October 23, 2025 • 24 mins
On today's episode, late drop edition - we sit down with 5280 Magazine Food Editor, Mark Antonation to talk about the new Supper Club concept "Spork & Compass"
Spork and Compass was started by 3 movers & shakers in the community, Ruth Tobias, Chef Mary Nguyen & himself to help bring more folks from the community to sit at the table and foster relationships through food. Before they launch their full fledged concept in 2026, they are hosting their first event October 23rd, a fundraiser dinner with 13 esteemed Chefs from around Colorado to help raise money for SAME Cafe, a local restaurant that helps the hungry & unhoused community of Colorado.
Tune in to hear Mark & Kip chat it up about all things food. Talk a little about whats on his table tonight & some of his favorite spots to dine around town right now... in addition, of course, to the rundown of Spork & Compass concept and their inaugural event going down at The Regular Thursday, October 23rd.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/stoned-appetit--3077842/support.
Spork and Compass was started by 3 movers & shakers in the community, Ruth Tobias, Chef Mary Nguyen & himself to help bring more folks from the community to sit at the table and foster relationships through food. Before they launch their full fledged concept in 2026, they are hosting their first event October 23rd, a fundraiser dinner with 13 esteemed Chefs from around Colorado to help raise money for SAME Cafe, a local restaurant that helps the hungry & unhoused community of Colorado.
Tune in to hear Mark & Kip chat it up about all things food. Talk a little about whats on his table tonight & some of his favorite spots to dine around town right now... in addition, of course, to the rundown of Spork & Compass concept and their inaugural event going down at The Regular Thursday, October 23rd.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/stoned-appetit--3077842/support.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
The suppression of the use of marijuana, and these is
looking behind.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
It are the most important jobs.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Talking gnology nineteenth day, the records on marijuana.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
And the Walkington Office and Artonic Division gustually build a
small former like this today they built pattern.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Welcome ladies and gentlemen, Coloradians and everyone that's mort enough
to listen from the outside. One of the most amazing
plants we've ever discovered, the pott talking, the trippers, the glasshops,
the hip books, all gathered in secrecy and flying Eye
as a company. Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen to another
(00:53):
episode of Stolen Deputy with a special drop edition. Y'all
know we don't usually drop podcasts on Thursdays. Hell, it's
been a fucking pill of a week. It's been a
fucking hell of a month. But we've got a great
episode for you today and we've got a kick ass
event that y'all got to check out tonight. Shout out
to our sponsors and our friends over at Uraki Cannabis
for all that you'll do. Approachable price point, approachable cannabis
(01:15):
products and you can find them across the metro. We've
dubbed them personally the Cannabis bran of the hospitality industry,
because we try to put these products in the hands
of those that are culinary creatives. Those are the same
folks that you trust with your food and with your wine,
and they seem to trust us with the good weeds.
So if they could take our word for it, you
should to check out Muraki. You can find them at
(01:36):
Nobo Cannabis at nineteen seventy five or nine to seventy
Lincoln Street, right there on the commute from cap Hill
or on your way downtown. But they're also strewn across
the whole metro. So thanks to our friends over at
Uraki and our friends at Nobo. Without further ado, I
want to introduce today's guest. He's a dear friend, a
fellow Gormond in the community, as well as a published
(01:58):
author and a hell of a fucking writer when it
comes to the culinary scene, and not a bad home
chef himself. We got Mark Antonation from fifty two to
eighty magazine joining us to talk about the upcoming Sport
and Compass event, which is a new concept that's taking
over the Denver dining scene. Marco, thank you for joining us.
How are you today, brother.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Great, thanks and thanks for having me on to talk
about this.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Well. Yeah, I mean I feel like it's a long
time coming, just because I know that you are. You
previously at the Westward, You've worked with the Colorado Restaurant Association.
You're now the food editor for fifty two eighty magazine.
So we should have gotten you on this podcast just
to pick your brain. Instead, it's all usually over a
supper table or at a party of some sort, but
I appreciate you taking the time to do it on
(02:43):
the airways for our community. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
How's the new job treating you for those that maybe
have only seen your written word, tell everybody a little
bit about your work history and your experience in the industry.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Yeah. So I am at fifty two to eighty magazine
as the food editor. I've been doing that since February
and it's amazing. One of the things I love so
much about it. I got to give a shout out
to our ourt team who make everything that I put
(03:16):
together look beautiful. So it's more than just words, it's
pictures and you know, artistic styling and everything. So I
love it. Yeah, I was at the Colorado Restaurant Association
and Foundation where I worked with your friend Denise Micholson
(03:37):
for three and a half years, and I was the
Westward Food editor for seven years and that was super
fun too. So yeah, I've gone to eat a lot
of really great places around town.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
You know the lay of the land better than most,
and you're actually earnest and how you speak, so we
genuinely appreciate not only what you do, but I love
having you in the role of that kind of giving
everybody more than those thoughtful, you know, long stories about
chefs and restaurants in the industry itself. So while you
were amazing at the CRA and CRF, I love being
(04:11):
able to read your work. And when you're at the
Westward you are always unearthing and kicking over, you know,
finding restaurants of all different genres all across the metro,
if not Colorado. So I mean, you've been a lifeline
to the culinary scene here in Colorado for a hot minute,
and now you've launched a kind of a new idea
or new concept as well.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Yeah, so this new thing, it's not just me. I'm
a third of it, I guess you'd say.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
I guess, yeah, you're just You're the face of It
today or the voice of It the podcast.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Yeah, So it's me and Ruth Tobias, who's Denver food
writer and wine magazine editor, and Mary Dwynn who owns
Olive and Finch and Little Finch. So Mary, many years
ago had been part of a eaters club where they
(05:09):
would go to different restaurants and try different foods. Shout
out to Chef John Emmanuel, who no longer lives in Denver,
but he was the founder. Our idea is a little similar.
It's called Spork and Compass and I love it.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
We're gonna be taking people to a different restaurant every
quarter starting in January twenty twenty six to experience the culture,
the food, the vibrancy of you know, the Denver and
the entire metro areas seen.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
I think it's a great way, and especially from tried
and true voices such as y'all's. Obviously we know Chef
Mary as well as Ruth. I actually bumped into her
at a wine event last week. Shout out to the
folks ever best adel Kyanti Classico. So, I mean, between
the three of y'all, there's probably no restaurant in the
metro that y'all don't either know or at least have tried,
(06:06):
you know, their food, So I'm pretty excited about hearing it.
And it's a great way to drive traffic to local
restaurants that, as everybody knows, are really hurting in this
day and age, but in Colorado specifically.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Right, Yeah, we want to focus on you know, international flavors,
immigrant communities and places that yeah, maybe are a little
off the beaten path or that don't get thought of
first thing. So we're hoping, you know, like I said,
our first club event will be in January, and we're
(06:44):
looking at a Vietnamese restaurant in Southwest Denver that does
like great party food and drinks. They have a broth shot,
so hopefully we can line some of those up for
the people who want to attend with us.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
You know that tickles my pickle and I love that.
You know, I literally have leaned on your back for
many years just trying to ask for restaurant recommendations following
your personal social page, where I also noticed that you're
kind of a home chef yourself. You and your wife
Amy seem to be kind of masters of you know,
Let's see what we what are we craving or what
do we have in the fridge and let's fuck around
(07:23):
and find out. And so I have no doubt that
every restaurant y'all will find has top flavor and some
quality ingredients. But we'll circle back to what you and
Amy are doing on social media. I want to talk
about the event tonight because we've talked about, you know,
the supper club. You know, we've talked about it in
casual form as friends getting together. Y'all are actually doing
something righteous in the community and rallying the troops from
(07:46):
different angles. But you're also doing noble things for those
that work in the industry that maybe don't take home
every single dollar. You're doing fundraising events. In fact, the
inaugural one is this evening Thursday on to twenty third,
writes mag dab here in Denver, with a star studded
list of chefs participating. Right.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Yeah, So Mary and Ruth and I thought that a
good a kickoff event as a fundraiser would be a
great way to get more people to, you know, learn
about Denver food and help about a great cause. So
we're doing this for same cafe, same stands for so
(08:28):
all may eat and it's a pay what you can
cafe that helps out, you know, members of the community
who may not have easy access to income or food.
And they're right on Callfax Avenue. So that's one of
the reasons we picked them is because you know, they're
(08:49):
kind of hurting right now because of all the construction
on Callfax and so a little infusion from everyone's support
by coming to the dinner be great. And then we
have thirteen chefs.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Thirteen chefs. Yeah, Jesus Christ, we're gonna eat like kings.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Yeah yeah. So you know, not only Carrie Shores, who
is a chef and executive director of same cafe, and
Mary will be presenting desserts. But you know we've got
like Erasmo Cassiano from Chiquita, We've got Biker Jim. We've
got Natasha Hess who owns the Ginger Pig. So and
(09:33):
that's just a few. I'm sorry for I can't name
everyone off the top of my head, so I apologize
to those I didn't get to.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
No, you're exactly you're groovy, brother, and you know you
have obviously you know chefs Dana Rodriguez, you have Kenny
over from Macfam, Mattie Valters coming down the hill. I mean,
it's a great group and obviously you know we're not
gonna sit it. You know, Jeff Osaka getting back in
the kitchen. What's my whistle? And it makes me so excited.
But it's all for righteous calls. I think we've spoken about.
(10:02):
So all makey may so all may eat cafe. Because
Chris and I when we usually do the podcast, we
actually lived right across the street from them, right behind
that liquor store at fourteenth and Gaylord. So not only
have we dined there, but you know what they're doing
in the community, both for the unhoused and the hungry population,
but also for those that just enjoy a quality cuisine
(10:24):
because we've done their Thanksgiving dinners. We've gone and eat there.
I mean the food is scrumptuous all the same. It
doesn't matter, you know what you may be able to pay,
you can also work it off, but you can also
make donations and pay it forward. So y'all are really
taking that by the horns and doing the pay it
forward by trying to do something really cool. And you know,
(10:44):
we'll have to kind of pick carry's brain at the event,
but it's like we could talk about their upcoming calendar
as well, Like y'all are doing some really noble things.
So I wanted to ask, like, our ticket's still available
to this event, how will it be set up with
thirteen chefs? We all know that phrase too many chefs,
not enough kitchen, or too many chefs in the kitchen?
(11:04):
How will it all be like stationed? Is it family meal? Like?
What is one to expect if they were to grab
a ticket for the evening's events? Yeah, so.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
We're we're we still have tickets. You know, we're hoping
to get to two hundred people, but you know, every
every ticket sold counts because we're really not making money
on this. This is all going to Saint Cafe. You know,
we have generous sponsors. The event space is called the Regular.
(11:39):
It's at about fifteenth in Market Street.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
Yeah, I think fourteen thirty two Market. Everyone remembers that
it's a kind of a it's a gorgeous event space,
former restaurant right there, not far from the stadium. So
I mean it's gonna be a vibrant scene downtown for
Thursday evening as well.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Yeah, and so you can join me in trying to
eat one each of all thirteen chefs it'll be set
up with chef stations so you can walk around. There'll
be cocktails included as part of it, and yeah, I
think it's going to be a lot of fun. Best
way to get tickets is either go to Sport and
(12:22):
Compass on Facebook or Instagram, or you can go to
the same cafe website and hit their events link and
it's on there and I'll get you to the tickets.
They're one hundred and fifty dollars each, which kind of
sounds like a lot, but I like to think of
it as you're giving one hundred and fifty dollars to
a great cause and getting free drinks and food from
(12:44):
the city's best chefs.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
No, that's exactly how it should be phrased. And for
those that are curious what you may be fucking around with,
Tito's is one of the sponsors, Adamo Wine, Odell Brewing,
Spirit Hound Distillers. Honestly that Leopold Brothers groovy shot out
to the food brands that are obviously going to be
a part of it as well. But for those that
are like, oh, is this bang worth our buck? Not
only if you can have thirteen bites from or you know,
(13:08):
thirteen different dishes from thirteen chefs, and you know, work
in the room and having drinks with your friends. I mean,
you'd be hard pressed to find a better deal for
that in Denver for a Thursday night date night. So
why not join the festivities this evening? And like you said,
for righteous calls.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Yeah, and I just found out that Run for the
Roses is going to be making cocktails for us there.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
So fucking Steven waters Man. That guy is a great person.
He and his whole team, Josh, the whole fam over
Run for the Roses. We you know, we're spoiled with
how many great cocktail bars and mixologists we have in
the community. But now you're telling me that it's not
just going to be your vodka soda the crowd, but
we'll also have some refined flavors in there. You can't
(13:50):
beat that with a stick. Marco. Y'all. You can go
to Sport and Compasses social media, like you said, that's
how it reads out, just like that. There are tickets
on Humanitics, that's and you can go to events dot
Humanitics dot com and you can type in sporking Camp
Compass or the same cafe. So all make and eat
(14:11):
our so all mate, eat fuck that up. So often
you can type in Denver Chef's rally, all of those
will trigger in the search bar. Well you'll see the event.
It's this evening from six to nine on Thursday, October
twenty third. And obviously this is just a tip of
the iceberg. They'll be continuously doing things throughout the community
and in the new year they'll be having these dinner
(14:33):
you know, the supper clubs or lunch clubs, you know,
whatever time of day. These are not to be messed.
Mark is not only a wizard of his craft and
knows his way around the Denver dining scene, but he's
a fun fucking hang. I can say that because I've
sat across the table from about a zillion fucking times
at dinner and I love this guy to pieces. So
before we get out of here, Mark, I appreciate you
(14:53):
taking the time to chat telling us a little bit
about the first of many events from Sport and Compass.
I want to ask you a couple of personal questions.
Questions we ask all of our guests just to kind
of so that our community can get to know you
like I know you, or judge you like you should
be judged if you say something fucking stupid. The first
(15:14):
question is, Mark, if you were an appetizer on a menu,
what would you be?
Speaker 2 (15:19):
Probably something pork based.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
Yeah, just like if there.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Was like a like a pork belly breakfast slider with
a little little egg and cheese, that would be me.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
I mean, I feel like if we're talking breakfast dishes
already and I want to ask you the next question
is you know, for y'all, I'm not kidding you. Obviously
you need to follow Mark on social media for his
you know, food work, the word that you know he writes,
but also his cuisine that he makes for home nights
is fucking immaculate. So let me ask you a quick question.
What's your favorite restaurant to eat on a Sunday night
(15:59):
after maybe Saturday night of working hard. And you're like,
I just want something easy. I don't want to think
too much about it.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
You know, one of my favorite places nearby my house
is the Brutal Poodle. They actually do a great job
of packaging stuff up to go, but I like to
go there and sit at the bar. It's like one
of the few sunken bars left in Denver and they've
got killer green chili, a great burger fun specials. They've
(16:31):
got these loaded tots called burial Tots. That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
I love it, and that sounds fucking delicious. They have
a great sandwich selection as well. Over there. I know
a lot of people rave about the barisk and sandwich,
I believe, but they have a surplus of dateness, Joe,
don't be shy to check them out. Mark. Let's I'm
sitting here tonight while we're speaking, I'm cooking up a
chicken cut with just chatting with you, I'm actually gonna
make like a chicken like what is it France Francois
(17:01):
Francis a Francis with like a lemon or butter sauce
and a side of potatoes all grotten because it's an
unhealthy fucking meal. And I've got the house myself and
I'm treating myself. So it leads me to my next question.
What's y'all's you and Amy's favorite meal? And they don't
have to be the same. What's y'all's favorite meal? When
you're cooking at home, like you're like, I got this
(17:22):
mine Shepherd's pie, like and especially kind of as we
get into that season. You're like, oh, I got this
this dish, it's tried, true, it slaps every time. What's yours?
And then what's your wife? All right?
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Uh? Well Amy's I'm more proteins and she's more carved,
so uh she Uh? Will you know, kill anything with rice,
like a like a good uh fried rice with with
eggs and uh you know some kind of like mixed vegetables. Yeah,
(17:55):
I'm more of a protein guy. I like bone and chicken.
If I know she's not gonna be home, I'll throw
in a whole roast chicken for an hour and then
eat some of that and have like leftover chicken sandwiches
for days.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
I mean to be fair. Sneaking a whole roasted chicken
into the house is fucking a circle. I thought you
were gonna say you would eat that whole thing by yourself,
and I was like, God damn Mark, but a pulled
chicken sando with a homemade white barbecue that's also a
starting one. I somebody online went viral for showing what
you can do with the costco roasted chicken skin. And
(18:33):
what I'm always done is I air fry it, but
I hit it with a ton of Tony's saschiret and
a bunch of you know, like some very salty shit
like it doesn't need. And then I see this woman
goes viral for like seventy million views. I was like, motherfucker,
I've been doing this for ten goddamn years, even when
I broiled it or baked it before the air fry,
and I was like, I didn't know we were all
(18:53):
doing dankass mood like this. I would have been telling
you about snacks in the kitchen all the time. I'm
gonna take you out of k for this next one. Marco.
If you were a dinosaur, what dinosaur would you be?
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (19:05):
Good god, I'm sorry. We're fucking stoners.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
Man.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
We think about dinosaurs and you know, revolution maybe against
the president and then food.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
I like the ones with the spiky ball on the
end of their tail. They're like kind of these stumpy,
like fast moving I think maybe they've got some horns
or some kind of plate, but then they've got a
spiky ball on the end of their tail and you
just whacked people with it.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
Oh, the ankle ofsaurus. And ironically that's what it's called,
and it reminds me of the fucking scooters. It's like
something that hits your ankle and that's all I remember.
It's the ankle of saurus or something of that natureuble
I love it. I love it all right, Mark said
the last question before we let you go, and I
feel like you're gonna probably have a really solid, in
depth answer for this, but it's called our last sup.
(19:54):
You get three people dead or alive, but they can't
be friends or families, so you can't personally know them
in any capacity. Who were your three guests? And what
are y'all having for dinner?
Speaker 2 (20:05):
Jeez?
Speaker 1 (20:05):
Okay, well, I'm gonna bred a chicken patty out of
chicken and so I'm gonna I'm gonna dredge it while
you talk.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
I got since Jane Goodall just died, I would have all.
Jane Goodall would be amazing. I loved listening to her
uh stories like uh when the news stories were memorializing her,
and I'd probably have to go with one of my
(20:35):
favorite authors who would be uh gosh. So I read
a Bolivian UH writer named Roberto Bolano whose stories were
just so crazy uh that I think it would be
fun to sit down and pick his brain.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
What was his name, Roberto Bolango.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
Yeah, so he he died a while ago, but he
wrote a book called The Savage Detectives that had over
forty different narrators and you could tell each person separately.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Style. That's kind of interesting. I'm not a real reader.
I just started reading, and most of them are all
about books of Portugal. I'm kind of curious more about
this now. That's an interesting writing style.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
Yeah so, and I need to read more of him.
I think he has a few more books that I
haven't read. Third one, I would say, maybe you know
somebody in the movies, or maybe a director like del.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
Toro, Galarma, Galermo.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
He's just like his imagination is crazy, so I think
it'd be fun to talk to him.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
I think those are great ones. And what are we
going to have for supper that night? Marco? Because he
sure as fuck don't want my chicken? Friends said, you.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
Know, I would love to do like. I would probably
go vegan in that situation, because I don't know what
these people like.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
So wait, did doubt go badge?
Speaker 2 (22:20):
Yeah, I'll take them all to somebody people have some
few bottles of wine, some great dishes and call it good.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
That sounds a fantastic market as well as this evening's dinner.
Will you know you're going to see a star started group.
We got thirteen chefs, we have all proceeds going to
a good calls, and we have a really cool concept
that is being introduced into the Colorado community. And if
I just introduced all to Mark for the first time,
I thoroughly recommend you check him out at fifty two
to eighty magazine. He's got some really great articles. He's
(22:57):
also eating some really dang food. He recently dropped is
what top twenty five restaurants And instead of how we
always poo poo on the Michelin Guide and we want
to know what they're doing, Mark is kind of practicing
what he preaches, and he's telling you about twenty five
restaurants that are dank as fucking hell in the community
that maybe you didn't know about. Like we can talk
about we have a litany of great restaurants, so narrowing
(23:18):
them down to twenty five is nearly impossible. And I
feel like you knocked it out of the part yan
Ya being one of the best restaurants in the city,
and I'm glad that you were putting them on you
know true notice that was fucking great because that food
is banger. And then obviously you go a lot more
in detail about all of the restaurants that are participating.
But when I saw that list, I was like, fuck, yeah, Mark,
(23:39):
I see you.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
I see you.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
Sy You're doing the Lord's work, both in the community
as well as behind the keyboard, and I appreciate you
taking the time to jump on with me today.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Yeah before we ca you're super kind. Thanks for having
me on, and thanks for highlighting this event.
Speaker 1 (23:56):
Yeah, man, I hate that it came so late. It's
been a fucking shit a couple of weeks. Every year,
we've been fairly radio silent on social media and such,
just kind of gathering our thoughts and things. But we'll
be back in the action and we'll usually be on
the airwaves with a little bit more on point coverage
of the community. But Mark, I appreciate you taking the time.
(24:16):
I hope you have a wonderful evening. To our listeners
and to all those that are following us on social media,
y'all stay high, stay hung great. Thanks for the support. Cheers.
Thanks
The suppression of the use of marijuana, and these is
looking behind.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
It are the most important jobs.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Talking gnology nineteenth day, the records on marijuana.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
And the Walkington Office and Artonic Division gustually build a
small former like this today they built pattern.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Welcome ladies and gentlemen, Coloradians and everyone that's mort enough
to listen from the outside. One of the most amazing
plants we've ever discovered, the pott talking, the trippers, the glasshops,
the hip books, all gathered in secrecy and flying Eye
as a company. Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen to another
(00:53):
episode of Stolen Deputy with a special drop edition. Y'all
know we don't usually drop podcasts on Thursdays. Hell, it's
been a fucking pill of a week. It's been a
fucking hell of a month. But we've got a great
episode for you today and we've got a kick ass
event that y'all got to check out tonight. Shout out
to our sponsors and our friends over at Uraki Cannabis
for all that you'll do. Approachable price point, approachable cannabis
(01:15):
products and you can find them across the metro. We've
dubbed them personally the Cannabis bran of the hospitality industry,
because we try to put these products in the hands
of those that are culinary creatives. Those are the same
folks that you trust with your food and with your wine,
and they seem to trust us with the good weeds.
So if they could take our word for it, you
should to check out Muraki. You can find them at
(01:36):
Nobo Cannabis at nineteen seventy five or nine to seventy
Lincoln Street, right there on the commute from cap Hill
or on your way downtown. But they're also strewn across
the whole metro. So thanks to our friends over at
Uraki and our friends at Nobo. Without further ado, I
want to introduce today's guest. He's a dear friend, a
fellow Gormond in the community, as well as a published
(01:58):
author and a hell of a fucking writer when it
comes to the culinary scene, and not a bad home
chef himself. We got Mark Antonation from fifty two to
eighty magazine joining us to talk about the upcoming Sport
and Compass event, which is a new concept that's taking
over the Denver dining scene. Marco, thank you for joining us.
How are you today, brother.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Great, thanks and thanks for having me on to talk
about this.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Well. Yeah, I mean I feel like it's a long
time coming, just because I know that you are. You
previously at the Westward, You've worked with the Colorado Restaurant Association.
You're now the food editor for fifty two eighty magazine.
So we should have gotten you on this podcast just
to pick your brain. Instead, it's all usually over a
supper table or at a party of some sort, but
I appreciate you taking the time to do it on
(02:43):
the airways for our community. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
How's the new job treating you for those that maybe
have only seen your written word, tell everybody a little
bit about your work history and your experience in the industry.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Yeah. So I am at fifty two to eighty magazine
as the food editor. I've been doing that since February
and it's amazing. One of the things I love so
much about it. I got to give a shout out
to our ourt team who make everything that I put
(03:16):
together look beautiful. So it's more than just words, it's
pictures and you know, artistic styling and everything. So I
love it. Yeah, I was at the Colorado Restaurant Association
and Foundation where I worked with your friend Denise Micholson
(03:37):
for three and a half years, and I was the
Westward Food editor for seven years and that was super
fun too. So yeah, I've gone to eat a lot
of really great places around town.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
You know the lay of the land better than most,
and you're actually earnest and how you speak, so we
genuinely appreciate not only what you do, but I love
having you in the role of that kind of giving
everybody more than those thoughtful, you know, long stories about
chefs and restaurants in the industry itself. So while you
were amazing at the CRA and CRF, I love being
(04:11):
able to read your work. And when you're at the
Westward you are always unearthing and kicking over, you know,
finding restaurants of all different genres all across the metro,
if not Colorado. So I mean, you've been a lifeline
to the culinary scene here in Colorado for a hot minute,
and now you've launched a kind of a new idea
or new concept as well.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Yeah, so this new thing, it's not just me. I'm
a third of it, I guess you'd say.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
I guess, yeah, you're just You're the face of It
today or the voice of It the podcast.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Yeah, So it's me and Ruth Tobias, who's Denver food
writer and wine magazine editor, and Mary Dwynn who owns
Olive and Finch and Little Finch. So Mary, many years
ago had been part of a eaters club where they
(05:09):
would go to different restaurants and try different foods. Shout
out to Chef John Emmanuel, who no longer lives in Denver,
but he was the founder. Our idea is a little similar.
It's called Spork and Compass and I love it.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
We're gonna be taking people to a different restaurant every
quarter starting in January twenty twenty six to experience the culture,
the food, the vibrancy of you know, the Denver and
the entire metro areas seen.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
I think it's a great way, and especially from tried
and true voices such as y'all's. Obviously we know Chef
Mary as well as Ruth. I actually bumped into her
at a wine event last week. Shout out to the
folks ever best adel Kyanti Classico. So, I mean, between
the three of y'all, there's probably no restaurant in the
metro that y'all don't either know or at least have tried,
(06:06):
you know, their food, So I'm pretty excited about hearing it.
And it's a great way to drive traffic to local
restaurants that, as everybody knows, are really hurting in this
day and age, but in Colorado specifically.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Right, Yeah, we want to focus on you know, international flavors,
immigrant communities and places that yeah, maybe are a little
off the beaten path or that don't get thought of
first thing. So we're hoping, you know, like I said,
our first club event will be in January, and we're
(06:44):
looking at a Vietnamese restaurant in Southwest Denver that does
like great party food and drinks. They have a broth shot,
so hopefully we can line some of those up for
the people who want to attend with us.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
You know that tickles my pickle and I love that.
You know, I literally have leaned on your back for
many years just trying to ask for restaurant recommendations following
your personal social page, where I also noticed that you're
kind of a home chef yourself. You and your wife
Amy seem to be kind of masters of you know,
Let's see what we what are we craving or what
do we have in the fridge and let's fuck around
(07:23):
and find out. And so I have no doubt that
every restaurant y'all will find has top flavor and some
quality ingredients. But we'll circle back to what you and
Amy are doing on social media. I want to talk
about the event tonight because we've talked about, you know,
the supper club. You know, we've talked about it in
casual form as friends getting together. Y'all are actually doing
something righteous in the community and rallying the troops from
(07:46):
different angles. But you're also doing noble things for those
that work in the industry that maybe don't take home
every single dollar. You're doing fundraising events. In fact, the
inaugural one is this evening Thursday on to twenty third,
writes mag dab here in Denver, with a star studded
list of chefs participating. Right.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Yeah, So Mary and Ruth and I thought that a
good a kickoff event as a fundraiser would be a
great way to get more people to, you know, learn
about Denver food and help about a great cause. So
we're doing this for same cafe, same stands for so
(08:28):
all may eat and it's a pay what you can
cafe that helps out, you know, members of the community
who may not have easy access to income or food.
And they're right on Callfax Avenue. So that's one of
the reasons we picked them is because you know, they're
(08:49):
kind of hurting right now because of all the construction
on Callfax and so a little infusion from everyone's support
by coming to the dinner be great. And then we
have thirteen chefs.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Thirteen chefs. Yeah, Jesus Christ, we're gonna eat like kings.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Yeah yeah. So you know, not only Carrie Shores, who
is a chef and executive director of same cafe, and
Mary will be presenting desserts. But you know we've got
like Erasmo Cassiano from Chiquita, We've got Biker Jim. We've
got Natasha Hess who owns the Ginger Pig. So and
(09:33):
that's just a few. I'm sorry for I can't name
everyone off the top of my head, so I apologize
to those I didn't get to.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
No, you're exactly you're groovy, brother, and you know you
have obviously you know chefs Dana Rodriguez, you have Kenny
over from Macfam, Mattie Valters coming down the hill. I mean,
it's a great group and obviously you know we're not
gonna sit it. You know, Jeff Osaka getting back in
the kitchen. What's my whistle? And it makes me so excited.
But it's all for righteous calls. I think we've spoken about.
(10:02):
So all makey may so all may eat cafe. Because
Chris and I when we usually do the podcast, we
actually lived right across the street from them, right behind
that liquor store at fourteenth and Gaylord. So not only
have we dined there, but you know what they're doing
in the community, both for the unhoused and the hungry population,
but also for those that just enjoy a quality cuisine
(10:24):
because we've done their Thanksgiving dinners. We've gone and eat there.
I mean the food is scrumptuous all the same. It
doesn't matter, you know what you may be able to pay,
you can also work it off, but you can also
make donations and pay it forward. So y'all are really
taking that by the horns and doing the pay it
forward by trying to do something really cool. And you know,
(10:44):
we'll have to kind of pick carry's brain at the event,
but it's like we could talk about their upcoming calendar
as well, Like y'all are doing some really noble things.
So I wanted to ask, like, our ticket's still available
to this event, how will it be set up with
thirteen chefs? We all know that phrase too many chefs,
not enough kitchen, or too many chefs in the kitchen?
(11:04):
How will it all be like stationed? Is it family meal? Like?
What is one to expect if they were to grab
a ticket for the evening's events? Yeah, so.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
We're we're we still have tickets. You know, we're hoping
to get to two hundred people, but you know, every
every ticket sold counts because we're really not making money
on this. This is all going to Saint Cafe. You know,
we have generous sponsors. The event space is called the Regular.
(11:39):
It's at about fifteenth in Market Street.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
Yeah, I think fourteen thirty two Market. Everyone remembers that
it's a kind of a it's a gorgeous event space,
former restaurant right there, not far from the stadium. So
I mean it's gonna be a vibrant scene downtown for
Thursday evening as well.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Yeah, and so you can join me in trying to
eat one each of all thirteen chefs it'll be set
up with chef stations so you can walk around. There'll
be cocktails included as part of it, and yeah, I
think it's going to be a lot of fun. Best
way to get tickets is either go to Sport and
(12:22):
Compass on Facebook or Instagram, or you can go to
the same cafe website and hit their events link and
it's on there and I'll get you to the tickets.
They're one hundred and fifty dollars each, which kind of
sounds like a lot, but I like to think of
it as you're giving one hundred and fifty dollars to
a great cause and getting free drinks and food from
(12:44):
the city's best chefs.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
No, that's exactly how it should be phrased. And for
those that are curious what you may be fucking around with,
Tito's is one of the sponsors, Adamo Wine, Odell Brewing,
Spirit Hound Distillers. Honestly that Leopold Brothers groovy shot out
to the food brands that are obviously going to be
a part of it as well. But for those that
are like, oh, is this bang worth our buck? Not
only if you can have thirteen bites from or you know,
(13:08):
thirteen different dishes from thirteen chefs, and you know, work
in the room and having drinks with your friends. I mean,
you'd be hard pressed to find a better deal for
that in Denver for a Thursday night date night. So
why not join the festivities this evening? And like you said,
for righteous calls.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Yeah, and I just found out that Run for the
Roses is going to be making cocktails for us there.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
So fucking Steven waters Man. That guy is a great person.
He and his whole team, Josh, the whole fam over
Run for the Roses. We you know, we're spoiled with
how many great cocktail bars and mixologists we have in
the community. But now you're telling me that it's not
just going to be your vodka soda the crowd, but
we'll also have some refined flavors in there. You can't
(13:50):
beat that with a stick. Marco. Y'all. You can go
to Sport and Compasses social media, like you said, that's
how it reads out, just like that. There are tickets
on Humanitics, that's and you can go to events dot
Humanitics dot com and you can type in sporking Camp
Compass or the same cafe. So all make and eat
(14:11):
our so all mate, eat fuck that up. So often
you can type in Denver Chef's rally, all of those
will trigger in the search bar. Well you'll see the event.
It's this evening from six to nine on Thursday, October
twenty third. And obviously this is just a tip of
the iceberg. They'll be continuously doing things throughout the community
and in the new year they'll be having these dinner
(14:33):
you know, the supper clubs or lunch clubs, you know,
whatever time of day. These are not to be messed.
Mark is not only a wizard of his craft and
knows his way around the Denver dining scene, but he's
a fun fucking hang. I can say that because I've
sat across the table from about a zillion fucking times
at dinner and I love this guy to pieces. So
before we get out of here, Mark, I appreciate you
(14:53):
taking the time to chat telling us a little bit
about the first of many events from Sport and Compass.
I want to ask you a couple of personal questions.
Questions we ask all of our guests just to kind
of so that our community can get to know you
like I know you, or judge you like you should
be judged if you say something fucking stupid. The first
(15:14):
question is, Mark, if you were an appetizer on a menu,
what would you be?
Speaker 2 (15:19):
Probably something pork based.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
Yeah, just like if there.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Was like a like a pork belly breakfast slider with
a little little egg and cheese, that would be me.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
I mean, I feel like if we're talking breakfast dishes
already and I want to ask you the next question
is you know, for y'all, I'm not kidding you. Obviously
you need to follow Mark on social media for his
you know, food work, the word that you know he writes,
but also his cuisine that he makes for home nights
is fucking immaculate. So let me ask you a quick question.
What's your favorite restaurant to eat on a Sunday night
(15:59):
after maybe Saturday night of working hard. And you're like,
I just want something easy. I don't want to think
too much about it.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
You know, one of my favorite places nearby my house
is the Brutal Poodle. They actually do a great job
of packaging stuff up to go, but I like to
go there and sit at the bar. It's like one
of the few sunken bars left in Denver and they've
got killer green chili, a great burger fun specials. They've
(16:31):
got these loaded tots called burial Tots. That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
I love it, and that sounds fucking delicious. They have
a great sandwich selection as well. Over there. I know
a lot of people rave about the barisk and sandwich,
I believe, but they have a surplus of dateness, Joe,
don't be shy to check them out. Mark. Let's I'm
sitting here tonight while we're speaking, I'm cooking up a
chicken cut with just chatting with you, I'm actually gonna
make like a chicken like what is it France Francois
(17:01):
Francis a Francis with like a lemon or butter sauce
and a side of potatoes all grotten because it's an
unhealthy fucking meal. And I've got the house myself and
I'm treating myself. So it leads me to my next question.
What's y'all's you and Amy's favorite meal? And they don't
have to be the same. What's y'all's favorite meal? When
you're cooking at home, like you're like, I got this
(17:22):
mine Shepherd's pie, like and especially kind of as we
get into that season. You're like, oh, I got this
this dish, it's tried, true, it slaps every time. What's yours?
And then what's your wife? All right?
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Uh? Well Amy's I'm more proteins and she's more carved,
so uh she Uh? Will you know, kill anything with rice,
like a like a good uh fried rice with with
eggs and uh you know some kind of like mixed vegetables. Yeah,
(17:55):
I'm more of a protein guy. I like bone and chicken.
If I know she's not gonna be home, I'll throw
in a whole roast chicken for an hour and then
eat some of that and have like leftover chicken sandwiches
for days.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
I mean to be fair. Sneaking a whole roasted chicken
into the house is fucking a circle. I thought you
were gonna say you would eat that whole thing by yourself,
and I was like, God damn Mark, but a pulled
chicken sando with a homemade white barbecue that's also a
starting one. I somebody online went viral for showing what
you can do with the costco roasted chicken skin. And
(18:33):
what I'm always done is I air fry it, but
I hit it with a ton of Tony's saschiret and
a bunch of you know, like some very salty shit
like it doesn't need. And then I see this woman
goes viral for like seventy million views. I was like, motherfucker,
I've been doing this for ten goddamn years, even when
I broiled it or baked it before the air fry,
and I was like, I didn't know we were all
(18:53):
doing dankass mood like this. I would have been telling
you about snacks in the kitchen all the time. I'm
gonna take you out of k for this next one. Marco.
If you were a dinosaur, what dinosaur would you be?
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (19:05):
Good god, I'm sorry. We're fucking stoners.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
Man.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
We think about dinosaurs and you know, revolution maybe against
the president and then food.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
I like the ones with the spiky ball on the
end of their tail. They're like kind of these stumpy,
like fast moving I think maybe they've got some horns
or some kind of plate, but then they've got a
spiky ball on the end of their tail and you
just whacked people with it.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
Oh, the ankle ofsaurus. And ironically that's what it's called,
and it reminds me of the fucking scooters. It's like
something that hits your ankle and that's all I remember.
It's the ankle of saurus or something of that natureuble
I love it. I love it all right, Mark said
the last question before we let you go, and I
feel like you're gonna probably have a really solid, in
depth answer for this, but it's called our last sup.
(19:54):
You get three people dead or alive, but they can't
be friends or families, so you can't personally know them
in any capacity. Who were your three guests? And what
are y'all having for dinner?
Speaker 2 (20:05):
Jeez?
Speaker 1 (20:05):
Okay, well, I'm gonna bred a chicken patty out of
chicken and so I'm gonna I'm gonna dredge it while
you talk.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
I got since Jane Goodall just died, I would have all.
Jane Goodall would be amazing. I loved listening to her
uh stories like uh when the news stories were memorializing her,
and I'd probably have to go with one of my
(20:35):
favorite authors who would be uh gosh. So I read
a Bolivian UH writer named Roberto Bolano whose stories were
just so crazy uh that I think it would be
fun to sit down and pick his brain.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
What was his name, Roberto Bolango.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
Yeah, so he he died a while ago, but he
wrote a book called The Savage Detectives that had over
forty different narrators and you could tell each person separately.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Style. That's kind of interesting. I'm not a real reader.
I just started reading, and most of them are all
about books of Portugal. I'm kind of curious more about
this now. That's an interesting writing style.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
Yeah so, and I need to read more of him.
I think he has a few more books that I
haven't read. Third one, I would say, maybe you know
somebody in the movies, or maybe a director like del.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
Toro, Galarma, Galermo.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
He's just like his imagination is crazy, so I think
it'd be fun to talk to him.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
I think those are great ones. And what are we
going to have for supper that night? Marco? Because he
sure as fuck don't want my chicken? Friends said, you.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
Know, I would love to do like. I would probably
go vegan in that situation, because I don't know what
these people like.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
So wait, did doubt go badge?
Speaker 2 (22:20):
Yeah, I'll take them all to somebody people have some
few bottles of wine, some great dishes and call it good.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
That sounds a fantastic market as well as this evening's dinner.
Will you know you're going to see a star started group.
We got thirteen chefs, we have all proceeds going to
a good calls, and we have a really cool concept
that is being introduced into the Colorado community. And if
I just introduced all to Mark for the first time,
I thoroughly recommend you check him out at fifty two
to eighty magazine. He's got some really great articles. He's
(22:57):
also eating some really dang food. He recently dropped is
what top twenty five restaurants And instead of how we
always poo poo on the Michelin Guide and we want
to know what they're doing, Mark is kind of practicing
what he preaches, and he's telling you about twenty five
restaurants that are dank as fucking hell in the community
that maybe you didn't know about. Like we can talk
about we have a litany of great restaurants, so narrowing
(23:18):
them down to twenty five is nearly impossible. And I
feel like you knocked it out of the part yan
Ya being one of the best restaurants in the city,
and I'm glad that you were putting them on you
know true notice that was fucking great because that food
is banger. And then obviously you go a lot more
in detail about all of the restaurants that are participating.
But when I saw that list, I was like, fuck, yeah, Mark,
(23:39):
I see you.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
I see you.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
Sy You're doing the Lord's work, both in the community
as well as behind the keyboard, and I appreciate you
taking the time to jump on with me today.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Yeah before we ca you're super kind. Thanks for having
me on, and thanks for highlighting this event.
Speaker 1 (23:56):
Yeah, man, I hate that it came so late. It's
been a fucking shit a couple of weeks. Every year,
we've been fairly radio silent on social media and such,
just kind of gathering our thoughts and things. But we'll
be back in the action and we'll usually be on
the airwaves with a little bit more on point coverage
of the community. But Mark, I appreciate you taking the time.
(24:16):
I hope you have a wonderful evening. To our listeners
and to all those that are following us on social media,
y'all stay high, stay hung great. Thanks for the support. Cheers.
Thanks
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