Ace Eat Serve Has the Secret Sauce

Ace Eat Serve has the secret sauce. Smack dab in the middle of Denver’s bustling 17the Avenue gastronomic hodgepodge is a truly unique restaurant.  Founded by owners Jen and Josh Wolken, Ace Eat Serve is a sister restaurant to Stuben’s Uptown (which is right next door) in the building that used to be home to the Vesta Dipping. Each of these dining spots has very different and distinctive menus and vibes, which seems to make them a perfect fit with each other.

The Men Behind the Magic

Ace Eat Serve serves Asian fusion cuisine that is innovative, beautiful, and oh-so-tasty. I recently had the pleasure to sit down and chat with two of the team leaders, Executive Chef Thach Tran (Ace Eat Serve) and Executive Pastry Chef Michael Kurowski (Ace Eat Serve and Stueben’s). Both of these uber-tallented young men have so much passion and love for their crafts that it is positively contagious.

The two chefs have very different backgrounds but share a mutual love and respect for all things culinary. Chef Thach (pronounced Ta) moved with his family to the United States at age 9 when his grandmother sold her noodle restaurant in Saigon, Vietnam. It was at his grandmother’s side that he started his education and love of good food.

Executive Chef Thach Tran

Thach is a graduate of the esteemed Johnson and Wales University, and his unique creations at Ace Eat Serve are reflective of his motherland and his dear grandmother, modern American cuisine, and his education and experience. He brings beautiful and delicious dishes that are truly special presenting bowls, plates, and even a dim sum cart to hungry patrons year-round. The whole team seems to have similar culinary mantras in that they believe that “Food should not just be eaten, but that it should create memorable experiences.”

I learned that Thach, who is a proud member of the LGBTQ community, recently got married! “We got married in June of 2022, a wonderful time, Dusty and I have been together for 7 years before we got married. We just wanted to be sure. The pandemic pushed our original wedding plans back a few years.” Ta and his husband like a variety of foods and enjoy eating dim sum, and noodles of all types, and are fans of everything bread! Another inspiration for Thach  is Chef Jose Andres, “He is a titan in the culinary world and is doing large-scale philanthropic work to support the community.”

He tells me that his favorite cooking utensil is his knife, and if stranded on a desert island, would want to have rice, fish, and French fries to sustain him when stranded, but that his favorite food and wine pairing would have to be a sandwich and a lovely, dry rose.

Executive Chef Michael Kurowski

Chef Michael, the “Sugar Daddy” of the team, knew that he was destined to be a pastry chef when he was just a teen. He started taking cooking classes and competing in local competitions through ProStart and FCCLA. He discovered he had a talent and drive for baking, and he says that he loved to bake with his grandmother and that she was his motivation to pursue a path in the culinary arts.

Michael’s favorite pastry to make?  Cake, of course! “If I can make a special moment or meal more special by sharing a slice of cake that makes me very happy,” he says. Chef Michale believes that dessert should be eaten first. “There’s always room for dessert, so why not start with it!”

The LGBTQ Community in Denver

As a gay man living in Denver, Chef Michael says that he feels fortunate to live in a city where the LGBTQ community is so welcome and accepted. Working for Secret Sauce F&B, I feel completely accepted for who I am.” He is grateful to work where he is and makes an effort to give back to the LGBTQ community.

Giving Back

Every year in June, Michael raises money through his desserts to raise money for The Center on Colfax and the donation is given to the Center’s Rainbow Alley Program. He also creates a week-long of dessert specials for PRIDE at both Ace Eat Serve and Steubens.

He says that he draws inspiration from Ina Garten. “She is such an amazing talent, and I love that she turned her passion for home entertaining and cooking for friends and family into a successful career. She is incredible.”

Chef Michael married his husband whom he met in college in November of 2022 after dating for seven years. Apart from spending quality time with his hubby, Michael enjoys Oreos with lactose-free milk as a late-night snack. If stranded on an island, he says, “I could easily, and happily survive on pizza, sourdough bread, and soft pretzels with extra salt with a side of garlic and cake!

It is needless to say that Ace Eat Serve is a special place offering a fantastic dining experience that will keep you coming back for more. They also have ping tables, a fun and lively ambiance, and possibly the best patio in town. So be it for a delicious meal, a smart cocktail or a game night with friends, Ace Eat Serve is the place to be. 

Photos courtesy of Ace Eat Serve