About Kevin Taylor

Chef Kevin Taylor is a Colorado native with a national reputation for his creative, unpretentious approach to American cuisine. Early in his career he was cited as a rising star by national magazines, was a guest at the James Beard House in New York City and has cooked for the Taste of the NFL. His dishes such as the Smoked Sweet Corn Soup with Barbecued Shrimp and Open Ravioli of Maine Lobster, Asparagus and Sweet Corn have become signatures in the industry.

Taylor has been cooking since he was 14, beginning as an apprentice chef at Green Gables under the former chef of London’s famed Savoy Hotel. During high school, Taylor worked on weekends and in the summers, learning detail by detail how a kitchen functions and every aspect of Escoffier. Following his apprenticeship, he was hired as Sous Chef at Cherry Hills Country Club, Cherry Hills Village, Colorado. In this arena, Taylor was given “carte blanche” to order and cook with some of the most unique and exquisite ingredients from around the world. This led to Taylor’s passion for pure flavor profiles, where the quality of the ingredients is allowed to shine through. Even today Kevin’s approach to cooking is “fairly straight forward,” he says. He always uses the freshest local ingredients to create really clean flavors. He is constantly watching world-wide trends and finds a lot of inspiration through travel. Living and working in Colorado provides Kevin with constant inspiration with a wonderful array of regional products like quinoa, bison, lamb, beef, corn, heirloom tomatoes and cheese.

In 1987, as an ambitious 25 year-old, Taylor opened Zenith American Grill – a contemporary restaurant serving Taylor’s unique version of southwestern cuisine. Six months after opening, Zenith was among the three best-rated restaurants in Denver. Awards and recognition were garnered from local press and over 25 national periodicals including Bon Appetit, Restaurant Hospitality and the Golden Dish award from GQ for KT’s Smoked Sweet Corn Soup. Zenith earned the prized Mobil Four-star award; Taylor, along with Denver, was proudly on the culinary map. Zenith enjoyed a long life of 14 years before closing.

Palettes at the Denver Art Museum (1997) was one of the nation’s first chef-driven museum restaurant concepts to open; Taylor and partner Denise Mease deliver an eclectic and vibrant menu in the heart of Denver’s Golden Triangle District. The space is situated under the titanium-clad, angular Hamilton building, built by world renowned architect Daniel Libeskind is modern, sleek and filled with original art. At Palettes there is a beautiful marriage of food and art. Kevin Taylor Catering at the Denver Art Museum has onsite operations and is the exclusive caterer for events big and small since August, 2009.

Just prior to the opening of Palettes, one singular experience in Paris, France gave Taylor the inspiration to embark on another restaurant. While dining at the renowned Michel Guérard’s, Eugenie-Les-Bains Taylor knew that he wanted to build a restaurant with the single goal of keeping fine dining alive in Denver. Taylor says, “Guérard was at the forefront of the nouvelle cuisine movement and I can remember thinking of ways to bring my experience home.”