🔥 Secret chef drama exposed

🍽️ A Denver Dining Drama Unfolds

Anna and Ni Nguyen, the chefs/owners of the buzzy Vietnamese spot sắp sửa found themselves at the center of an ethics investigation launched by the James Beard Foundation last year. While Ni Nguyen has been posting about the investigation for months, he shared his side of the story with the Colorado Sun last week. Reportedly, JBF was investigating a complaint from unnamed “members of Denver’s vibrant immigrant chef community” accusing Ni Nguyen of “bullying and disparaging” fellow members of the local dining industry. While the investigation didn’t amount to any “formal determinations,” JBF revoked the Nguyens’ invitation to participate in the foundation’s Taste America series and cancelled their contract to participate in a campus dining event. [CO Sun; Instagram]

• The allegations: Ni asserts — and stands by — the incidents of “bullying” in question: 1) when he called out fellow restaurateur Juan Padró for “inappropriate behavior toward female staff,” and 2) when he criticized the owner of a Cherry Creek store for “celebrating MAGA ideologies.” [Instagram; City Cast Denver]
• Speaking of Juan Padró: Last week, he stepped down as CEO of Culinary Creative Group, the restaurant group behind many popular spots including Magna Kainan, Señor Bear, Mister Oso, and Bar Dough. The company said it was a pre-planned leadership change to help expand CCG nationwide. Padró is set to remain on staff as a consultant. But the move notably comes while the group is in the midst of a lawsuit filed by a former employee who claims CCG violated wage laws under the guise of a mandatory “service charge.” (City Cast Denver reached out to Padró for comment and did not hear back.) [Denver Post 🔒; Denverite]
• And speaking of service charges: Padró has been a vocal proponent of lowering the city’s tipped minimum wage. In part due to his advocacy, state lawmakers passed a law last year allowing cities to set their own tipped minimum wage. Following a new city-backed industry report released last week that shows local restaurant jobs are on the decline, one city councilman is proposing that Denver take a “balanced approach.” [City Cast Denver; Denverite; Denver Post 🔒]

Intrigued? We delve deeper into the drama and the new restaurant report on today’s podcast episode 🎧

🚫 Punk in the Park Canceled

Over the weekend, the popular traveling music festival (which has made multiple stops in Denver over the years) announced the cancellation of its 2026 tour following a lingering controversy that unfolded last year. After it was revealed last summer that the event’s organizer had financially supported Trump's second presidential campaign, several scheduled performers dropped out of the lineup and vowed never to participate in the event again. [Westword]

• 💬 “Unfortunately, the current climate surrounding the events has created challenges that make it impossible for us to move forward,” read a statement on Punk in the Park socials posted Saturday.

🏨 Brown Palace Back on the Market

Eight years after the Texas-based real estate firm purchased the Brown Palace for $125 million, Crescent Real Estate listed Denver’s second-oldest hotel still in operation for sale at an undisclosed price. Crescent recently caught some heat from Denverites when it laid off all its valet and door staff in 2024 — former employees said at the time that the hotel was in “a downward spiral.” [BusinessDen 🔒; Westword]

🏳️‍🌈 2026 Denver Pride Relocates

The annual two-day festival and parade will not take place at Civic Center Park this year due to a scheduled renovation project. Instead, the parade will take place along 17th Avenue and the festival will be held on 16th Street. Festivities will also be limited to a single day rather than a full weekend. Organizers are emphasizing all of June as Denver Pride. [Denver Post 🔒]