UPDATE – The WNTR Series has been delayed indefinitely. Chef Taj says there’s something more exciting in the works so stay tuned.
Chef Tajahi Cooke is no stranger to collaboration. His annual Madsgiving charity galvanizes the community to donate thousands of meals for those in need. He’s a man who believes in the healing power of food and its special place in uplifting the people when the rest of the world seems to be going to shit.
On March 28, he will be curating the first of four cooperative dinners with a powerhouse team comprised of Biker Jim’s Jim Pittenger, Vibe Concepts and Tstreet Founder James Doxon, TStreet Chef Demetric Jones and Sweet Basil Chef Paul Anders. Each unique dinner will feature five courses from three of the five chefs. Each chef will present an individual dish under a unified theme. Appetizer and dessert courses will be a joint effort. “The guests will get a firsthand opportunity to experience why we fell in love with this business. For me, the secret ingredient will be the chefs,” grinned Cooke. In addition to great food, the intimate evenings will surely feature a high level of chef interaction, personal storytelling and an active fostering of unity that has become Cooke’s signature.
The first event takes place at Tstreet Roadhouse at the Anschutz Medical Campus. The next two will be at Sweet Basil and will coincide with the 34th Annual Taste of Vail. The final one will be back in Denver at Milk Market on April 16. Tickets for the Denver dinners will be capped at 50, with a mere 40 seats available at Sweet Basil’s iterations.
The decision to hold events both in Vail and Denver is meant to unite dining scenes that can seem worlds apart despite being only a few hours from one another. “You don’t see a lot of chefs in the city go up to the mountains for collaborations. It’s time to bring up some of the chefs to the high country,” said Cooke. “Sometimes when we come down from the mountains it feels a little less close than it could be,” added Anders.
Each chef will be donating at least ten percent of the ticket price to a charity of their choice. Cooke will grant his portion to C.H.E.F. (The Culinary Hospitality Empowerment Foundation), an organization aiding individuals in recovery, those facing housing insecurity or people involved in the justice system through culinary training and mentorship. Anders will contribute to Roundup River Ranch, which provides outdoor and camp-related experiences to children with life-altering diagnoses. Pittenger will give to Extended Hands of Hope, which provides safe housing for victims of sexual exploitation and human trafficking. Doxon’s portion will go to We Ride 4, a community of cyclists committed to promoting children’s health through a range of recreation initiatives.
The team is keeping the exact line-up and themes of each evening surprise. “We want to create a memorable experience. Even if we don’t know what the theme is we want people to have a frickin’ great time,” said Anders. “I’m personally honored to be able to knock on these chefs’ doors, to be at the same table with them, even to be in the same room with them,” said Cooke. “Honestly, I’m selfishly looking forward to seeing these chefs in the kitchen together.”
With each dinner giving one or more chefs a chance to take the helm, the larger-than-life personalities involved are sure to shine through. “There are basically two professions in this world. Helping people shit and helping people fuck,” laughed Pittenger. “That will be the theme at my dinner. We’ll have bidets and condoms,” he continued wryly.
By every indication, this is just the beginning of an ongoing mission to bring greater solidarity to Colorado’s dining scene. “Obviously there’s more chefs I want to collaborate with. This is just the tip of the fucking iceberg,” grinned Cooke.
Tickets are available for the four-part event.
Night One will take place on Friday, March 28, from 6 -8:30 p.m. at Tstreet Kitchen and Cafe at 1890 North Revere Court, Aurora. Tickets are available here.
Night Two will take place on Wednesday, April 2, from 6 – 8:30 p.m. at Sweet Basil at 193 Gore Creek Drive, Vail. Tickets are available here.
Night Three will take place on Thursday, April 3, from 6 – 8:30 p.m. at Sweet Basil at 193 Gore Street Drive, Vail. Tickets are available here.
Night Four will take place on Wednesday, April 16, from 6 – 8:30 p.m. at Milk Market at 1800 Wazee Street Suite 100, Denver. Tickets are available here.
All photography by Tajahi Cooke