He plans to open his first concept outside of Colorado, a second unit of his steakhouse, Guard & Grace, in Houston in November. But Guard said he still enjoys Denver’s increasingly dynamic restaurant culture, the camaraderie of the local chefs and the community’s embrace of seasonal items ranging from Palisade peaches and Olathe corn in the summer, Western Slope apples in the fall, and the year-round availability of Colorado cattle and even farm-raised bass from Alamosa, Colo., not to mention the local beer and spirits.
“I feel very humble that I’ve been able to be a part of this great dining scene,” he said.