A Taste of Colorado Food Event Schedule Denver Civic Center Park

Taste buds will be tempted and satisfied with the full range of culinary opportunities at the 29th annual A Taste of Colorado. The four-day, free admission, food, music, and entertainment Festival will take place Labor Day weekend, Aug. 31 through Sept. 3, in Downtown Denver’s Civic Center Park.

A Taste of Colorado
Labor Day Weekend
August 31 through September 3, 2012

Downtown Denver’s Civic Center Park
1600 Broadway, Denver, CO

Festival hours are Friday, Aug. 31, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 1, and Sunday, Sept. 2, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Monday, Sept. 3, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Albert Bartlett Culinary Showcase, presented by 630 KHOW and hosted by Pat Miller, “The Gabby Gourmet,” is located in the Fine Dining Area and features local and nationally renowned chefs offering tips and techniques that Festivalgoers can take home to their own kitchen. Daniel Schneider of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage will prepare green eggs and ham with sweet potato fries Friday at noon. Micah Olson of The Broker Restaurant will craft eggplant Napoleon at 1:15 p.m. Elway’s Cherry Creek’s Tyler Wiard will make his Colorado lamb, heirloom tomato ragout, and Olathe corn polenta at 2:30 p.m. Check out a signature dish from Mary Nguyen of Street Kitchen Asian Bistro at 3:30 p.m. — pot stickers with spicy dipping sauce. Wy Livingston and Chef Lee Reitz of Wystone’s World Teas will feature braised Colorado lamb shoulder with creamed Olathe corn at 4:30 p.m.

Kelly Andis of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage kicks off Saturday at 11:15 a.m. with their primal hot cereal. Green papaya salad will be the dish prepared by Mary Nguyen of Vietnamese-French bistro Parallel Seventeen at noon. James Campbell Caruso of La Boca Sante Fe will craft a recipe from his new book, “Espana: Exploring the Flavors of Spain,” at 2:30 p.m. Keegan Gerhard of D Bar Desserts and The Food Network will make French macaroons at 4:30 p.m. Join Robert Bogart of Elway’s Downtown at 5:30 p.m. as he features corn and poblano quinoa risotto with Elway’s braised short ribs.

The stage may get a bit messy Sunday at 11 a.m. with Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs Hot Dog Eating Contest, followed by a Fried Chicken Contest at 11:30 a.m., featuring ten area restaurants and local celebrity judges. Jean Claude Cavalera of Randolph’s Restaurant will craft the Julia Child-classic, beef bourguignon, at 1 p.m. Check out Matt Selby of Ace, Steuben’s, and Vesta Dipping Grill at 2:30 p.m. as he prepares Tom Kha Gai, a traditional Thai chicken coconut soup. Andrew Fairlie for Albert Barlett, a Michelin Star Chef, will make gnocchi at 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. Fairlie’s eponymous restaurant is Scotland’s only two Michelin Star-rated dining establishment. Star of Bravo’s “Around the World in 80 Plates,” Jenna Johansen will make baked kale, charred corn bruschetta with garden herb salsa verde, and peach quinoa salad at 4:30 p.m.

The Culinary Showcase kicks off Monday with a demo at 11:15 a.m. of “Make It Paleo” with tropical fruit gazpacho by Fallon Rhodes of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage. Learn how to prepare cheese-stuffed rellenos at noon by Jose Gallegos and Kelly Trezis of Que Bueno! Mexican Grille. Lee Clayton Roper, author of “A Well-Seasoned Kitchen,” will make a simple yet gourmet recipe of baked shrimp with tomato, feta cheese, and capers at 2:30 p.m. Olav Peterson from his seasonally-focused restaurant, Bittersweet, will craft salmon smørrebrød at 4:30 p.m.

Culinary and Food Demonstration Schedule

FRIDAY, Aug. 31

12:00 p.m. — Daniel Schneider – Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage
1:15 p.m. — Micah Olson – The Broker Restaurant
2:30 p.m. — Tyler Wiard – Elway’s Cherry Creek
3:30 p.m. — Mary Nguyen – Street Kitchen Asian Bistro
4:30 p.m. — Wy Livingston and Chef Lee Reitz – Wystone’s World Teas
5:30 p.m. — Daniel Asher – Root Down and Linger, Albert Bartlett Ambassador
6:30 p.m. — Ready, Set, Cook! Chefs compete and cook like crazy!

SATURDAY, Sept. 1

11:15 a.m. — Kelly Andis – Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage
12:00 p.m. — Mary Nguyen – Parallel Seventeen
1:15 p.m. — Ice Cream Eating Contest
2:30 p.m. — James Campbell Caruso – La Boca Santa Fe
3:30 p.m. — Daniel Asher – Root Down and Linger, Albert Bartlett Ambassador
4:30 p.m. — Keegan Gerhard – D Bar Desserts and The Food Network
5:30 p.m. — Robert Bogart – Elway’s Downtown
6:30 p.m. — Ready, Set, Cook! Chefs compete and cook like crazy!

SUNDAY, Sept. 2

11:00 a.m. — Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs Hot Dog Eating Contest
11:30 a.m. — Fried Chicken Contest, featuring 10 area restaurants and celebrity judges
12:30 p.m. — Ice Cream Eating Contest
1:00 p.m. — Jean Claude Cavalera – Randolph’s Restaurant
2:30 p.m. — Matt Selby – Ace, Steuben’s, Vesta Dipping Grill
3:30 p.m. — Andrew Fairlie, Michelin Star Chef – Albert Bartlett Ambassador
4:30 p.m. — Jenna Johansen – Bravo’s Around the World in 80 Plates
5:30 p.m. — Andrew Fairlie, Michelin Star Chef – Albert Bartlett Ambassador
6:30 p.m. — Ready, Set, Cook! Chefs compete and cook like crazy!

MONDAY, Sept. 3

11:15 a.m. — Fallon Rhodes – Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage
12:00 p.m. — Jose Gallegos and Kelly Trezis – Que Bueno! Mexican Grille
1:15 p.m. — Ice Cream Eating Contest
2:30 p.m. — Lee Clayton Roper – “A Well-Seasoned Kitchen”
3:30 p.m. — Daniel Asher – Root Down and Linger, Albert Bartlett Ambassador
4:30 p.m. — Olav Peterson – Bittersweet

The Fine Dining Area will feature some of Denver’s most accomplished chefs and noted restaurants offering gourmet specialties in the park. Downtown staple, The Broker Restaurant, will be featuring shrimp cocktail, prime rib sandwiches, lamb ribs, and eggplant Napoleon. Delivering a modern interpretation of Vietnamese cuisine, Parallel Seventeen will serve Asian pork ribs, lemongrass beef lettuce wraps, vegetable spring rolls, and almond toffee popcorn. Que Bueno! Mexican Grille, offering “north of the border” favorites with a modern twist, will showcase its chili-infused honey grilled pork chop, chili-spiced black bean and Huitlachocte tamale, and churros. Randolph’s Restaurant will feature contemporary American cuisine with a Rocky Mountain flair, including crepes with Colorado-smoked salmon, Randolph’s signature slider, surf and turf (a crepe and slider), and cheesecake bites. Street Kitchen Asian Bistro, offering Asian street food translated for Coloradoans, will serve grilled Asian chicken with coconut rice, coconut shrimp, pork eggrolls, and mango or lychee shaved ice. Enjoy fresh fruit cobbler, a fire burger slider, and sweet potato fries from Timberline Steaks & Grille.

Many new restaurants have joined the Festival this year, including Amore Gelato, serving limone (lemon), fragola (strawberry), lampone (raspberry), and cioccolato (chocolate) sorbetto. Check out offerings from Damascus Grill, including the baked lamb plate, baked lamb sandwich, hommos with pita, and spinach pie. Chili cheese fries, tacos, smothered burritos, and chilindrinas will be featured from Gramma Dor’s Mexican Food. In the mood for seafood? Try Joe’s Crab Shack’s crab dip with chips; great balls of fire (jalapeno, shrimp, and crab balls); spicy boiled crawfish; peel and eat shrimp; or the BBQ snow crab. Marco’s Coal Fired Pizza, the only certified authentic Neapolitan restaurant by the Verace Pizza Napoletana in Colorado, will serve margherita pizza, margherita pizza with spicy salami, truffle pizza with mushrooms, meatballs with San Marzano sauce, and Italian tiramisu.

Returning to the Festival is the popular Gigi’s Cupcakes, serving its Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Midnight Magic, Summer Fun, and Strawberry Shortcake cupcakes. Those seeking savory tastes should plan to stop by La Fondue, offering marinated garlic sirloin, gulf shrimp, cheese fondue, and chocolate fondue. Festival favorite Rosa Linda’s Mexican Café dishes up green chili; cactus; burritos and tacos in a choice of chicken, shredded beef, or cactus; cheese enchiladas; and bean and cheese burritos with green chili. Ground beef and vegetarian Indian tacos, Medicine Wheel nachos, and frybread with powdered sugar and cinnamon are on the menu at Tocabe.

Classic Festival favorites, including berrie kabobs, turkey drumsticks, shaved ice, corn on the cob, and funnel cakes will also be served throughout the event.

The following is a complete list of Colorado’s favorite food establishments that will offer a wide variety of their specialties, from small portions to full meals: