After several years in the making, Old Major, the elevated farmhouse kitchen concept from Executive Chef Justin Brunson has opened its doors in the Lower Highland (LoHi) area at 3316 Tejon Street in Denver. Featuring contemporary farmhouse cuisine, Old Major focuses on heritage-raised meats, sustainable seafood and ingredients sourced directly from local farms. The restaurant offers a deformalized fine dining setting and service that is inviting to guests, but offers the finest products and service from the top restaurant professionals in the city.
“The dream of opening my own restaurant and working with the best team in the country has finally come true,” said Brunson. “We have brought together a number of industry veterans to create an all-inclusive team of experts including Katie O’Shea Padró, Jonathan Greschler, Ben Parsons, Galen Kennemer, Jim Soulier, Courtney Wilson, Ryan Conklin Nadine Donovan and Juan Padró, to name a few. By bringing together a group of people with expertise and passion in their craft, all touch points from front of house, to the bar, to the kitchen and to the back of house, are handled with the best skills and service.”
Old Major’s 3,000 square feet of space was formerly a roller rink, and has been transformed into a rustic farmhouse kitchen. The space houses 142 seats including outdoor seating and private dining space as well as a chef’s table within the kitchen. The restaurant has already aligned itself with several schools and charities in the local Lower Highland neighborhood and plans to be an integral part of the community as educators, volunteers and philanthropists. Old Major is open for dinner seven nights a week. The restaurant strongly encourages reservations and features a nightly happy hour and plans to open for brunch and lunch by summer 2013.
CONCEPT
Old Major, named after the boar who led the revolution and was a philosopher of change in George Orwell's, Animal Farm, focuses on American farmhouse cuisine. Based on the book’s philosophy, Old Major’s goal is to lead the revolution of bringing consciousness to the animal’s journey from the farm to table. The restaurant focuses on nose-to-tail butchery, in-house charcuterie, using local farms whenever possible as well as educating and offering guests eclectic wine, beer and spirits, along with incredible service.
FARMING PROGRAM
Old Major has built an extensive vegetable garden program, managed by Tim Ingle, located at the Infinite Monkey Theorem (IMT) winery. The 2,700 square foot outdoor Farm at IMT produces seasonal vegetables and herbs to be used at the restaurant throughout the year. Additionally, Old Major is purchasing pork and beef directly from farmers to ensure the highest quality products and to give back to the local farmers. Justin will be working with Zimmerman Pork Farm out of Hotchkiss, Colorado, and will be using the entire pig — from nose to tail. He will be working with several local ranchers to source his meats and will be using sustainable seafood from Foods in Season in Oregon as well as Seattle Fish Co. based in Denver.
BEVERAGE PROGRAM
The Old Major beverage program will feature an eclectic selection of wines, beers and spirits as well as unique cocktail creations. The bar's focal points are brown whiskey, specifically Rye and Amaro-based cocktails. The beer program will include a focused and diverse list, with several local selections. The wine program is international and local, featuring bottles from all over the world and wines on-tap, made exclusively for Old Major from IMT. The restaurant looks to certify the whole staff to become Cicerone’s as well as Sommeliers through the Court of Sommeliers.
CURING PROGRAM
Old Major is the one of few restaurant’s in Denver to feature an in-house curing program that showcases various charcuterie items that Justin will use in his dishes including: American-country ham, Loma, Lonza, Brizola, Salamis, Coppas, Lardo and Prosciuttos. The unique charcuterie room stands as a focal point in the dining room and is lined with subway tiles enclosed by glass and steel to allow for the proper curing process.
RESTAURANT DESIGN
The restaurant was designed by architect Matt Davis, contracted by Five Stone Construction and filled with one-of-a-kind products and sustainable materials from Fin Art Co. The theme brings together a blend of Modern, Old World and Farmhouse Design, with a large sliding steel door opening out to an ample patio and exposed brick from the original walls of the old roller rink. The 800-square-foot open kitchen offers a chef’s table and the extensive bar showcases the highly elaborate elements of the beverage program. The entire restaurant is filled with sustainable woods including Beetle Kill, Douglas Fir and Old Growth Pine. Rusty barnyard red walls surround the black and white images of Colorado topography and the high barrel ceiling furnishes the look and feel of an actual farmhouse.
ABOUT OLD MAJOR
Led by renowned Executive Chef Justin Brunson, Old Major features contemporary farmhouse cuisine with emphasis on heritage-raised meats, sustainable seafood and ingredients sourced from local farms. The restaurant’s elevated farmhouse kitchen in a deformalized fine dining setting is authentic and unique to Denver. Old Major is open for dinner seven nights a week and plans to open for brunch and lunch by summer 2013. The restaurant takes reservations, features a nightly happy hour and provides special dietary options. Old Major is located at 3316 Tejon Street in Denver. For more information visit www.oldmajordenver.com, Facebook: www.facebook.com/OldMajorDenver, Twitter: @OldMajorDenver or call 720-420-0622.
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