Dinner has to feel civilized, or life doesn't feel civilized.
:Nigella Lawson
A cultural, creative + convivial experience, our Chef Dinners feature the artistry of talented + seasoned [pun intended] local chefs preparing meals, introducing each course + telling us about their food philosophy + seasonal inspirations. Their food is delicious + their creativity, impressive. 18 seats available.
APRIL 25.
Chef John Campbell of The Heirloom Food Truck
6:30p
Appetizer:
Native American Fry Bread with duck confit, white beans, haystack goat cheese, baby arugula, pear-cranberry chutney
Main:
Modern Tuna Nicoise Salad: Seared Ahi Tuna with new potatoes, green beans, kalamata olives, pea shoots, cherry tomatoes, organic greens and balsamic vinaigrette
Dessert:
Seasonal fruit crisp topped with organic ice cream.
$45. including gratuity and complimentary Pellegrino
MAY 4.
SPECIAL EVENT featuring Chef Jake Gandolfo - finalist on Gordon Ramsay's hit show, MasterChefs!
Please see special link above.
Please make us aware at reservation of any food allergies or dietary restrictions. Gluten-free dessert available on request. Also, please let us know if you're celebrating a birthday, anniversary or entry into the Rock + Roll Hall of Fame. We won't come to the table singing, but there may be a little treat for the guest[s] of honor.
:: PAST MENUS ::
Chef Nathan Miller [formerly of The Kitchen] and Shannon Aten of the Tasterie Food Truck
Salad
Herb salad with pumpernickel croutons, pears and walnuts with bacon dressing
Main + Sides
Ratatouille
[slow cooked vegetable, French country-style stew]
Israeli Couscous
Dessert
Lemon Meringue Tartelettes
Chefs Susanna Minichiello and Chelsea Jowell
A Brazilian Feast
[gluten-free]
Main
Muqueca Bahiana - A typical dish from the Northeast of Brazil featuring market fish filets (halibut, tilapia, cod or turbot; whatever is freshest) simmered in a rich sauce of tomato, lemon, garlic, onion and finished with dende oil (extra virgin palm oil) and cilantro.
Sides
Garlic Rice - Simple and perfect to soak up the delicious sauce from the Moqueca Bahiana.
Sauteed Kale with Garlic and Raisins - Thinly sliced kale sauteed with garlic and raisins.
Farofa with Olives - Farofa is the ever present condiment on every Brazilian table. Toasted manioc flour sauteed with onions, garlic and green onions.
Pao de Queijo - Tasty little cheese breads made with manioc starch, parmesan cheese, eggs and milk.
Dessert:
Chocolate Truffle Cake
(all-natural from Indulge Bakery)
All Organic Dinner with locally-sourced ingredients.
Salad
Organic Green Salad with Lemony Dressing
Riesling 2010
Main + Sides
Organic Provencal Chicken with Tomatoes, Olives and White Wine
Vegetarian Option: Provencal Style Mushrooms with Tomato, Olives and White Wine
Creamy Polenta with Roasted Butternut Squash
Cabernert Franc 2009
Dessert
Candy Cane Red Velvet Cupcakes from the delightful Tasterie Food Truck
Black Muscat Barrel Aged (port-style)
Harvest Moon Dinner - All Organic - with locally-sourced ingredients
Salad
Carrot, cabbage and parsley salad with a creamy white wine vinegar dressing and house-made croutons
Main + Sides
Stuffed Delicata Squash with tender chicken from Jodar Farms
Wild rice, onion, garlic, feta and apples from Ela Family Farms, topped with crunchy toasted pecans
Dessert
Local Apple Pie
Chef Ian Kleinman
[A Modern Thanksgiving]
Appetizer
Deviled egg yolk mousse, fried pumpernickel, crispy kale, roasted root vegetables, green apple cubes and pecan milk pipette
Main + Sides
Turkey and Bacon Roast with gravy sphere
Cranberry pop rocks
Green bean gelee
Grilled candy yams with maple Tasmanian peppercorn marshmallow
Dessert
Chocolate Oblivion individual cakes
Salad
Pepper roasted organic chicken with pesto from Chef's neighbor's garden
Compressed local tomatoes and goat cheese marbles
Main + Sides
Cumin and brown sugar cured pork loin
Creamy sage spaetzle, roasted local onions and beets
Tandoori vinaigrette cubes
Dessert
Local peach crumble
Chef Valerio Castellano
Welcome Bruschettine Toscane [Tuscan Bruchetta]
Salad
Organic roasted apple and beet salad with goat cheese medallion in a citrus-basil dressing
Main
Rigatoni alla Amatriciana with San Marzano tomato sauce, pecorino romano and organic smoked bacon
Dessert
Fruit tart
Chef Pete Daversa
Appetizers
Smoked bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers stuffed with chorizo cream cheese
3-sugar wings
Main + Sides
Coffee and cracked pepper Wagyu ribs
Roasted red pepper and cheddar cheese grits
Dessert
Chocolate Truffle Cake
SAMPLE PRIVATE EVENT MENUS
Chef Ian Kleinman
Roasted root vegetables in fig caramel sauce served on a birch plank
Earl Grey tomatoes, mozarella sheets, basil cubes and balsamic foam
Pan-Seared Salmon
Soba noodles and baby portabella mushrooms with a yuzu marmalade and habanero caviar
Chocolate swirl cheesecake
Susana Minichiello and Chelsea Jowell with Back to Basics
[gluten-free menu requested]
Colorado Tilapia
Toasted almond rice
Local salad greens with herb and shallot vinaigrette
Roasted red pepper soup
Chef Ian Kleinman
Cherry Cola and Vanilla Cream sodas made with Chef's own handmade carbonation machine
Thai beef salad in banana leaf cones
Smoked shrimp bruschetta with basil paper
Chicken mousse cones with port syrup
Dry cherry and goat cheese wontons
Warm chocolate shot with peanut butter pop rocks
Flexible dark chocolate with nutella powder
Roasted root vegetables in fig caramel sauce, served on a birch plank. Chef Ian Kleinman.
Cumin and brown sugar cured pork loin with creamy sage spaetzle. Roasted local beets and onions. Tandoori viniagrette cubes. Chef Ian Kleinman. 
Pan-seared salmon. Soba noodles and baby portabella mushrooms with a yuzu marmalade and habanero caviar. Chef Ian Kleinman.
Wagyu ribs. Roasted red pepper and cheddar grit cakes. Red pepper coulis. Chef Pete Daversa.
Mozarella ribbons. Earl Grey tomatoes. Basil cubes. Balsamic foam. Sprinkled with black salt. Chef Ian Kleinman.
Pepper roasted organic chicken with pesto from Chef's neighbor's garden. Compressed local tomatoes and smoked goat cheese marbles. Chef Ian Kleinman.
All-natural Fruit Tart. Linda Willetto at Indulge Bakery.
:: THE CHEFS ::
IAN KLEINMAN of The Inventing Room
Chef Ian on the right with Sous Chef, Scott Snodell.
Chef Ian is a well-respected chef on the Denver/Boulder food scene and we're thrilled to be collaborating with him. Known for his incredible food artistry and his way around a liquid nitrogen tank, he fuses excellence in food + presentation with the inventiveness of molecular gastronomy [perfect for FORK, since we're a social lab and all]. A third generation chef, he shares the distinction with his dad of having cooked at the James Beard House. Chef Ian was recently featured on Food Network's Eat Street. http://www.theinventingroomonline.com
Read more about Chef Ian here:
www.yelp.com/biz/the-inventing-room-denver and here: www.denverpost.com/food/ci_17667465
JOHN CAMPBELL of Heirloom Food Truck
Chef John started his culinary career learning to cook while living at Lake Tahoe. After discovering his love for food and the art of cooking, he attended the California Culinary Academy. Upon graduating, he moved to Washington, DC, where he became chef at Restaurant Nora, America’s first certified organic restaurant. Next John worked for Whole Foods Market as one of the first Culinary Assistant Store Team Leaders and was an integral part of opening some of their biggest and innovative stores on the east coast. He then decided to move back to the mountains of Colorado and pursue his passion for cooking.
The definition of Heirloom is something passed down through the generations. What is an heirloom than the recipes that have been cooked for hundreds of years, maybe more? By purchasing local ingredients from Front Range farmers who practice sustainable farming John is dedicated to serving you the foods of the world. www.heirloomtruck.com
NATHAN MILLER + SHANNON ATEN of The Tasterie Truck
Chef Nathan received his culinary education at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park. He's the former Head Pastry Chef at the renowned Boulder restaurant, The Kitchen. Having trained in NYC with the likes of Jean-Georges, he came to Boulder and found his place at The Kitchen, where he was for almost 6 years to the day. He's now out on his own, developing a line of artisan chocolate as well as collaborating with Shannon providing sweets and savories on the Tasterie Truck. You can read more about Nathan here: blogs.westword.com/cafesociety/2010/08/nate_miller_exits_executive_pa.php and more about Tasterie, here: www.thetasterietruck.com. Also, http://www.facebook.com/TheTasterieTruck
SUSANNA MINICHIELLO + CHELSEA JOWELL of Back to Basics Kitchen
Chefs Chelsea and Susanna specialize in organic, farm-to-table cooking. They are passionate about food and their care and attention shows in every dish they create. They also offer a weekly meal service from their commercial kitchen in Lafayette. Both serve on the board of Slow Food Boulder County. www.backtobasicskitchen.com
VALERIO CASTELLANO
A native of Rome and having spent each of 25 summers in Tuscany, Chef Valerio prepares authentic Italian recipes from both areas. His cooking is simple, yet sophisticated, with the focus on quality ingredients - as all Italians believe it their birthright to have the very best in the way of ingredients for home-cooking and when they eat out! He's been an instructor at culinary schools in the Los Angeles area and having prepared meals for the likes of Charlize Theron, Leonardo DiCaprio, Naomi Campbell, and Mickey Rourke, we're happy his talent is available to us at FORK. www.lvitaly.com
LINDA + TOM WILLETTO of Indulge in Lafayette
Linda + Tom own the fantastic Indulge Bakery in Lafayette, specializing in all-natural and homemade pastry art. Pastry requires a different set of skills than cooking and we knew we needed to find experts in this specialized field. Happily, we found them! Voted in Yellow Scene Magazine as Best of the West - Reader's Choice, Food, as well as nominated for Denver's 7 A-List, Top Business, Indulge is getting the recognition it deserves. You'll see their Chocolate Truffle Cake in regular rotation on our Chef Dinner menus - this cake will change your life for the better! That's how good it is [as are all of their creations]. www.indulgebakery.com
Lead photo by Lacy Boggs