Make a Reservation

303-296-1970

1822 Blake St Denver, CO 80202 - View Map

5-10 PM Sun-Thurs 5-11 PM Fri-Sat

Team Bios

Brandon Foster

Brandon Foster began his life in the kitchen cooking at The Best Western in Frisco Colorado over 11 years ago. While the Best Western was a great place to learn the fundamentals, Brandon identified early on a passion for ingredients, and a drive to learn technique. This passion and drive lead him down the mountain to Denver, where with a enough skill, and a little bit of luck he landed a line cook position with a chef who would eventually become his mentor and friend, Chef Tyler Wiard. Brandon was fortunate enough to work with Tyler in two of Denver’s most remembered restaurants, The Fourth Story, and Mel’s. After learning Tyler’s approach to food, and philosophies on cooking for two years, Brandon applied for a line cook position at Vesta on the recommendation of Chef Tyler. Soon after joining the Vesta crew in 2005, Brandon became Chef Brandon as he was quickly promoted to sous chef. While at Vesta, Brandon has been able to take advantage of incredible opportunities such as a weeklong stage at Oliveto in Oakland California, working closely with Chef Paul Canales. Ultimately, Chef Brandon’s career highlights are centered on the many community driven events that Vesta takes an active role in such as 50 Top Denver, Urban Peak Dinners, Harvest Week with DINR, and numerous other charitable and growth based events.

Brandon’s food interests include charcuterie, morel mushrooms, ramps, and root vegetables…but really, any and all things seasonal. His mantra has become “have respect for the ingredients…the quality of your product should be the utmost of importance.” Outside of the kitchen Chef Brandon enjoys spending time with his wife Larissa and daughter Amelia. His hobbies include skiing, camping, golf and eating.

If asked what his best career decisions have been, Chef Brandon will tell you, “dropping out of culinary school”, and “taking his experiences to the next level working at Vesta”

Kenny Turk

“The summer of ’99 was the beginning of a job that I had been looking for my whole life.” This from Kenny Turk, sous chef at Vesta Dipping Grill. Since starting at Vesta over 10 years ago, Chef Kenny has always considered Vesta his “culinary school”; his first three years he refers to as “a whirlwind of new ingredients, textures and technique”. Chef Kenny came to Vesta with very little culinary background, less experience, and the beginnings of a culinary school education. After working each station on the line for less than 5 years, he was promoted to sous chef based on his drive, budding palette, and quite frankly, his mastery of all things mechanical. Having quit culinary school turned out to be a blessing for Vesta as Kenny’s talents and loyalty have helped keep Vesta relevant for over 12 years. In May of 2005 Kenny was honored to accompany and cook with Chef Matt Selby at the prestigious James Beard House…not bad for a kid with little experience!

Kenny enjoys snowboarding, kung fu movies, and comic books, and loves spending time with his wife Lisa and daughter Cordelia.

Curtis Caldwell

My culinary experience began in the small town of Kinsale, Virgina at a restaurant called Good Eats Café. It was here, at the age of 17 that I found my first restaurant family. Over the course of five years I worked my way up through the ranks, starting as a server, and eventually becoming lead line cook. It was also there that I learned to work hard, respect those you work with, and take pride in everything you create. This mantra is something that I still believe true today, and have looked for in every restaurant since leaving in 2002.

For awhile I traveled, and preformed several jobs with Renaissance Festivals, such as knife throwing, landscaping, and hammock weaving, but many of the jobs I held were still in the realm of restaurant or service industry. These included chocolate making, pasta rolling, cooking at a small restaurant in Kansas, and selling loose herbs and tea. After three years of continuous moving I decided to settle down in Colorado and attend Johnson and Wales University.

Through Johnson and Whales I learned to focus my energy on specific goals, and not to settle for anything less. Four jobs later I answered an ad on Craigslist, for a morning prep position at Vesta Dipping Grill. When first interviewing with Chef Matt Selby, I realized that Vesta was the place I had been searching for. The energy and charisma flowing from the kitchen, made me want to be apart of this restaurant experience. I made my goal, stuck to my mantra, found my second restaurant family and have been one of the most grateful chefs ever since.