Inspiration
With a focus on local, regional, and farm-fresh ingredients, Coohills Restaurant and Bar is reminiscent of what you might find in bars and restaurants in Europe. The open kitchen and uniquely modern interior design by award-winning architects Semple Brown underscores Coohills style! Located in the hip Lower Downtown (LoDo) Denver neighborhood, we invite you to pull up to the community table, tuck in at your own intimate table for two or more, or enjoy our outdoor terrace for a spirited drink with one of Denver's only beautiful views of the mountain sunset. Fresh crudo salads, homemade breads, cheese or pate selections, or warm duck leg confit can be served before, during, or even after plates of pasta and fresh seafood, roasted game and meats, and locally-grown vegetables. Our menu reflects the best and freshest foods from each season. Cap off your meal with one (or two) of our delicious, homemade pastries or sorbets. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Tom Coohill, Chef/Owner
Chef Tom Coohill is an internationally recognized culinary innovator with a passion for authentic French cooking and a deep commitment to creativity and cutting-edge techniques.
Chef Tom began his love affair with French cuisine at L’Auberge des Champs in Kentucky before training under master chefs at the Michelin Guide three-star L’Oustau de Baumanière in France, the Mobil five-star Le Francais in Illinois, and the fabled Ma Maison in Los Angeles.
In 1992, he opened the highly acclaimed Ciboulette restaurant, which was ranked in the top 10 by Condé Nast and in the top 25 nationwide by Esquire magazine. Prominently featured in the national media – including CNN, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal – Ciboulette maintained its place as one of America's most popular restaurants by offering masterful dishes of modern French cuisine. Along with his wife Diane, Tom followed up this success with the also-renowned Coohill’s: A Steakhouse & Bar in Atlanta, an eatery that enjoyed critical acclaim and a devoted following.
The Rocky Mountains of Colorado called to the adventurous and outdoors-oriented couple, though, and with the launch of their eponymous restaurant Coohills in 2011, the dynamic restaurant duo established themselves in the Mile High City as a French force to be reckoned with.
Since then, Chef Coohill has dabbled in a number of culinary events both in Colorado and around the world. He's hosted the Taste of Iceland in Denver in 2012, 2013 and 2015, and was invited to be a guest chef at the 2014 Food & Fun Festival in Reykjavík, Iceland.
Tom also participated as a guest chef in the Crested Butte Wine & Food Festival in 2015 and 2016, and will do so again in July of 2017; he participated multiple times in Rock the Earth’s Dine Out for Earth Colorado, including the 2016 event; and has won multiple awards at the annual Beaujolais & Beyond Festival, including for Best Appetizer in 2015.
In addition, he participated in Aspen Food & Wine in 2016 and will do so again in June of 2017, and he was invited to be a part of the “Table at The Lodge Guest Chef Series” 2016 and again in February of 2017 at The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colo. And was featured in Men’s Health December 2016.
Not to mention that the couple was featured in The Denver Post for their time on the trails; the active team has competed in Leadville’s Silver Rush 50 and many other trail-running events over the years, and Tom will serve as pacer for Diane in the Leadville Trail 100 run in August 2017.
Most recently, Tom has been a key player in the 2017 Plate of Union Farm Bill Summit, where he joined and elite group of chefs tasked with addressing the country's hunger issues through a series of conferences and meetings with members of Congress in Washington, D.C, with a primary focus of revamping the food labeling system. In addition, Tom was invited in August 2017 as a featured chef to cook the intricate European- inspired fare he's famous for in Denver at the 10th annual Sabor Barranquilla gastronomic festival in Barranquilla, Colombia, where he demonstrated cooking techniques and participated in culinary forums using his recipes and the Colombian region's ingredients.
Tom also founded IKONIC Chef, a groundbreaking line of chefwear, featuring chef coats that have been designed specifically to address the singular needs of today’s culinary professional, using high-performance, breathable and moisture-wicking fabrics. Tom based the design on textiles available to elite outdoor enthusiasts after realizing the materials have the potential to revolutionize the industry.
“I’ve been honored to be a part of so many events and causes, and I enjoy experiencing all that Colorado has to offer,” Tom says. “But the thing that excites me most is creating a gratifying culinary experience for all of Coohills’ guests.”
In addition to his more recent accolades, Tom has been regularly lauded over the years by a variety of organizations and publications, including:
· Most Creative Chef, Pairsine Chefs Wine Competition
· Great Regional Chef, James Beard Foundation
· Chef of the Year, Chefs in America
· Award for Dedication to Culinary Arts, Chaîne des Rôtisseurs
· Winner, U.S. Chef’s Open
· Best French Restaurant (Ciboulette), Condé Nast Traveler
· Top 25 Restaurants in the United States (Ciboulette), Esquire
· Georgia Chef of the Year
Diane Coohill, Owner
Diane Coohill is famous in Denver -- and well beyond -- as "the party girl" but in the best possible way: Diane is the linchpin to the painstaking organization required to keep Coohills running smoothly, including the restaurant's popular and constant rotation of private events, from small gatherings to celebrate the influential to extravaganzas of 600 or more (such as the Starz Denver Film Festival). In fact, it's not uncommon for Diane to coordinate up to seven parties a night with the kind of precision normally associated with military operations and surgical procedures.
The challenges, though, are part of the fun for Diane, who has nearly 30 years invested in the industry. "It's all about the details," she says. "You have to care about those, or you'll never pull it off. There's no room for error."
That's all while also overseeing a full house of 200 as she manages the front of the house and, in addition, she tries to get up into the Foothills or in the mountains on a trail a few times a week, because ultra runs are a passion - and keep her energized as she coordinates every aspect of managing the restaurant and private functions.
"People are often surprised to find out that they're talking to the owner when they call or come in," Diane says. "But that's the level of one-on-one, personal service we provide."
It's that personal touch and attention to detail that brings groups and individual diners back to Coohills not just year after year, but for some, monthly - or even on a monthly basis.
Diane has been instrumental in propelling the restaurants she and Tom have owned over the years into prominent members of the community and the national spotlight. Because of her energy and commitment:
-Coohills is a proud member of Visit Denver, Eat Denver and the Downtown Denver Partnership and the Jewish Food Professionals
-Coohills is a member of the LoDo District, and Diane sits on the Event Planning Committee
-Coohills is an active member of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce; Diane serves with both the Greater Denver Leads Group and the Downtown Restaurant Leads Group
-Coohills is a continual recipient of exceptional community feedback, including from publications and respected culinary authorities and the guests who have enjoyed the restaurant.
In addition to her work in Denver, Diane founded the Atlanta Catering Managers Association and served on several committees for the Atlanta Restaurant Marketing Association. She garnered recognition as one of the most respected sales professionals for her work as Director of Sales & Catering for the Peasant Restaurant Group's 19 locations. In addition, she managed the sales, marketing and special events for Ciboulette and Coohill's Steakhouse while in Atlanta.
Nikki Baldacchi, Pastry Chef
Our Pastry Chef, Nikki, studied Baking and Pastry at Johnson and Whales University located here in Denver. She has worked in Denver professionally in pastry departments for five years now at other restaurants including Bittersweet and The Kitchen on 16th St Mall. To stay relevant, she often competes in local and statewide competitions showcasing her chocolate work. The last three years she has competed and won at the Colorado Chocolate Festival for multiple categories including best traditional and untraditional truffle flavors, best truffle design, and overall best chocolate product. She make all our bread and desserts daily, along with changes the menu every two months with local and fresh ingredients.
