastropub’s new sister outfit Nacho Matrix was on the show the day prior, with co-owner Jenny Sherman repping.)
• Kudos to Switchback Coffee Roasters, who composted a total of 50,099 pounds of coffee grounds via Food To Power in 2024, according to their latest newsletter.
• I don’t often report on the many cottage industry outfits locally, but occasionally some rise to an honorable mention. (Self-check: Leaning Tree Micro Farm was so unique we did Tap&Table episodes with them.) Anyway, last week, four-year-old Occult Herbs and Tonics re-introduced themselves to the community via a highly trafficked post in our Culinary Colorado Springs Facebook group. Co-owner Karilyn Harper promoted newer products and their “Handcrafted macabre themed spice blends, dry rubs, drink mixes, and sweet toppers for all your culinary needs.” What caught my eye: super cool label art and a clever way to blend (no pun intended) seasonings with a niche theme. Their business tagline: “where every pinch is a potion and every sprinkle, a spell.” (Side thought: they’d be fitting for Allusion Speakeasy’s current Harry Potter theme.)
• Congrats to 503W, who marks its eleventh anniversary this month. (Side Dish recently wrote them up for their new sister business, Caddie’s at Valley Hi Golf Course.)
• Springs Magazine reported on two more arriving chain outfits to the area: Milkshake Factory (coming in spring) and Mountain Mike’s Pizza (now open).
• If you’ve driven towards the Wyoming border on I-25, perhaps to Fort Collins, you’ve perhaps noticed or visited the iconic Johnson’s Corner truck stop diner. It’s famous for its giant-sized cinnamon rolls. Or, it was. It just closed last week, after more than a half century in business. (Though an attached mini mart and gas station remain open.) Somewhat obvious speculation as to why it shuttered, in the absence of quotes from the owners in media stories, is the Buc-ee’s truck stop that opened in early 2024 just miles down the road — the first location in state. If the age-old story of corporate chain pressure putting a local, independent outfit out of business isn’t disappointing enough, enjoy the further fact that another chain plans to occupy Johnson’s Corner’s space: Black Bear Diner, who also has Colorado Springs locations (off N. Academy Blvd. and Garden of the Gods Road), as well as Fountain and Aurora stores. Quick side story: I was introduced to Johnson’s Corner over a decade ago when I was writing a cover story for the CS Indy about someone we nicknamed “Supertrucker,” who had logged over a million miles of long-haul driving in his career. I rode along with him for a full day on his fuel-delivery route as sort of a “day-in-the-life-of” style story. I’ll never forget the adventure, or that damn cinnamon roll. (I would love to link to said CS Indy story to share it with you, but alas, after nine months since re-launch under new ownership, the paper has still not gotten its 30 years of historic archives back online.)
• If you missed it, from my own travel archives: 48 hours in Trinidad; Where to play, eat, drink, soak and love on animals near Glenwood Springs; My first Wisconsin supper club; and a Schnip Trip to Portugal.
Side Dish Dozen happenings
Blue Star Group: Stellina Supper Club returns to Stellina Pizza Cafe on Jan. 27. Get tickets early. Two menu teasers: a mushroom, mascarpone and parsnip raviolo with mushroom consommé and chicken confit with gigande cassoulet and cashew cream.
The Carter Payne: Bottle Release Parties with Local Relic, noon-4 p.m., Jan. 18 and 19.
Edelweiss: We anticipate filling up fast for Valentine’s Day. Make reservations early.
Ascent Beverage: Cocktails After Dusk Fight Night winner Quinton Teegardin of Bloom Ultra Lounge made one of the most delicious cocktails we’ve ever had! The winning drink features our Absaroka Gin. Get the recipe here.
Wobbly Olive: Our new winter menu features a Beef Wellington sandwich and Hokkaido sea scallops among many other items. At Allusion Speakeasy our patronus is salmon: specifically one with dill in lemon-butter sauce with farro and potato skins.
Kangaroo Coffee: Our coffees are now available on DoorDash! We also sell our organic coffee beans online, along with some java merch.
Goat Patch Brewing: CC Hockey Night in the Taproom, 6 p.m. Jan. 17 and 18. Bleating Heart Night, 5-9 p.m., Jan. 21, benefitting The Mayfly Project. Therapeutic Thursday Adult Coloring Night, 6-8 p.m., Jan. 23.
T-Byrd’s Tacos & Tequila: Our $11.99 lunch special is chips & salsa, two tacos, rice, beans and a fountain drink; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Weekly happy hours are Sunday-Friday, 3-6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to close. Let us cater your next event.
Odyssey Gastropub: Join us for our weekend brunches, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays. Donut holes, bottomless Mimosas, sweet and savory plates plus burgers … we know what you want.
Bristol Brewing Company: We all know trivia is the cure for the cabin fever of mid-winter. Grab some friends and come meet our enchanting new host Dorian for Pub Trivia on Wednesday nights at 6:30!
Red Gravy: Celebrating 9 years in business! New menu items: Gnocco Frito (Italian beignets with prosciutto); a Red Gravy Sub (Mortadella, Genoa salami, Fontina and veggies); Beef Milanese (lemon-garlic-olive oil sauce); and Rigatoni Alessandro (smoked salmon, sun-dried tomato, capers and olives in lemon cream sauce).
Four by Brother Luck: Eleven18 Limited seats left for our Jan. 23 Top Chef Dinner with Kaleena Bliss. Stop in to sample from our new winter menu from Chef Ashley Brown and team. Two teasers: black garlic cod and bone marrow grilled cheese.
Rasta Pasta: The only Italian-Jamaican fusion spot around. We cook fresh to order, and were once featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Either reacquaint yourself or get to know us.
Upcoming events
Jan. 17: Live music night with Steven St. James at My Cellar Wine Bar. 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Jan. 23: Sip With Schnip dine-around at Ivywild School with the Blue Star Group brands. 5-9 p.m. Start in The Library between 5-6 p.m. for free tastes (including a sneak peek from The Blue Star, reopening later this year, and a take-home treat from Stellina Pizza Cafe). Paid subscribers enjoy a free sparkling wine. Everyone grab a dine-around card for happy hour pricing all night at Principal’s Office, $2 off a sandwich or burger at Ivywild Kitchen, a free empanada at Decent Pizza Co. and a $2 cookie at Gold Star Bakery. N/A beverages will be available for Dry January.
Jan. 23: Manitou Brewing’s first beer pairing dinner “featuring game meats & local flora that is foragable in the mountains surrounding our town.” Five courses; $85.
Jan. 24: Food + Function: Farm to Fork at Taste at the Fine Arts Center. Four courses featuring local producers, served on Bemis School of Art pottery that you keep.
Jan. 25: The Great Fruitcake Toss in Manitou Springs.
Jan. 28: Passport to Sicily Community Wine Dinner at Pizzeria Rustica. Five courses, $79, benefits All Breed Rescue & Training.
Parting shot(s)
I was invited to co-judge at last week’s Knife Fight at Eleven18 Latin Tapas Bar. (Not entirely true: I didn’t tell Brother Luck I was coming, but his staff snagged me last-minute and seated me at the competition bar. I was happy for that.) Competing were Jimmie Brewster from Gasoline Alley and Randy Hickey from BC’s BBQ. They got 45 minutes to create three dishes with challenge ingredients of a whole chicken and tahini paste. In the end, Hickey narrowly defeated Brewster, as Brother Luck emceed and deejayed, giving the action a lively beat.
I chatted with both competing chefs for a bit, and Brewster says the go-for item at Gasoline Alley is his “Jimmiechanga” — a wild, gut-filling play on a chimichanga that he insists must be tried. And if you aren’t familiar with BC’s yet, Hickey launched in late 2023 and serves regularly at Lost Friend Brewing Co.
Here’s what you missed:
We have always gone to the Briarhurst Manor for special dinners for years, since the time of Chef Zigi. They have really been struggling recently. Different servers every time, exceptionally slow kitchen, spotty service. The food was always excellent. But, you need the rest to keep people coming back. It seemed there just wasn’t enough business. I hope they can reopen. If they do, we will be back.