The Gateway To The Rockies Podcast

2022 James Beard award-winning chef Caroline Glover is no stranger to culinary acclaim. Her first restaurant Annette was named one of the 50 best new restaurants in the country by Bon Appétit magazine. With a mission to prepare simple, high-quality food that's meant to be shared by people she dearly loves, Caroline Glover has become a sensation in Aurora and beyond. 

For more than 15 years, Cora Faye’s Cafe has been the authority in the metro area for "home cookn' & soul food." Through her infectious charisma & by honoring family recipes traced back to the 19th century, Priscilla Smith is at the helm of an Aurora institution that has garnered national buzz & a loyal local fanbase. 

The brainchild of ER physician Javi Pérez Koch & lifelong public servant Jennifer Pérez, Cheluna is the first Latin-owned and operated craft brewery in Colorado. By infusing German beer traditions with Latin flavors, Javi & Jennifer have masterfully blended scientific precision with culinary creativity in a space that amplifies a sense of community & honors culture. 

In 2013 Vanessa & Leo Guzman turned their love of cooking & entertaining for family & friends into a thriving food truck business. Built from the ground up & strategically located at home improvement stores, Chef in A Box is far from your run-of-the-mill hot dog stand. By using locally sourced quality ingredients and elevated, creative recipes, Chef in A Box has become a popular culinary sensation...

Aurora's best-kept BBQ secret is secret no more. Fueled by his family roots, Aaron Gonerway left the corporate world, tapped into his Texas heritage, & launched Plates By The Pound BBQ . Through word of mouth & social media, Plates By The Pound BBQ has become a local sensation attracting lines around the block from throngs of Aaron's dedicated fans. 

In a world dominated by e-commerce & generic big box stores, Heirlooms Antique Mall is proving in-person shopping can be fascinating & experiential. This 14,000 sq ft. space on Havana Street is curated by 65+ vendors featuring oddities, curiosities, & valuable antiquities. Owner Scott Davenport gives us an inside perspective about why his shop is listed as one of the top things to do in Aurora. 

Community College of Aurora serves nearly 12,000 students a year, offering more than 40 degree & certificate programs at the most diverse college in the state. President Dr. Mordecai Brownlee discusses the vital student services that support the CCA student body, & its continuous cultural & academic evolution.

Aurora is the most diverse city in Colorado, a strength brought to life On Havana Street. This special business improvement district is home to roughly 2100 businesses that represent dozens of global cultures bonded in one 4.3-mile community. Chance Horiuchi, the executive director of On Havana Street is its fiercest advocate and biggest fan. We get a glimpse at her story and insight into this dyn...

Colorado Rapids midfielder Collen Warner began his soccer journey as a standout at Denver East High School. His career has taken him from sharing the pitch with English Premier League stars to playing abroad, & returning to his hometown MLS team. Warner opens up about the psychology behind the business of pro-sports & what it's like to be featured in one of the most popular video games in the worl...

In the aftermath of the horrific Aurora theater shooting in 2012, The 720 Memorial Foundation was founded to carry out the fundraising, planning, and oversight of the construction of the permanent 7/20 memorial. Ten years later, CEO Heather Dearman, personally touched by the tragedy, reflects on the last decade & sheds light on the powerful events scheduled to commemorate the survivors, & those lo...

From high school friends to business partners, Ben King & Miguel Bencomo launched Kingcomo's Quesadillas as a food cart in Boulder. Their endeavor has expanded to a ghost kitchen concept in the Towncenter at Aurora with delicious & modern flavors for this old-school comfort food. 

Eighty percent of Colorado's immigrant and refugee population lives in a vibrant Northwest Aurora neighborhood. The Village Exchange Center has become an anchor to that community, providing valuable resources, programs, & opportunities. Co-founder Amanda Blaurock discusses how VEC personifies the idea of "being the change you want to see in the world."

Pastry Chef by day, Culinary Chef by night, Thoa Nguyen fuses Vietnamese and French baking traditions at the new Bánh And Butter Bakery Café, part of an influx of innovative businesses on East Colfax Avenue in Aurora, Colorado. 

Dazzling his friends with his backyard barbecue skills in Oklahoma, Terry Walsh moved to Colorado & transformed his weekend hobby into one of the pre-eminent BBQ restaurants in Colorado. Rolling Smoke BBQ in Stanley Marketplace has become a fixture for BBQ lovers in Aurora, & The Rocky Mountain region. 

During a trip to his birth country of South Korea, John Kim became enamored with its famed "rice chicken". Marrying Korean tradition with contemporary style, Angry Chicken has become a powerhouse in Aurora, Colorado. 

The ultimate date night? Elite chefs teaching you how to cook world-class cuisine. Create Kitchen And Bar inside Stanley Marketplace merges culinary arts with high-value entertainment. Operations manager Michelle Nguyen gives us the story of this Aurora gem & her version of an epic dinner party experience. 

Visit Aurora CEO Bruce Dalton discusses the growth of Aurora, emerging from a pandemic, & what the future hold for the most diverse city in Colorado.