Executive Chef of LoLa Brings Insight To Denver Culinary Scene
Executive Chef of LoLa Brings Insight To Denver Culinary Scene
Andrew Hardin, chef at Lola was one of the 25 Chefs at Denver’s Bacon & Beer Festival. Hardin focuses on in season ingredients and maintaining flavors in food as much as possible. Here’s his take on the Denver Food Scene.
Carri: What trends do you notice around bacon and beer in Denver specifically?
Andrew: Everyone is using bacon for everything. While I find it delicious, I sometimes think that it does not need to go on everything. For instance, if you have a perfect scallop, I want to taste that perfect scallop, and not mask the flavor with any thing that will over power the flavor. On the other hand, I think brussel sprouts absolutely need bacon. The trend now is to add bacon to everything, and I don’t think everything needs it. As for beer, there are so many breweries popping up everywhere as well. I am going to stay loyal and stick with Denver Beer Company, they have great beer. I have yet to branch out to try many others.
Carri: What is most unique about the Denver food culture?
Andrew: Denver is a small restaurant community, where everyone knows one another. There is a lot of support for each other in what they are doing. Also, its great to see so many chefs sticking to local ingredients, doing the farm to table thing. We work with mainly Isabel farms, but there are so many others that have amazing produce.
Carri: Where do you find inspiration to cook up new menu items?
Andrew: Whatever is in season, and then I try to turn it into something Mexican.
Carri: Is anything exciting coming up for your restaurant that we can tell readers? New menu items, cocktails etc.
Andrew: We are starting to do a Mexican Shrimp boil on Thursday nights. It comes with house made Pork Albondigas, giardinera, corn, and poblano hush puppies.
