Feeding time at the zoo never looks as good as it does on that one night in June when herds of two-legged critters stampede to an 80-acre oasis in Denver’s City Park to fill up on animal and vegetable matter that is prepared just for them.
For 23 years, Do at the Zoo has had nothing to do with bales of hay or buckets of raw mackerel. It’s a night where dozens of the city’s top chefs offer signature dishes and special treats for the folks who add to the fundraiser’s pizazz by showing up in attire that ranges from pith helmets and cargo pants to colorful jungle prints and cocktail dresses.
This year was a record-breaker, with $660,000 raised to provide care for the ‘s 3,800 animals and conservation efforts worldwide.
Chairwoman Lynn Kitt was happy to report that the $300 VIP-level tickets were the first to sell out. The 204 buyers arrived at 6 p.m. to enjoy two very special elements not available to others that night: food from , and and the chance to have the new Toyota Elephant Passage all to themselves for an hour.
At 7 o’clock, they joined 1,061 others in sampling food and drink from the 59 restaurants and 12 beverage providers that had been lined up by a committee headed by Kelly Eisinger.
“We have some pretty big mouths to feed,” said Craig Piper, the zoo’s president and chief executive officer, pointing to Groucho and Bodhi, the Asian bull elephants that share Toyota Elephant Passage with an assortment of greater one-horned rhinos, Malayan tapirs and clouded leopards. “So I’m glad the animals have all had their dinner and won’t be trying to sneak any of ours.”
So, what were the animals missing out on? Such yummy concoctions as the vanilla Porter short ribs and corn panna cotta topped with mascerated blackberries and salted caramel corn that won first prize for executive chef Simon Purvis of EDGE at the Four Seasons; the Graceland pancake bread pudding with bacon toffee from Snooze and the sweet biscuits topped with strawberry-rhubarb compote and buttermilk ice cream that owner Keegan Gerhard was personally dishing out at his booth.
passed on having an actual booth, bringing instead its food truck to better serve a seemingly endless line of fans awaiting a serving of the restaurant’s famous French fries. did chicken-fried steak on a waffle; offered five-spice braised lamb and ‘s macarons had people coming back for more.
Haselden Construction was the presenting sponsor, and six members of the family agreed to serve as honorary chairs for Do At The Zoo: Ed, Jenni, Mike, Carleen, Byron and Lisa Haselden.
Others out on the balmy summer night were University of Colorado president Bruce Benson and his wife, Marcy; Kevin Patterson, who is Gov. John Hickenlooper’s deputy chief of staff, and his wife, Sarie Patterson; Peter and Meredith Coors; Joe and Katie Magner; Buz, Sherri and Gene Koelbel; banker Hassan Salem and his wife, Susan; Lou Clinton, chair of the zoo board’s development committee, and his wife, Sue; and zoo board president Katie Schoelzel with her husband, Scott.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com; also, blogs.denverpost.com/style and @GetItWrite on Twitter
