Four of Denver’s most renowned Mexican-American chefs are teaming up to raise funds for a state immigrant rights group, barbecuing all day long Sunday and serving food to those who donate.
The “Cookout con los Compas” is a combined effort from chefs Manny Barella, Erasmo Casiano, Johnny Curiel and Michael Diaz de Leon. The event originated after the deadly turn of Operation Metro Surge, the ongoing deportation effort of undocumented immigrants by federal immigration officers in Minnesota, Barella and De Leon said this week.
When more than 20 local restaurants and coffee shops announced they would close the last Friday in January for a nationwide general strike opposing the operation, Barella said he and his collaborators received backlash from some people on social media because they weren’t publicly voicing their solidarity.
Texting in their shared group chat — the four are close friends, Barella said — they decided to take on the critics’ challenge by throwing a cookout open to the public. The title of the event translates to cookout “with the friends.”
“We should use our spotlight,” Barella said, “but it’s going to be our way, the way that we feel comfortable and the way that we feel is going to make the biggest impact.”
The cookout is taking place in the parking lot of Curiel’s commissary, at 2258 California St., which services his restaurants, including Alma Fonda Fina, Mezcaleria Alma, Alteño and Mar Bella Boqueria, De Leon said. The quartet will be cooking from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, accepting only donations for the , a nonprofit. (A representative for the group will also be there taking donations.)
Barella is bringing his brisket tacos and grilled chicken from Riot BBQ, he said. Casiano, the chef at Xiquita Restaurante y Bar, and De Leon, the co-owner of Molino Chido inside Aurora’s Stanley Marketplace, will add to the menu with carnitas, carne asada, tortillas, a salsa bar and beverages.
They are also raffling off prizes to their restaurants.
“We would do this (anyway) and we have done this among ourselves,” Barella said. “We’re just inviting anybody who wants to come.”
