It has become a regular occurrence in the restaurant industry to see chefs collaborate on a shared dinner, combining cultures, flavors and resources to bring pop-up experiences you can’t get on any average day. With the 2024 James Beard nominations freshly released, Denver is making a new name for itself with many restaurants getting national and worldwide recognition. The Lunar New Year represents a time to look forward to growth and success. This year’s Year of the Snake has presented a delightful opportunity for three iconic Denver chefs to put on a pop-up you truly won’t want to miss – and yes, there will be karaoke at the end.
On January 29, Magna Kainan will host an utterly epic Hop Alley x Magna Kainan x Sắp Sửa Lunar New Year Collaboration Dinner like none before. Chefs Tommy Lee of Hop Alley, Carlo Lamagna of Magna Kainan and Anna and Ni Nguyen of Sắp Sửa have been busy planning the last few months for a memorable night. All of the chefs have had the ability to get to know one another through the magic of social media, but it was an instant friendship off the bat. Tommy recalls, “I met Ni through Instagram when I saw he dined at Hop Alley. We bonded while they we’re going through the planning process of Sắp Sửa – I was happy to provide my input based on my experience opening Asian restaurants in Denver. Ni, Anna and their team also ate at Hop Alley quite often, which is always a blessing. Ni connected the three of us.” A connection that felt like it was truly meant to be – as Ni points out, “the mutual support was there from the start. We would DM about what our goals are for Denver’s AAPI community and what we can do in and out of the kitchen to uplift each other as Asian chefs. When we met in person, it felt like we had all been friends forever. We didn’t skip a beat.”
Chef Tommy Lee is already a household name here in Denver with major successes at Hop Alley and Uncle, so naturally he was a fitting choice for the new chefs to get their groundings and understand the cities needs and goals – further reminding us that this industry should be more about connections and success all around than being in competition. As for this specific event – Chef Ni brought it about and the rest fell into place. Chef Carlos recalls, “We (Ni and I) had been talking about community and the struggles of being the new kid, and it led to this event.” An event that actually means something much greater than just cooking with friends. Take Chef Tommy for example – growing up as a first generation Chinese in Denver – “The Lunar New Year was a multigenerational celebration with family and friends. It was Christmas, New Years and the Super Bowl rolled into one. The older generation would cook the traditional multi-course meal, we’d break bread, then all the kids would get excited for their red envelope gifts! As I got older, it became more about showing my non-Asian friends the traditions and celebrations, as they wanted to join in: lion dances, banquet meals at restaurants in Denver and of course, the red envelopes! Ultimately it was a celebration of good fortune for the new year.”
For Chef Carlo the Lunar New Year is about community. “The Year of the Snake signifies wisdom, renewal, and transformation. As a new member of this community, I am thankful for the connections I’ve made with Tommy, Ni, and Anna. To be a part of this restaurant scene is exciting and refreshing, to be able to celebrate alongside these pillars of the community is both humbling and rewarding. We’re excited to bring people together and share what we’ve been concocting. A little bit of old school, a little bit of new school.”
Chef Ni points out the value of cross-cultural celebrations, “they remind us of the power of food. When chefs unite to bridge their cultures over a shared experience like the Lunar New Year, it fosters an incredible sense of community. I can’t wait to help create an experience that honors Chinese and Filipino traditions—slightly different from my own as a first-generation Vietnamese American—to highlight what truly matters: connection and community.”
Lucky for all of us as diners on the outside, each chef brings their a cooking style reflective of their cultural heritage. Chef Tommy, although self-trained, says he relies “a lot on my experiences traveling to Hong Kong and the food I ate growing up to inform my style and palate.”
Chef Ni is a first-generation Vietnamese American who notes his cooking style is defined by his upbringing – “I was born and raised in Orange County. On a typical day, I would have a super traditional Vietnamese lunch (that other kids may have thought was smelly), but for dinner our parents would take us somewhere like In-N-Out. I cook through this unique lens; traditional Vietnamese food reimagined as a first-gen American without losing the integrity of the original Viet dish.”
Chef Carlo immigrated to the U.S. at a young age before returning to the Philippines for high school and college. He shares, “I’ve had a pretty intimate relationship with Philippine culture and cuisine. For a long time, I actually moved away from our food in a professional setting and focused on other cuisines, but ultimately came back to our food after realizing the importance (and lack) of representation of Filipino food in the restaurant world.”
A fact that stands true is that behind every great chef – there is a community centered around family, culture and inspiration – and it is reflective in each of these talented owners. Tommy remembers, “My dad cooked 6 nights a week when we were kids, mostly Chinese food that he learned from his mom. She was a great cook.” Where as Ni saw the possibilities from the inside out, “My mother owned a pho shop where I fell in love with kitchens from a young age.” For Chef Carlo his family sparked the interest but also continues to push him further, “My dad had passed in 2009 and was the reason I went all in on Filipino cuisine. My mom, sister, and brother are my biggest cheerleaders (and critics..lol) and keep me in check.”
How they intend to transform their backgrounds into a flawless representation for the Lunar New Year pop-up – Carlos’ first in Denver – is explained simply by Tommy, “In speaking with Ni and Carlo, we all have similar and different experiences growing up in our separate cultures. There’s underlying themes and jokes to the event, but we’re all showcasing our respective cuisines in the menu. We believe other Asians will resonate with the ‘inside’ jokes, but we hope guests from any culture will see the power of celebration based around food. I think this is our first collab with other Asian chefs!”
Hop Alley has gained some very notable successes including a 2023 and 2024 Michelin Bib Gourmand and Chef Tommy was a 2020 James Beard Best Chef Mountain Region Semi-Finalist. Its menu is thoughtfully layered with vegetable highlights such as the crowd favorite Chilled Tofu – cucumber, bang bang sauce, peanut and cilantro. Meat and seafood entrees such as the Spicy Cumin Lamb – Buckner lamb shoulder, jalapeno and cilantro – finishing with the heartier noodle and rice dishes such as the earthy and delicious Mushroom Fried Rice – mushroom medley, pickled shiitake, marinated tofu and a fried egg. Chef Tommy doesn’t sit back and take all the credit – saying “I think my chef’s at Hop Alley have done a wonderful job creating a cuisine unique to us and Denver. They’ve taken my identity and shot it through a local lens, using local purveyors and suppliers, while still making the food feel ‘Chinese’. We try to hit all the notes of ‘authentic’ dishes, but put our spin on it.”
Sắp Sửa has received quick attention in its first year – becoming a sought after date night and a great representation of the growth of our culinary expansions here in Denver. Chef Ni and Anna are also now James Beard Emerging Chefs Semi-Finalists. Its menu showcases traditional and non-traditional Vietnamese in an approachable and impressive manner. The bắp cải luộc – charred cabbage, anchovy breadcrumbs and egg yolk – a simple cabbage dish reinvented in an extraordinary manner is a great starter dish. You can opt for more common dishes like steamed mussels or a fried catfish sandwich with kosho aioli and cabbage slaw. Or branch out and try something new such as the hearty and bright thịt heo nướng sả – grilled pork shoulder, lemongrass, tamarind, cucumber and perilla. Chef Ni mentions they pride themselves in serving “non-traditional Vietnamese food that reflects my childhood food memories as a first-gen Vietnamese American who was born and raised in OC. The menu reflects everything I ate growing up (traditional and not) and the beauty of OC’s food scene, which serves as a constant source of inspiration for us.”
Magna Kainan is the sister restaurant of Magna Kusina in Portland – Chef Carlos’ first restaurant. Even though both restaurants serve traditional Filipino dishes, Carlos points out, “we’re authentically inauthentic. We like to push the boundaries of what Filipino food is and what it can be, following our own experiences with the culture and food. We all have different experiences with it, Chef Jodee and Chef Juliane (my chef de cuisine and exec sous chef) are both Filipino-Americans and have a different experience than I do, but it only adds to the depth of understanding of Filipino food in our restaurant.” Its menu is vibrant and thoughtful with a variety of skewers to choose from like the Kapis which are diver scallops with sinigang and togarashi powder. Appetizers and small plates include inventive – Lumpia Shanghai; pork, roasted mushroom, pineapple and sweet chili – and some authentic Filipino main dishes such as the Inasal – grilled chicken with lemongrass, annatto, fish sauce and atchara.
For the Lunar New Years Pop-up, expect each chef to bring their heart and soul of their respective kitchens together in a perfect melting pot of Asian cuisines and cultures alike. It is to be a celebration of tradition, an exploration of food evolution and most importantly – a chance to gather as a community to show not only a high appreciation for the meals put out, but an understanding of the purpose and thoughtfulness put into these dinners. Community over competition – because collaboration, sharing knowledge and mutual support creates an environment capable of catapulting success within and allowing these chefs and their staff to deliver greater experiences to their guests while strengthening the industry behind them.It will be a different exploration sure to leave a lasting impression – and not just from Chef Carlos crushing karaoke.
Hop Alley x Magna Kainan x Sắp Sửa: Lunar New Year Pop Up at Magna Kainan is located at 1350 40th St., Denver on Wednesday, January 29. It is a four-course experience beginning at 4 p.m. with karaoke to follow at 9 p.m. Reservations can be made here.