We’ve long been fans of chef Brother Luck, from enjoying his talents at RMFR’s first anniversary party to breaking the news of his coming downtown restaurant during a recent dinner celebrating Luck’s appearance on Chopped.
So, we were pretty excited to receive a release full of details about the new endeavor. Called IV by Brother Luck — the first word pronounced “four” — the restaurant will open in April with a focus on the cuisine of the Four Corners.
“The Four Corners region has been influenced by Western European, Spanish Colonial, Native American and Latin American cuisine,” Luck says in the release. “I look forward to to showcasing an offering that differs from typical southwestern food and view the menu at IV as a hybrid of cultural influence.
“When planning the new menu, I’m looking for local ingredients to incorporate into dishes with the Four Corners staples of corn, beans, and squash. I’m asking my cooks to get outside and find edible plants that already grow here. We are also extremely lucky to have local distilleries, craft breweries and other resources to bring into our new space.”
Luck says it’s key for his new restaurant IV to work with four types of people: farmers, fishermen, hunters and gatherers; that includes suppliers like Monument’s Corner Post Meats, who we visited recently. There will be four seasonal menus throughout the year, driven by the availability of fresh ingredients. The number four also calls back to the chef’s history: He’s the fourth person in his family to be named “Brother Luck.”
“This restaurant is really a reflection of my identity,” Luck says. “I want to tell stories of my travels and experiences through the food we serve. Each course will take patrons on a culinary journey, and for those who want a deeper experience, I will host a chef’s table in the kitchen.” That table will seat 12 and feature an exclusive daily menu separate from the dining room.
Luck’s current venture, Brother Luck Street Eats, will close on March 25 in preparation for IV to open in the old Coquette’s Bistro and Bakery. (The gluten-free gods are renovating a new location at 616 S. Tejon St.) Funnily enough, former Street Eats executive chef Mark Henry will open Rooster’s House of Ramen just a few doors down. (You can sample Henry’s noodle-y goodness on Feb. 4 at Sparrow Hawk Cookware.)
Basically, things are about to get even more awesome.
“The food and beverage scene in Colorado Springs is rapidly changing,” Luck says, “and I am determined to push the city to the next level.”
[Images: Courtesy IV by Brother Luck; photo by Will Rutledge]