Today, I talk to Denver-based chef Kelly Whitaker. From the midwestern plains to the pacific coast to the mountains of Colorado, his culinary influences have been shaped by many landscapes. His food has earned him the Denver Rising Star Award in 2017 and the Star Chefs Denver Mentor Award in 2022. You’ll hear about his cooking background, how he formed his Hospitality Group Id Est, and the unique values of the team. He shares the importance of his commercial milling operation, his work with local farmers, and why grains should be the starting point of building any dish. You’ll also hear the concept behind his restaurant, The Wolf’s Tailor, and learn what makes Dry Storage flours so special.
What you'll learn with chef Kelly Whitaker
Why Denver restaurants are finally gaining attention (3:23)Cooking in California versus Colorado (4:50)Chef Kelly Whitaker talks about the great migration of chefs coming to the state (5:40)The signature produce from Colorado (7:21)Diversity of landscapes and foods (9:00)Why the hospitality group is so focused on grains (10:51)Changing the way we think about grains (13:46)The learning curve of specialty flours (17:41)Why a quality dish should always start with quality flour (19:46)The ingredient that has made the biggest impact on his menu (22:55)How the grain market is evolving (22:34)What coffee has to teach us about flour (24:22)Where chef Kelly Whittaker's inspiration comes from (27:39)How his cultural background informs his food (29:22)Kelly Whitaker's process of deduction when it comes to building a dish (31:21)How the pandemic shaped his menu (33:31)Utilizing products and their by products (36:59)The concept behind Kelly Whitaker's hospitality group (38:46)Uncovering the hidden agenda behind the names of his restaurants (39:47)The concept behind The Wolf’s Tailor (40:13)Why it’s not about competition (42:48)A food tour of Denver (43:29)Chef Kelly Whittaker once-upon-a-time guilty pleasure (44:45)Top 3 cookbooks to add to your collection (45:14)Kitchen pet peeves to avoid (46:00)Series of rapid-fire questions.Link to the podcast episode on Apple Podcast
Links to other episodes in Colorado
Conversation with chef Brother Luck
Links to most downloaded episodes (click on any picture to listen to the episode)



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Chef Suzanne Goin




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Bento Box at The Wolf’s Tailor





Bread / @dry_storage yecora rojo sourdough “a la minute”, nettle butter, benne pesto





Pineapple mint, fresh peas, pea pesto, crispy potatoes





Pacific salmon palissade peaches with curry tomatoes mirin kumbu Thai basil cilantro coconut cream

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Where are we at today and where could Colorado potentially be on this map? I think it was very much there and sometimes even maybe even a little ahead of certain communities.
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of certain communities.

When we say [grain] is our medium for change, it's a big impact crop. We grow unique varieties on an acre, but the idea is that this is a scalable thing that can have a lot of good for the planet and people and flavor.
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Bakers understand a lot about flour and grains. But for cooks in general, there's a learning curve.