Abigail Plonkey is Founder and Chief Experience Curator at Maximalist, where she leads all aspects of the agency, including creative direction, strategy, and experiential design. Abbey is an interior designer and brand strategist by trade, with over 11 years of experience in strategy, brand ideation, storytelling, and visioning. After transitioning from the spa brand and development industry to a Denver-based architecture and design firm, Abbey developed one of the industry’s first fully comprehensive in-house agencies. She also founded Thrice Pop-Ups: bringing immersive design, unexpected fare, and cocktails together to wake your brain. Thrice is taking food, drink, and design to an entirely new level; engaging brands, developers, and vacant spaces together with chefs, mixologists, artists, and musicians. Abbey is making waves Denver has never looked this good!

Jeff Gebott is nationally recognized pit master and an established restaurant operator. Classically trained, experienced in multiple cuisines, and an award-winning chef. From ribbons and trophies in BBQ competitions, local Denver restaurant food awards, and receiving the 5 Star Diamond Award from the Academy of Hospitality Sciences, Jeff has seen and cooked it all.

Jeff recently opened up a new “Heavy Metal” food truck concept called H3SH3R BBQ CO. (pronounced hesher) and is bringing his love of Texas BBQ and Tex-Mex cuisine together in one spot. Bold and Brash flavors inspired from Texas that will punch you the mouth like a Pantera song

Gotta revisit my buddy Elan Wenzel again. Elan appeared on my first episode "How We Started" over a year ago. Since then he's taken his company Element Knife Company big time! A well known culinarian, business owner, and the nicest guy around. Let's show him some love - otherwise, he'll cut you.

After medaling in American Culinary Federation cooking competitions Chef Wenzel graduated from Colorado Mountain Culinary Institute as Apprentice of the Year. Subsequently, Chef Wenzel studied in Japan, where he was exposed to a broad array of cutlery, tools, sharpening stones, and techniques. Now, after more than two decades in the industry, he has developed a much deeper appreciation for Japanese cutlery.

Elan has recently left his position as a sushi chef in Colorado, to focus on his growing knife business, Element Knife Company. One of the nicest entrepreneurs in Denver - Please welcome, Elan Wenzel to the show!

Angela Neri is a BOSS!!! Owner of Pony Up Denver, Angela and her team run the place we have always wanted to eat and drink in. A fun, hospitable, approachable environment, void of pretense. Their guests belly up to enjoy a great cocktail, a glass of wine, and a sandwich or snack, rooted in craft and speed. The experience is about the guest and never about the bartender or the chef. I'm personally addicted. Also, she's personally responsible for my new Lambrusco love affair...

Angela Neri grew up in California, and developed a love of travel that has taken her to great cities across the United States, and around the world. It’s been while visiting top-notch bars and restaurants in those places that she developed a love of inspiring environments and excellent service. World-class cities like San Francisco, New York, Barcelona and Paris particularly, helped shape her commitment to refined hospitality.

Dan Landes is a Denver legend. Restaurateur, author, hotelier, space maker, and a resident of Mexico. Dan also houses one of the smartest brains I've ever known. Opinionated, brilliant, brash, and a fellow pirate. I'm lucky to be in his presence once again...A true lightning rod and wordsmith - Sit back and relax - we’re all about to experience one fucking epic conversation.

Dan Landes is former owner of Watercourse foods, City O City, and the legendary Campus Lounge. There are few true legends in this business and Dan is at the top of the list. Entrepreneurs take many forms, but Dan isn’t your normal businessman. Social causes drive not only his business plans but also the bottom line. Dan is a man of the people and never takes shit lying down. He fights the good fight, and as any fighter has his wins, he also takes a few losses. But at the end of it all - Dan won.

Chef Samir Mohammad brings his inspired ideas, world-influenced palette, passionate energy and 20 years of restaurant experience to Bettola Bistro. Chef Samir's four years in the Coast Guard afforded him the opportunity to attend Le Cordon Bleu in San Francisco, followed by multiple culinary awards on his resident ship, and ultimately a degree in Dietary Nutrition from CIA Greystone in Napa, CA. Yet even with his prestigious training, he credits his return to Taos, NM and work with his uncle at the famed Joseph’s Table as his most valuable piece of education.

Chef/Owner of Bettola, Samir Mohammad transports diners to Italy when they enter his small bistro on the edge of Aurora/Denver. Here his food and his team's warm hospitality wrap guests in a comforting embrace. With just six burners and only a dishwasher to help him in the kitchen, Chef Samir turns out authentic Northern Italian cuisine with his creative spin on classic dishes. He bakes bread in-house daily, makes fresh cheese, charcuterie and pastas, and supplements quality ingredients from his home garden. A veteran of many kitchens in Denver and a world-traveler, his background and passion ensure you will have an excellent meal at Bettola Bistro.

Bettola means "hole-in-the-wall" btw

Addiction is a treatable disease and not a moral Failure - Cody’s Fresh Start believes that everyone with a substance use disorder deserves an opportunity for a fresh start in life. In memory of their founder's son, Cody, who died from an opioid overdose in 2013, they have committed to provide a fresh start to those who are in need. They offer treatment scholarships and other types of recovery support. There is a significant need for all types of addiction support from education and awareness to treatment and Recovery, and they want to change the conversation on how addiction is perceived by most as a moral failure instead of a treatable disease.

A living miracle, Jackie Huban co-founded Cody's Fresh Start Charity Works in 2014 with Mary Huff Cucarola, Alcohol and drug-free since September 4th, 2013, she embraced recovery at the age of 23 after her boyfriend, Cody (Mary’s son), died from an opioid overdose in 2013. This is a story of redemption, reconciliation, and love. I'm honored to tell their story.

Seven-year-old Thach Danny Tran first fell in love with food on the streets of his birthplace in Saigon, Vietnam. At a young age he began washing dishes at his grandmother's noodle restaurants, where she patiently taught Thach to appreciate the intricacies of good food. In August of 2017 Chef Thach became the Executive Chef of Denver’s popular Ace Eat Serve. The lively, high-energy dining room, ping-pong hall, bar and patio perfectly complement Chef Thach's creative, interactive, and authentically inspired culinary creations. It is here at Ace that Thach has the opportunity to share his love, passion and experience cooking Asian Cuisine with the greater dining community. Oh, and the Peking duck....the duck.

New this summer is the Ace Lounge; a portion of the patio area with astro turf, swinging chairs and casual communal seating. In addition to the two outdoor pong tables Ace is offering Game Plan weekly activities all summer:

● Sunday Funday – Live DJ, Patio Games, Slushy Specials

● Monday – Industry Night (free pong for industry, bao specials)

● Tuesday – Pong Tournament (first come, first served - $5 buy in with prizes)

● Wednesday – Wings & Whiskey ($1 wings, $5 whiskey open to close)

● Thursday - Whole Peking Duck platters

● Friday – Floral (Free pong with Hawaiian shirts, Daquiri time-outs)

Today, we talk to the chef that helms the kitchen of one of the most fun restaurants in Denver - Ace Eat Serve’s chef, Thach Tran!

Some folks seem to think fine dining has run it's course. Well, my friends Chris Royster (Executive Chef), Elizabeth Sammuri (Wine & Beverage Director), & Adam Monette (G.M./Partner) beg to differ. The monster team running the iconic Flagstaff House Restaurant want the world to know that Fine Dining is Juuuuuuust Fine.

One of the most highly-regarded restaurants in the state, the Flagstaff House Restaurant has been a Colorado institution since 1929. Recognized with consecutive Forbes Travel Guide Four Star and AAA Four Diamond awards each year, the restaurant has also received Wine Spectator's Grand Award every year since 1983 with its impressive list of over 15,000 bottles. Located in a gorgeous house built into the mountains overlooking Boulder, but still only a short drive from Denver, the restaurant offers a truly authentic Colorado experience for guests celebrating special occasions, holidays, business events, and everyday memorable meals. Despite its age and storied past, things are far from stagnant as a young, vibrant team is leading the iconic restaurant:

Super Chef Paul C Reilly joins the Pirate Ship to talk all things Union Station Farmers Market. Owner of beast + bottle & Coperta, chef Paul is an elected member of the Market's board. Let's talk farming, best practices, Community Shared Agriculture, and all the amazing organized events. I'll set the table and let him cook it up!

Paul C. Reilly is the co-owner/executive chef of beast+bottle, a rustic American craft restaurant in Denver centered on local, farm-focused food, which he co-owns with sister Aileen V. Reilly. Since opening in 2013, beast + bottle has earned multiple accolades, inclusions on ‘best restaurant’ lists and nods to its well-rounded beverage program. Drawing from hisupbringing in New York’s lush Hudson Valley, Paul is committed to sourcing only the highest quality ingredients. In 2004, Paul moved back to Denver to help open the acclaimed Mirepoix, followed by a move to Executive Chef and Owner of Encore on Colfax, a longtime Denver favorite. Following Encore’s closure in 2012, In March 2013, Paul and Aileen opened beast + bottle, where Paul puts his unique spin on new American cuisine nightly. Paul’s constantly evolving menus highlight the creative use of whole animals and ingredients from the twenty plus local purveyors with whom the Reillys have partnered.