HAND ROLLING STUFFED PASTA AT 626 ON ROOD MADE IN GJ Theo Otte is the executive chef behind Grand Junction’s critically acclaimed grand eatery 626 on Rood — named a Good Food 100 Restaurant for its commitment to sustainability and supporting local food systems. Here, Chef Theo shares insight into the ethos behind his restaurant, his passion for cooking and what he loves most about Grand Junction. MEET AN AWARD-WINNING GRAND JUNCTION CHEF What’s your favorite season for fresh produce in the Grand Junction area? I love the last two weeks of August. With a little help from Mother Nature, everything is at its peak during those last two weeks. Also, I love Palisade peaches, and that’s the time of the season when they are the juiciest. They have the perfect amount of time to develop sugar, providing for the sweetest peaches around, and that’s what they are known for. OPPOSITE PAGE CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: HILL PEOPLE GEAR; SUGARSKY, GRETCHEN POWERS; TIMBERLEAF TRAILERS; TWO RIVERS WINERY & CHATEAU. THIS PAGE: ALL PHOTOS: VISIT GRAND JUNCTION. Why did you decide to live and open your restaurant in Grand Junction? My wife and business partner, Brenda, is originally from Grand Junction. When she decided she wanted to move back, I followed her and immediately fell in love with the area. Standing in the valley surrounded by the Grand Mesa, the Book Cliffs and Colorado National Monument, we knew this was where we wanted to be. What about your passion for cooking, where does that come from? I grew up on the east coast in a large Italian family. Big family meals were a part of growing up, and we were always using old family recipes. Cooking and food were important to us. I grew up learning to appreciate and eventually love the art of it. CHEF THEO OTTE Why is sourcing food locally important to you? For us, sourcing everything we can locally is about being the best we can be for our community. We want to know where our ingredients come from, and that the people growing our food care as much about it as we do. We love getting to know the area’s farmers and ranchers. By supporting the hard work and dedication they put into their farms, including produce and livestock, it provides greater meaning toward the service we provide here. To us, that’s really special. What are your favorite things to do in Grand Junction in your spare time? We love to be outside and enjoy the natural beauty of our home. There are endless trails that we hike on with our dog, and we enjoy spending time at many of the parks along the Colorado River. We’ve never been anywhere else that has such easy access to so much recre -ation and a wide variety of activities. Learn more about Theo at 626onRood.com and discover Grand Junction’s culinary scene at VisitGrandJunction.com/ Dining . 970.256.4060 626 on Rood has a notable wine collection. Where does that love of wine come from? It all comes back to food. Sure, we have a few wines just for sitting on the porch and sipping, but whenever I taste wine, I’m always thinking about the food. What’s on the menu that this wine would pair well with? Will this help bring out the flavor or is it overwhelming? Food and wine were made to go together. The perfect glass paired with the right entree will elevate both to new levels of character. | VisitGrandJunction.com | 37
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