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July 8, 2024

Who Belongs on the Mt. Rushmore of Denver Food?

City Cast Denver

Who Belongs on the Mt. Rushmore of Denver Food?

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Who is responsible for making the Mile High’s food scene stand out? What restaurants have created the culinary landscape we know today as unmistakably Denver? In other words, if there was a Mt. Rushmore of this city’s dining innovators, who would be immortalized? Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are joined by Westword’s food editor Molly Martin to dig into our culinary history and create the ultimate list of the people behind the biggest influences on the tastes, innovations, and culture of Denver.

Paul mentioned the Jason Sheehan piece on Biker Jim that sparked this conversation. Molly talked about Bill St. John’s remembrance of Mel and Janie Master, which first mentioned the idea of a culinary Mt. Rushmore. Bree talked about Adam Cayton Holland’s reporting on the Chubby’s family saga, Alan Prendergast’s story on the formation of Greektown, Patty Calhoun’s look back at the fern bars of Denver, and History Colorado’s entry on “Daddy” Bruce Randolph Sr. and the Epworth Foundation’s Feed-A-Family program.

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