As the U.S. celebrates its semiquincentennial birthday this summer, Colorado will celebrate its own 150th anniversary in August. In honor of this, the Colorado-born and -raised Big Red F Restaurant Group is hosting Colorado Month at all of its restaurants on the Front Range.
Growing food in Colorado takes grit. From unpredictable high-country freezes that cut the fresh fruit season short to navigating water in a high desert climate, local farmers and ranchers are constantly innovating. For Colorado’s 150th anniversary, Big Red F isn’t just celebrating local ingredients; they are celebrating the resilience of our regional food system. Throughout August, the Big Red F chefs, led by culinary directors Sheila Lucero and Kevin Grossi, will partner with innovators—like Colorado Catch in Alamosa, who are sustainably raising striped bass in the desert—and supporting generational partners like Ela Family Farms by featuring their artisan fruit preserves to help them weather a tough harvest season. This is what sustainability tastes like: thoughtful sourcing, deep relationships and a commitment to keeping our community fed.
What does this look like for guests? Each BRF restaurant will feature menu items sourced with Colorado ingredients, including:
Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar – Fort Collins, Boulder LoDo, Colorado Springs
Chef Sheila Lucero will offer:
- Alamosa striped bass, corn and tomatoes from farm partners Colorado Catch, Munson Farm and Rocky Mountain Fresh
The Post – Estes Park, Longmont, Boulder, Lafayette, Rosedale
Chef Kevin Grossi will offer:
- Heirloom tomatoes and farmers cheese from farm partners Rocky Mountain Fresh, Buck & Bloom Dairy, Kelly Jean’s Microgreens and Moxie Bakery
- Smoked corn esquites dip from farm partners Munson Farm, Buck & Bloom Dairy, Milberger Farm and Zia Tortilla
- Peach and plum crostada with sweet action cuttermilk ice cream from farm partner Ela Farm
West End Tavern – Boulder
Chef Grossi will offer:
- Bison burger from farm partner Rock River Bison
- Colorado whiskey flights
Centro Mexican Kitchen – Boulder
Chef Sheila will offer:
- Grilled elk rack, mole rojo, smoked olathe corn and peach salsa from farm partners Munson Farm, Rocky Mountain Fresh and Rancho Durazno
Next door at Wonder Press, the team will create seasonal farmer’s toast with ingredients sourced from long-standing partners at the Boulder County Farmer’s Market, while down the street in Boulder, the Velvet Elk Lounge team will use spirits from local distilleries for a Colorado cocktail. At The Post Brewing Company, Brewmaster Nick Tedeschi will brew an annual wet hop beer in August, featuring Colorado ingredients including malt from Root Shoot Malting in Loveland and hops from Billy Goat Hop Farm in Montrose.
