Summit, the much-anticipated $5 million restaurant opening at the Broadmoor Sunday night, dropped Executive Chef Rollie Wesen from the roster on Friday.
The official word in a news release is that Wesen (son-in-law of celeb-chef Jacques Pepin) is leaving the Summit to relocate on the East Coast “to pursue other culinary opportunities, as well as be near his wife’s family.”
That’s the thinnest slice of bologna I’ve tasted in a while. What chef would leave a new restaurant designed by Adam Tihany that was poised to become one of the top eateries in the nation? Wesen is a nice man, but in trial dinners it was becoming clear that his kitchen wasn’t making the grade. With so much hype, it was like the emperor’s new toque.
Chef Bertrand Bouquin, who once worked at Maisonette in Cincinnati and boasts an impressive résumé, will take over for Wesen.
“Opening a restaurant is a very difficult thing,” says Summit flack Mary Wagstaff. “Everyone is very sad that it didn’t work out.”
Bread in your future
Now you can get a loaf and a lead on life at Cosmopolitan Bread Cafe at the corner of Clayton Street and East Third Avenue.
The small bakery features a “psychic intuitive” at a table by the window. Jo Thomas is there most days offering tarot card readings, angel readings, totem readings, past life information, Osho Zen readings, water energy readings and dream interpretations. The window advertises this along with pastries, cookies, lattes and bread.
Thomas sits with her back to the window at a small table 10 a.m.-2 p.m. For $40, she’ll give you a half-hour reading of your choice. To give you good past lives info, you need to spend an hour.
FYI, I’m sitting pretty after a quick tarot card reading with Thomas last week. “I see opportunity after opportunity,” she told me. “Say yes. Get ready for a phenomenal year. You do not need to worry about money. Some wedding is coming up in five months. No, it’s not your wedding.”
That was close.
“This card is for temperance. I see you’re not very good at that. Remember to rest. I see love and new beginnings.”
Well, in that case, gimme one of those pastries.
Baching it
Some people love the new “Bachelor,” Dr. Travis Stork. Others think he’s a little stiff. Either way, he was raised in Fort Collins, went to Duke undergrad, University of Virginia med school and is now doing his residency at Vanderbilt.
In the first episode he showed his Fort Collins country-boy charm as we watched oncologist bachelorette Alli have a total TV meltdown as she lamented that her “eggs are rotting” when not chosen to reproduce with Stork. Classic.
The second episode airs tonight at 9 on KMGH-Ch. 7 and the first episode gets an encore showing at 8 p.m.
City spirit
The Steve Miller Band kicks off Cheyenne Frontier Days 2006 concert series July 21 … North restaurant owner Sam Fox called to say, yes, he is looking in Cherry Creek for a spot to put in a new steak house concept, Modern Steak, but he hasn’t found one yet … Sez who: “I don’t have any idea what I’m doing here.” Bob and Ray
Bill Husted’s column appears Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Husted also appears on Fox 31 News. You can reach him at 303-820-1486 or at bhusted@denverpost.com.
