we play with our food

1. D.I.A.
WE PLAY WITH OUR FOODWE PLAY WITH OUR FOOD

2. ROOT DOWN
1600 w. 33rd ave., denver, co 80211 // rootdowndenver.com
Root Down opened, in December 2008, against all odds, in a reclaimed mid-century gas station.
Root Down, located in the lower Highlands of Denver, offers globally inspired seasonal cuisine in a
funky 50’s gas station. Our menu includes both sustainable proteins and vegetable focused dishes
using produce from our two gardens, as well as local growers and purveyors. Its midcentury modern
décor is infused with recycled and reclaimed items that craft a hip progressive spirit.
LINGER
2030 w. 30th ave., denver, co 80211 // lingerdenver.com
Linger opened in the Summer of 2011, just 7 blocks from Root Down. Linger is housed inside a
stylish, expansive space that used to be Olinger Mortuary. Justin Cucci set out to connect people
through the diversity of food and culture. The result is “global street food”, representing regional
specialties from multiple continents. The interior is flanked by large windows for views of downtown
Denver, and our rooftop deck sports an old 1975 GMC RV as a bar, a repurposed food truck serves as
the kitchen, and offers panoramic views of the city and surrounding peaks.
ROOT DOWN DIA
concourse c // denver international airport
Opened in September 2013, Root Down DIA has given us the unique opportunity to offer travelers
a new option for healthy, sustainable and timely food when they travel. We feature an abundance
of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options that use locally-farmed, sustainable and organic
ingredients as much as possible. Like its food, Root Down DIA’s 4,000 square-foot space incorporates
sustainable practices along with design aspects not readily found in airports. This is not a watered
down version of Root Down, but a loving homage to what a Root Down in an airport should feel like.
UNTITLED PROJECT
1215 20th street, denver, co 80202
Untitled Project has taken many forms: it was a brothel, turned peep show, turned adult video library.
Located in an 1894 Victorian building, also on the National Register of Historic Places, it’s the future
project of Justin Cucci’s and the Edible Beats team. The concept is still in its infancy, but the space
will serve as a restaurant/bar/lounge/Moroccan speak-easy with live music and an outdoor patio. The
food will embody a Spanish/Mediterranean/Middle Eastern spirit in a gastro pub-style. The design
mash-up will consist of Justin Cucci’s trademark, “recycled & repurposed craziness” and include
subtle touches of themes paying homage to the history of the building. The experience will be next
level for a bar/live music - with a 600 sq ft hole cut in the first floor- that opens up to a speakeasy
basement, a performance stage, a 25’ tv screen(for crazy-ass movies and sports), a DJ when needed,
and an overall over the top joint!
VITAL ROOT
3915 tennyson st, denver, co 80212
Vital Root is slated to open in the Summer of 2014. A casual spin-off of Root Down, Vital Root will
offer clean, quick food for the Berkley neighborhood and Denver community. A vegetarian, garden-
to-table, yogacentric version of “Fast-Slow food.” We will eventually grow more than 50% of our
food on premise, with a 3-story vertical grow house that is gonna be absolutely insane (as long as
we can pull it off!!) . This is the real deal, next level- this isn’t ‘growin’ for showin,’ this is a full on food
generator- that will be served on the spot. We believe Vital Root is the future of food-FAST.CHEAP.
CLEAN.HEALTHY.HARVESTED.
EDIBLE BEATS
303-993-4200
303-993-3120
303-342-6959

3. Welcome to Edible Beats!
We’re so glad you’re here. You might be wondering who we are, why “Edible Beats”, among (any and)
many other questions. We were borne from a single idea in one person’s mind: a creation of a vibrant
neighborhood restaurant in Denver, in late ‘08. There are many ideals and goals we strive for, every day.
We are a collection of enticing ingredients; food based, groove friendly, and guest driven. We hope to
continue inspiring (within and all around us), evolving and providing a platform for a person to drive
their experience, to make their own movie for a night.
We thrive on: follow through, integrity, leadership, accountability, and empathy. Our culture consists
of personal growth, fearless communication, love for an ever evolving world of food, passionate
teamwork, education, and celebration of the individual.
With what began as a single idea, we now are working toward our 3rd and 4th project in 2015, maybe
even another after that...our commitment to our guest remains in the forefront throughout it all, as we
continue to grow. Welcome to Edible Beats, and we hope you will join us!
JUSTIN CUCCI // Director / Chef justin@ediblebeats.com
paid tha cost to be da boss.
Yet, I’m still paying my dues. I grew up in the restaurant business, immersed in the world of my family’s
highly regarded Ye Waverly Inn, in Greenwich Village, NYC. I worked every position in that restaurant,
from ages 12 to 27, and loved every minute of it. Over the next 10 years, I opened two successful
restaurants in Key West, Florida. I moved to Denver in 2007, and decided I was gonna risk it all to open
my first joint here, (Root Down)…and it worked! Now we are a growing restaurant collective, with
3 already born, and two (maybe three) more in the womb. My goal is to create spaces where both
culinary and design sophistication connect. Understanding these beautifully imperfect restaurants
provides insight into what Edible Beats is all about—communication, community, excellence, integrity,
and diversity. We are a guest driven company, where hospitality is a dialogue we have with every
guest. My door and mind are always open- feel free to connect with me, either electronically, in person,
or metaphysically- stress is my breakfast cereal and data my morning coffee. Ultimately, creating and
sustaining these restaurants in order to serve the guest, to serve the community, to serve the staff, and
to honor food and its sourcing, is the mission that drives me, and the whole Ops team.
I subscribe to three quotes that I feel sum it up:
• SUCCESS IS STUMBLING FROM FAILURE TO FAILURE WITH NO LOSS OF ENTHUSIASM
• I’D RATHER BE SAVED BY CRITICISM THEN RUINED BY PRAISE
• I DON’T WISH SHIT WAS EASIER, I JUST WISH I WAS BETTER
MEGAN BALDWIN // Operations / Special Projects megan@ediblebeats.com
a.k.a. meg “rajon rondo”
After a chance meeting with Justin in 2010, I made the jump from politics to restaurants, which turned
out to be not much of a jump after all. I dove right in, streamlining the systems at Root Down and
working on opening Linger, which at the time, was a run-down empty space and a crazy idea. After
Linger was opened, there was no time to waste, Root Down DIA became my new focus. As a member
of the Operations team, I am responsible for ensuring, evolving and improving the performance,
productivity, efficiency and profitability of Edible Beats. I also manage our community outreach and our
public relations. My ultimate motivators: the guest and all our new projects. I feel blessed to be a part of
Edible Beats and strive every day to be a better team player and behind-the-scenes ninja.
“MAKING A GREAT PASS IS AS IMPORTANT AS MAKING A GREAT SHOT.”

4. DANIEL ASHER // Culinary Director daniel@ediblebeats.com
from cleaning mops to special ops
With humble beginnings peeling potatoes for fresh cut fries & washing dishes in Chicago when I
was 14, I’ve been in the hospitality industry for over 20 years, always with an emphasis on conscious
cuisine. I’ve worked every position in the BOH & FOH, from line cook to bartender to server to exec
chef. Through it all, my mantra has remained the same; feed people food that tells a beautiful story.
Every moment is an opportunity to define new details of the guest experience; it is their movie that we
are helping them create.
Edible Beats is the new paradigm in the foodservice world; a restaurant group that breathes excellence,
bleeds ethics, and embodies sustainability. I am fully integrated into the textural fiber of this philosophy,
and am available for anything from a quick check-in about a plating technique to an in depth dialogue
about global food justice. As Culinary Director, my goal is to ensure that all BOH (and some FOH)
logistics are handled properly, so that our core culture and wellness ecosystem is embraced. This
includes everything from food sourcing local, organic produce & proteins to collaboration on menu
flow, staff integrity, researching new ingredients, rocking out over 50 philanthropic events, maintaining
positive relationships with guests and staff, and ensuring the financial viability of all kitchens is
complementary to the holistic sustainability of our roots.
JILL RICHTER // Financial Director jill@ediblebeats.com
but you can call me money penny.
I fell in love with food in a small farm town in upstate NY and decided to turn it into a career. I spent 2
years behind the line as Executive Chef of Jax Fish House. After becoming a mother, I co-authored two
cookbooks, Jax Fish House Book of Fish with Dave Query and Mizuna: French-Inspired Contemporary
American Cuisine with Frank Bonanno. I stepped away from the restaurant industry for a few years
and hopped into the wine biz at the Vineyard Wine shop in Cherry Creek. It was there that I honed my
financial skills doing the book keeping for several of the owner’s other companies.
I began hearing the restaurant industry calling me be back into the fold; I found myself on the doorstep
of Root Down in September of 2009, where I have learned that with hard work and a great team,
anything is possible. I work behind the scenes with a small team, in a boiler room, helping to balance
the sustainability of Edible Beats as a business and as a group that’s on a mission. I also help to focus
this incredibly diverse collaborative of minds, as we soon grow into a 5 restaurant group.
TIM McCRACKEN // Human Resources Director tim@ediblebeats.com
I moved to Denver in July of 2010, westward from NYC, where I spent the previous 16 years working
as an actor, playwright and producer, along with the cliché of becoming well versed in restaurants
to help support my theatre habit; I continue to do both here in Denver as well! I began as a server at
Root Down, and have served as a Floor Manager and AGM, before moving to Operations and HR. I
have grown to love working with individuals from all walks of life, to come together and create a
singular experience for patrons, on a nightly basis, in a nurturing, positive environment. I enjoy every
opportunity to be utilized wherever I am needed; HR, training and maintaining teams, as well as being
on the floor of our restaurants during operational hours.
As a member of the Operations Team, I strive to serve our guests, employees, and our community,
every day, as we continue to grow, evolve, and improve. My daily goal is to help our teams achieve
wellness, as well as balance. Ultimately, Edible Beats is in the people business, more than the restaurant
business, and connecting with those people, both team members and guests, is my daily bread. I am
grateful for this opportunity to learn and grow with my team at EB, every day. My other team, my MVT,
is my family: my wife Tara, and Conlan, our rapidly growing son, both of whom I am thrilled to be
sharing my life with, every day.
OPERATIONS TEAM

5. OPERATIONS TEAM
JEREMY KITTELSON // Operations Chef jeremy@ediblebeats.com
My passion for the restaurant business started as a summer job that turned into an exciting and
rewarding career. I went to college in Iowa to become a teacher and ended up at culinary school
in Arizona to become a chef. As it turns out, the jobs are pretty similar. On a daily basis I am able to
teach, educate, motivate and inspire members of our team to get the best of themselves, contribute
to our community and to serve our guests.
In my career, I have always sought to work in the best restaurants and with the best people. This
journey has led me to find Justin Cucci and the Edible Beats team. I feel privileged to be able to work
with such an amazing team, in beautiful restaurants, and to reach so many people with our food and
service. My mission at Edible Beats is to uphold our standards of integrity, take care of our staff and
purveyors and to provide our guests with an enriching dining experience.
some wisdom that keeps me on point:
the four agreements
1. BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD.
2. DON’T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY.
3. DON’T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS
4. ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST.
Don Miguel Ruiz
MIKE HENDERSON // Beverage Director mike@ediblebeats.com
HELPING OTHER PEOPLE WORK THROUGH THEIR ISSUES… ONE DRINK AT A TIME.
I’ve worked in restaurants my whole life and held every front of house position from Bus Boy to
General Manager, but my home is certainly behind the bar. Cocktails, spirits, beer, wine, coffee: I
love it all, and something about serving others and sharing my passion for drink fuels my internal
fire. As far as our Bar Programs go, each is tailored to the restaurant’s concept but they all share
one common philosophy: Guest Driven. The idea is to have incredible bar programs that serve our
guests, not our own egos. With that, we also aim to have our bars balanced. We don’t necessarily
want to be known for just “having great creative cocktails” or “a good list of local Colorado Beers
& Wines” but rather, having well-balanced Bar Programs Be it Cocktails, Beer, Wine, or spirits our
lists are diverse and we have a little bit of everything for everyone. I am available to anybody and
everybody, to be a resource into our spirit/mixology program. I want to raise the bar, literally and
figuratively, on how we communicate the diverse history and flavors of spirits to the guest. After all,
too much of everything is just enough. Cheers.
SAMM SHERMAN // Pastry Director samm@ediblebeats.com
I joined the Root Down team just a few months after its opening because I wanted to be a part of
the community that Root Down has created and served. My goal is to create beautiful and craveable
desserts that are true to our restaurants, and guest focused. As the person in charge of pastries (and
magic), I love to hear feedback, good or bad, and I welcome you to come talk to me about desserts
or just to say “Hello”. I also head up all BOH hiring and outside charity events, and try to wear many
different hats (sometimes at the same time), but ultimately I am here to serve the greater good, and
will go wherever that leads me. Being part of this amazing group, I try to live the culture everyday
and I look forward to sharing my experience and passion with the rest of the Edible Beats family:
Welcome.