11 JANUARY 1-7, 2026 westword.com WESTWORD | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NEWS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | People to Watch THREE PAIRS OF PARTNERS SHOULD ADD UP TO SOME TASTY TIMES IN 2026. BY MOLLY MARTIN Last year, we highlighted three couples to watch in the Denver food scene, and those pairs defi nitely delivered in 2025. Johnny and Kasie Curiel opened Alteño in Cherry Creek and nabbed another Michelin Star for Mezcaleria Alma; they’re set to open Mar Bella Boqueria soon, and this spring, they’ll add their fi rst tasting-menu concept to Fonda Fina Hospitality. Ni and Anna Nguyen continue to impress diners at Sap Sua and have brought back its Saturday morning bakery; Ni is also work- ing on Chit Chats, a video series about the culinary industry. And Cliff and Cara Blauvelt opened a second location of Odie B’s in RiNo, as well as their no-rules pasta shop, Boombots. In 2026, we expect another set of dynamic duos to make more headlines. The days of restaurants led by a single, big-name chef have waned. Now, more (overdue) credit is being given to entire culinary teams, and many chefs are capitalizing on the benefi ts of pairing up, whether with a friend or signifi cant other. Here are three culinary pairs to watch in 2026: Patrick Kaliber and Manny Barella We’ve been keeping an eye on chef Manny Barella since 2022. That year, he was named a James Beard Foun- dation semifi nalist in the Emerging Chef category for his work at Bel- lota. Since then, he’s appeared on Top Chef, fi nishing in the top fi ve, and spent time working for Punch Bowl Social’s original founder, Rob- ert Thompson. That’s how he fi rst connected with Patrick Klaiber, who was the pitmas- ter at AJ’s Pit-Bar-B-Q. Klaiber helped Barella hone his smoking skills, and along the way, the two formed a friend- ship. AJ’s run came to a crashing end in March after staff staged a walkout led by Klaiber, and shortly after, the building was seized for unpaid taxes owed by owner Jared Leonard (who later landed in jail for fraud). Instead of being the end of an era, though, that turn of events sparked a new and improved chapter for Barella, Klaiber and the former AJ’s space. The two teamed up there to launch a barbecue joint of their own, along with co- owner Caleb Benton. Riot BBQ combines Klaiber’s skills at smoking Texas-style ‘cue with Barella’s Mex- ican heritage. The result is a tantalizingly tasty lineup that earned it a place among the best new restaurants of the year. Al pastor ribs, salsa matcha slaw,and esquites corn- bread are just some of the reasons to visit. The two complement each other’s skill sets, making them a prime example of how a restaurant partnership can lead to success. “It has been so organic,” Barella told Westword in November. “It’s so easy to come up with ideas and dishes and execution — [Patrick] has been doing barbecue as long as I’ve been cooking. Our paths have been going next to each other, but they have never crossed. So there’s a respect for his knowledge and there’s a respect for my knowledge, and we just look for, how can we combine them to make the best food that we can come up with?” Leaning on each other also means the two don’t need to work the kind of demand- ing hours that are typical in a fi ne dining, full-service setting, creating an intriguing blueprint for operators looking to create a better work/life balance. Barella swears he’s never going back to fi ne dining, but that doesn’t mean he’s letting his standards slip. Quite the opposite, in fact. He and Klaiber are focused on bringing the care and diligence required in the fi ne-dining world to their barbecue joint with one major driving goal: “Bib or bust,” as the signs posted around the restaurant read. AJ’s had earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2023, but was not included in the guide the following year. “Our number-one goal is to get back on that list,” Klaiber says. “I want it for Manny. I want it for the staff that I won it with originally. ... That’s what we’re striving for, that same quality we had in 2023 and even better. I really, really think it’s a step above.” And we agree, so we’ll be watching to see if Riot BBQ makes the cut when the 2026 Colorado Michelin Guide is released. Tommy Lee and Michael Diaz de Leon It’s been over thirteen years since chef Tommy Lee opened his fi rst restaurant, the original Uncle in LoHi. The ramen shop quickly earned a cult following, and Lee added a Wash Park outpost in 2019. He also created a hit when he debuted his hip-hop-fueled Chi- nese eatery Hop Alley in RiNo a decade ago. And when he was approached with the idea of opening a Mexican restaurant in the former Comida space in Aurora’s Stanley Marketplace, he knew exactly who to call. Chef Michael Diaz de Leon made his mark in Denver as the executive chef at Bruto, molding the chef’s counter-style res- taurant into a fi ne-dining homage to his Mexican heritage. His work there earned the eatery a Michelin star in 2023. Just a month later, though, Diaz de Leon announced that he was leav- ing the restaurant after three years. “With all the recent developments in my career ... I fi nd myself in a place of starvation for exploration, growth and connection with the world. It’s time for me to experience other cul- tures, approaches, and practices that the world has to offer and teach me,” he shared in an Instagram post at the time. And explore he did, traveling the world and cooking in new countries, then launching a “nomadic restau- rant,” Pinche Umami, in 2024. When Lee reached out, though, Diaz de Leon was ready to settle back into life in the Mile High. In November, the two opened Molino Chido, an homage to the taco stands of Mexico City. Carefully crafted corn tortillas are the centerpiece for memorable bites, such as the lengua taco made with bison tongue. The pair has plans for the space that in- clude summer outdoor grilling sessions on the patio and raw bar pop-ups at the counter. With Michelin currently renegotiating its deals with marketing organizations in the state, could Aurora join the mix? If so, Molino Chido would defi nitely be on its radar. Regardless of any Michelin notice, these creative and energetic partners are stars in our food fi rmament. Eduardo Valle Lobo and Kelly Jeun Frasca, the Boulder fi ne-dining staple with a focus on Fruili, Italy, is a culinary powerhouse — not just in the state, but in the country. In 2025, it was named Outstanding Restaurant at the James Beard Awards and it was recently recognized as one of the great- est restaurants of the 21st century. So when two Frasca alums announced they were opening a restaurant of their own in Boulder, the news garnered national buzz. Eduardo Lobo has served as the longtime director of culinary operations and co-exec- utive chef at Frasca alongside his wife, Kelly Jeun, for the past eight years. This winter, the two will debut Casa Juani, an eatery named for Lobo’s mother, on Boulder’s Pearl Street. Lobo was born in Madrid, and the res- taurant is an ode to his Spanish roots as well as the cooking he grew up with. Bon Appétit was impressed enough by the the concept to recently name Casa Juani among the seven most anticipated winter openings in the country. When it debuts, expect a custom-built wine room, a dry-aging room in the kitchen, and an L-shaped marisquería where the chefs will prepare raw dishes in front of guests. We’re most intrigued by the twelve- seat chef’s counter, where Lobo and Jeun will serve a tasting menu. With the founders’ stacked resumes and emotional connection to their fi rst venture as co-owners, Casa Juani seems poised to be in the national spotlight in the year to come. Email the author at [email protected]. CAFE FIND MORE FOOD & DRINK COVERAGE AT WESTWORD.COM/RESTAURANTS Patrick Klaiber and Manny Barella are a dynamic duo. Chefs Michael Diaz de Leon and Tommy Lee, owners of Molino Chido. VALERIA MOONCH PHOTOGRAPHY MOLINO CHIDO
