is best-known for the juicy steaks grilled to perfection by chefs Aniedra Nichols and Tyler Wiard.
T-bones, however, aren’t the only thing these two do well.
As they did in 2012 and 2013, they walked away with the People’s Choice Award at the 2014 Hot Rocks Griller Challenge. Their barbacoa torta, served with onion-radish slaw, grilled Oaxaca cheese and avocado cream, obviously tickled the taste buds of the 1,000 who attended this benefit for men’s health programs at Denver Health Medical Center.
“Everything is home-made,” Nichols told one diner. “Even the bread.”
Adam Branz of received the Chef’s Choice Award. He took pieces of grilled pork belly, placed them on slices of sourdough bread, applied apricot compote and camembert cheese and then grilled the mix ’til everything was nice and gooey. Branz also took second place in the People’s Choice voting.
Felice Price of came in third for a jackalope sausage slider tucked into a Wimberger’s pretzel bun and slathered with apricot mustard and grilled citrus red cabbage.
Charlie Walling and Josh Hanfling, members of the sponsoring board, chaired the event held on the grounds at Elway’s Cherry Creek with Monica Owens. Les Shapiro, co-host of the , was master of ceremonies and music was supplied by .
Troy Guard ( , ); Paul Reilly ( ); Goose Sorensen ( ); Darrel Truett ( ); Elise Wiggins and Vincent Vigil ( ); Steve Ballas ( ); Brandon Biederman and Brandon Foster ( , ); Robert Bogart ( ); Michael Bortz ( ); Justin Brunson ( ) and Kevin Grossi ( ) also participated.
Michael Pollak, chair of the Denver Health Foundation board, helped its executive director, Paula Herzmark, and Denver Health’s chief executive, Dr. Art Gonzalez, welcome such supporters as Denver’s first lady, Mary Louise Lee; ex-Gov. Bill Owens; former head coach of the Denver Broncos, Mike Shanahan, and his wife, Peggy; Dr. Larry Chan; Denver City Council president Mary Beth Susman; Doug Tisdale, mayor of Cherry Hills Village; Carol Mizel; such Denver Health Foundation board members as Mike Ferrufino, David McReynolds and Steve Farber; Bob Amter; and vice president Casey Cortese, who had just returned to Colorado after completing, with her mother, the in China.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314, jdavidson@ denverpost.com or twitter.com/joannedavidson
Online: More pictures from this event denverpost.com/seengallery
