Matt Selby, the 15-year kitchen captain at Vesta Dipping Grill and Steuben’s, is leaving the organization he helped elevate to top-eats status.
“It’s time for a new and different challenge,” Selby said in a statement. “It’s been an incredible 15-year run and I am proud of everything (owners) Josh (Wolkon), Jen and I have accomplished. We have built three successful restaurants together, appeared on four Food Network shows, had multiple visits to the James Beard House and written a cookbook. We have traveled the world and done a ton of philanthropy work together. It is just time for me to take what I have learned and try something on my own. It’s time to leave the nest.”
Wolkon, owner of Vesta, Steuben’s and Ace, delivered the shocking news to the press Tuesday afternoon. For those who have followed Vesta’s growth, Selby was a fixture whose passion helped increase that restaurant’s popularity and stature in the restaurant community.
“We have been blessed to have Matty with us for the past 15 years. In this business such a long run is a rarity,” Wolkon said. “Chef Selby’s mark will forever be left on Vesta, Steuben’s and Ace.”
Brandon Foster, who has been serving as executive chef of Vesta for five years, will continue to run the kitchen. Brandon Biederman will continue in his role of the last six years as executive chef of Steuben’s and most recently Ace.
“Jen and I will be forever grateful for everything Chef Selby has helped us accomplish,” Wolkon said. “We have grown up together, shared marriages, births, travels, and memorable food and restaurant related experiences.”
RockBar’s dancing done
What would Kevin Bacon do?
Jesse Morreale, owner of RockBar, the 1970s-era dive bar at 3015 E. Colfax, has lost his bid to renew his cabaret and liquor licenses for the premises, which were found in violation of the provisions of the permits.
In the final order issued by Denver’s Department of Excise and Licenses on Sept. 26, and released Monday, Tom Downey, director of Excise and Licenses, allowed Rockbar a temporary permit to serve liquor until Nov. 7.
But the cabaret license extension was denied effective immediately, so leave your dancing shoes home if you visit RockBar because the jumpin’ joint must cease to allow dancing.
The decision to deny renewal of the licenses came after representatives of neighborhood associations voiced objections to what they deemed as RockBar’s negative impact on the neighborhoods, along with police reports citing various criminal activities, all of which Morreale vehemently opposes.
“It is astounding to me that we are right here and now living in a real live episode of Footloose,” Morreale said, referring to the 1984 Kevin Bacon movie about a small town that banned rock music and dancing. “Where is Kevin Bacon? I need him here.”
But the future of RockBar’s liquor license is only part two in the saga of Morreale’s citations in the city. Morreale’s mishaps with Mayor Michael Hancock’s crew started in July when the city suddenly shut down restaurants El Diablo and Sketch in the 1906 First and Broadway building Morreale owns.
The city alleged that the building, among other things, was a public safety hazard, and shuttered the space for two weeks. Since then, Morreale and his team have been working with the city to bring the building into compliance.
“The city loves to put a gun to your head,” he said. “The first deadline was Oct. 1, the city extended that because they had not responded in a timely way to what we had submitted to them. Oddly enough the new deadline is Halloween. The only better day they could have picked is April Fool’s Day.”
In the RockBar matter, Morreale is considering appealing the order, and if the judge grants a temporary stay, Rockbar could keep serving liquor for a year or longer.
“The most important message is that RockBar is open for business,” Morreale sad. “That’s really important.”
T|aco Time
T|aco, (pronounced TEE-ahco), the latest concept from the team who brought you H Burger, will open its Denver location at 1550 Blake St. on Friday. The first Colorado T|aco opened earlier this year in Boulder.
The concept – much like Pinche Tacos and Margs – is to serve authentic soft tacos filled with everything from red snapper to braised pork belly. The menu includes cooked-to-order chips with choice of salsa, guacamole, ceviche and salad. More information at www.tacocolorado.com.
Care there
The charitable organization There With Care is throwing A Red Carpet Adventure, a musical dinner benefit starring Law and Order actor Jesse L. Martin, award-winning jazz pianist Justin Kauflin, singer/songwriter Zach Heckendorf and a special appearance by Grammy-Award winner Dianne Reeves, Saturday at the Cable Center on the University of Denver campus and on Sunday at the NCAR Center Green campus in Boulder.
The benefit will host a “Stars” green room reception at 5 p.m. with the official party starting at 6. For more information and reservations, visit www.blacktie-colorado.com.
Eavesdropping sent in by a reader: “My nephew asked his girlfriend to marry him. He told her it would mean a lot to him if she became a Catholic. She told him she’d become a Catholic if he’d become a Broncos fan.”
Did you hear that I have a new column, “Mile High Life,” in Colorado Community Media’s 17 weekly newspapers circling Denver? Be sure to like my Facebook page! Also, here’s where you go to get my column emailed to you Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I’m now the social-media liaison for the Mile High Chapter of the Colorado Restaurant Association, so read my latest restaurant news there. My email: penny@blacktie-llc.com.
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