As the newly appointed Executive Chef, Aaron Whitcomb feels right at home in the open kitchen at Strings Restaurant. To quote Tolstoy, “There is no greatness without simplicity,” Whitcomb describes his cooking style as “simple with a twist.”  

Whitcomb’s passion for food developed at an early age, as his mother’s and grandmothers’ cooking were his first influences, along with a healthy dose of Julia Child, Jacques Pepin and afternoon cooking shows. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of Art in Denver, Colorado, his first apprenticeship was at the California Cafe at Park Meadows Mall. Not limited to the kitchen, Whitcomb also has a very strong training in wine and wine pairings, including a first level certificate from the Court of Master Sommeliers, where he was top of his class.

Fortunately for food lovers, Whitcomb returned to his love of cooking. After cooking as Sous Chef under Chef Bryan Moscatello, who was named one of Food & Wine magazine’s 2002 Best New Chefs, at Adega Restaurant & Wine Bar, Whitcomb sharpened his culinary skills and opened Table 6 as the Executive Chef. After 2 years at Table 6, striving to continue his development as a Chef, Aaron moved to Chicago, Illinois and spent a year working under famed Grant Achatz at Alinea, then teamed up with restaurateur Jerry Kleiner to open Room 21. Longing to get back to his home town and family roots, Whitcomb moved back to Denver in September of this year.

Among Whitcomb’s accomplishments are: Esquire Magazine’s “Top 21 Best New Restaurants  in America, 2004,” Food & Wine Magazine’s “Fast Track Chef” October 2005, Wine Spectator’s “Top Dining in Denver” December  2004 and 5280 Magazine’s “Top 10 Best New Restaurants.” He still enjoys performing at private wine dinners and tastings, and when he’s not crafting the latest special dinner menus at Strings, Whitcomb can be found sampling Denver’s latest ethnic restaurants.