Carri:  What trends do you notice around bacon and beer in Denver specifically?

Tim: Craft production.  There is a push nationally for smaller more craft production of most food, beer,  and liquors.  You can really see that craft movement in  particular here in Denver.  Farms and breweries are making smaller batches of more artisanal products.  Not only more craft production but also more production locally, smaller farms raising a higher quality product as well.  One example is in the pork industry right now, where you are seeing smaller farms raising heritage breeds of pork (Duroc, Berkshire, etc.).  Another trend right now which is mutually beneficial to both the farming community and the brewing/distilling community, which is feeding livestock with the wort or mash, from the brewing/distilling process.  It’s a win, win since the brewers/distillers have a way to dispose of product which they have no further use for, and not just throwing it away; the farmers win since the get cheap, yet quality food for their animals.

Carri: What is most unique about the Denver food culture?

Tim: How truly spoiled we are to be living in a city that has so many great food options, from amazing ethic food; such as Vietnamese, Mexican, Ethiopian, and Korean, just to name a few, to very refined and sophisticated cuisine from places like Luca D’Italia, Fruition, and Twelve….and everything in between!  Not to mention our booming bar/cocktail scene.  To have all of these things at our disposal in a city our size is very unique.

 Carri: Where do you find inspiration to cook up new menu items?

Tim: Like most Chefs today I try to be as conscious of seasonality of ingredients, when putting together menu items.  I tend to keep my head in the books, if you will, by looking at cook books, magazines, and other food publications.  I also try to dine out to see what my peers are doing in the industry right now as well.

Carri:  Is anything exciting coming up for your restaurant that we can tell readers? New menu items, cocktails etc.

Tim: We just dropped our Autumnal food and drink menus for both Russell’s Smokehouse and Green Russell.