Kyle Mendenhall of Big Red F Restaurant Group

A musician in his first life (with degrees from UNC and CU Boulder), Southern California-born Kyle Mendenhall always dabbled in cooking as a side gig. Once he had a family, however, the need for a steady income pushed him to become a full-time chef. Kyle served as executive chef for the Kitchen Group for eight years before taking the helm at Arcana as a chef/partner. He eventually found his way to the Big Red F Restaurant Group in 2019, where he applies his love for simple, sustainable food to the Food Group restaurants. When he’s not at work, you can find Kyle in the mountains foraging for mushrooms, feeding his sweet tooth with candy, working with the Chef Action Network and hanging out with his wife and two sons.

My Perfect Day in Boulder

• I’d get up early in the morning and stop by Wonder on Pearl for a Golden Latte. Then I’d head up to the Eldora area to do a foraging hike. After getting some fresh air and checking out nature, I’d roll back down for ribs and brisket at West End Tavern on Pearl.
• Next, I’d hit up Game Force in Boulder. I’ve been going there for 18 years, and it’s a great place if you’re into video games. Even if I’m not buying anything, I like to just check out what’s new.
• Then I would head over to VisionQuest Brewery for a beer at the taproom. They make great light beers and I always like to check out what’s new on the taps.
• Next up would be dinner at Amu, which is one of my favorite spots to go to. It’s great izakaya-style dining, which we don’t have a ton of in Boulder.
• Finally, I’d head back to West End for a whiskey nightcap and then head across the street to play some ping pong at Press Play.