Last month, one of our tour guides experienced a tailor-made Chef’s Table experience at Four by Brother Luck. 

Read more to join Adam on a five-course, one-of-a-kind culinary extravaganza prepared by chef de cuisine Ashley Brown!

By Adam Wright

Named after owner and Top Chef alum Brother Luck, Four has been one of our long-term partner restaurants since 2017, consistently offering tour guests outstanding food and drinks inspired by the American Southwest. I have enjoyed the restaurant’s four-course dinners a few times since moving to Colorado Springs, and I became extremely excited when I received a invite to join three friends for a Chef’s Table in May. Although one of my friends won the Chef’s Table at a silent auction for a local charity, anyone can book the experience for up to 10 guests. The meal can be either five or seven courses and can be tailored to your specific tastes and dietary needs. 

For our Chef’s Table, one of my friends can’t have gluten or dairy, and I requested no steak. (I know it’s a wildly unpopular opinion, but I’ve disliked steak since I was a child, and I would hate to see a potentially expensive cut of meat go to waste on me!)

Our five-course meal was prepared by chef de cuisine Ashley Brown, who recently appeared on Food Network’s acclaimed cooking competition show, Chopped. Not only did she handcraft each dish, but she also personally presented them to us during the entirety of the Chef’s Table. Working closely with Chef Brown was sommelier David Presseisen, who matched our dishes with unique wines and offered insights on his pairings throughout the evening.

When speaking about the Chef’s Table experience, Chef Brown told us, “They keep me thinking, keep me wanting to do better in my creativity and giving memorable experiences for my guests… I have never done the same menu twice. Every table is always going to be different.”

Course 1: Poached Pear

We started off the meal with a poached pear salad that included goat cheese, spiralized cucumbers, and frisée tossed in a citronette dressing. The poached pear was the highlight of the dish, and it paired well with a chenin blanc from Vouvray, France. Chef Brown told us she was inspired to make the dish because she wanted to play around with the shape of the food. This was one of the best aspects about doing the Chef’s Table—learning about the inspirations behind each dish!

Course 2: Blackened Tuna

Oh my, I am still dreaming about this course! A beautiful piece of medium rare tuna was served atop a luscious coconut cream broth, and drizzled with chili oil, mango, cilantro, and pureed avocado. The entire dish was chilled, making it surprisingly bright and refreshing, yet it also had layers of complex flavors. My friends and I all agreed that this was not only the best dish of the meal, but the coconut broth was the single strongest component. Rich, savory, spicy, and sweet all at the same time, I would be happy to jump into a swimming pool of that broth every day for the rest of summer. The course was paired with a St. Christopher riesling, which was also our favorite wine of the night.

Course 3: Roasted Pheasant

This dish was the heartiest of our entire meal, and felt comfortably at ease as the middle course. The roasted pheasant was served alongside caramelized mushrooms, Brussel sprouts, and a rich cashew butter sauce. Chef Brown said the thickness of the cashews was a great substitute for the flour and dairy needed to make a traditional gravy. The pheasant was paired with a French red blend, and David helped us find smoky notes of tobacco in the wine. One of the greatest things about doing the Chef’s Table was learning more about wine from our sommelier, and finding the subtle flavor profiles held within each glass served to us. 

Course 4: Pork Belly

The fourth course consisted of a beautiful piece of pork belly smothered in a decadent demi-glace. The dish featured purple potatoes, which were roasted and blackened perfectly, and was also adorned with sorrel leaves and a piquillo pepper gel. The gel was made using agar, and it was interesting to learn more about the science behind modern cooking techniques from Chef Brown. This dish was served with a red zinfandel from California— named “Earthquake,” this was definitely the most bad-ass sounding wine of the night. 

Course 5: Passion Fruit Cheesecake

We ended our meal with a passion fruit cheesecake, presented in a deconstructed manner. Three separate pieces of cheesecake surrounded a brightly colored scoop of passion fruit sorbet, alongside two dollops of blackberry coulis. (Our friend who was dairy free was given extra sorbet in place of the cheesecake.) The dessert was a wonderful way to finish an outstanding evening.

All-in-all this was a fantastic experience, both in terms of food and service, and Chef Brown and David treated us incredibly well. Thanks again to my dear friends for inviting me, and if you have the chance, book the Chef’s Table for your next special occasion!

Cheers! Your Rocky Mountain Food Tours Team

(So, what’s a food tour, anyway…?)

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