Chef Tristen Epps Reunites with Chef Troy Guard for Exclusive Dinner at Guard and Grace
Top Chef Star, Chopped Champion, and TAG Alum Hosts One-Night-Only Culinary Experience Benefiting Work Options
Denver, CO – Denver’s acclaimed steakhouse, Guard and Grace, led by Chef Troy Guard, is set to welcome current Top Chef contender, Chopped champion, and proud alumni of TAG Restaurant Group for a one-night-only, four-course dinner event on June 25, 2025. Proceeds will benefit Work Options, an organization that helps adult students prepare for, find, and maintain meaningful careers in the food service industry.
“It’s an honor to welcome Tristen back to Denver for this special evening. Not only is he an incredibly talented chef, but he's also a true part of our TAG family. This dinner is about celebrating our shared passion for food, creativity, and community. I’m excited for our guests to experience the dishes we’ll create together, all while supporting a cause that is close to our hearts,” said Chef Troy Guard.
Chef Tristen Epps is a Caribbean-American chef celebrated for his neo-Afro-Caribbean cuisine. With Trinidadian roots and a global upbringing, his bold culinary style has earned him roles at top restaurants, including Executive Chef at Marcus Samuelsson’s Red Rooster and Ocean Social at Eden Roc, where he received a James Beard Award nomination. A Chopped champion and current Top Chef contender, Epps also served as Executive Chef at Mister Tuna under Chef Troy Guard.
"Cooking with Chef Troy—someone who’s been a big part of my journey—is always meaningful,” said Chef Tristen Epps. “He’s a chef who truly gets that food isn’t just about flavor—it’s about vibe, culture, and team harmony. That connection is exactly what we’re bringing to the table with this dinner."
The special homecoming celebration begins with a welcoming reception, offering a selection of passed hors d’oeuvres and signature cocktails. Guests will then enjoy a curated four-course plated dinner, with each course combining the culinary influences of both chefs, concluding with an array of desserts. Proceeds from the dinner will benefit Work Options, which helps individuals overcome barriers to sustainable employment and helps students prepare for, find and maintain meaningful careers in the food service industry.
Tickets for this exclusive event are $150 per person, plus tax and gratuity. For guests who enjoy wine, a curated pairing is available to complement the evening’s menu for $225 per person, plus tax and gratuity. With only 50 seats available, this intimate gathering is sure to be a memorable experience.
Guard and Grace has established itself as a premier destination for exceptional culinary events, consistently attracting incredible talent to Denver. Most recently, Chef Guard has had the privilege of hosting renowned chefs like Andrew Zimmern, Rocco DiSpirito, and Robert Irvine. The upcoming dinner with Chef Tristen Epps further solidifies Guard and Grace's reputation as a hub for extraordinary dining experiences and philanthropic endeavors.
Reservations are now open at the Guard and Grace website https://www.guardandgrace.com/happenings/top-chef-meets-tag.
WHEN:
Wednesday, June 25, 2025
5:30 PM
Tickets here
WHERE:
Guard and Grace
1801 California St
Denver, CO 80202
###
About TAG Restaurant Group
TAG Restaurant Group (TRG) is a Denver-based restaurant collection founded by Chef Troy Guard. TRG currently operates six concepts over eleven locations in the Denver metro area and Houston: Los Chingones (two locations), Guard and Grace (two locations), Bubu (two locations), Done Deal, TAG Burger Bar and HashTAG (two locations). In 2019, TAG Restaurant Group made its first move out of Denver, expanding the award-winning Guard and Grace to Houston, TX. TAG Restaurant Group strives to shake up your typical dining, by offering immersive culinary experiences that are deeply-rooted in and inspired by Chef Troy's life and travels. They are crafted with genuine hospitality in mind, and are never shy to produce bold, worldly flavors using local ingredients. More than the sum of their parts, TRG’s brands represent a way of life and a celebration of the unexpected. The feeling of an Ohana passionately pursuing culinary excellence is tangible.
About Chef Troy Guard
Born and raised in Hawaii, Chef Troy Guard has lived and worked across the globe, beginning his storied career in San Diego at the Omni La Costa Resort and Spa. Guard moved back to Maui at the age of 21 where he met his mentor, Chef Roy Yamaguchi at the Kahana Bar and Grill. Under the tutelage of Yamaguchi, Troy traveled across Asia, opening multiple outposts over a span of eight years in Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo. While in Asia, Guard had the amazing opportunity to set off on his own and work at two of the finest hotels in the world, The Peninsula in Hong Kong and Raffles in Singapore. Guard reconnected with Roy, landing in New York to open Roy’s New York in the Downtown Business District and eventually moved on to the prestigious TAO on 57th Street. Guard put down roots in Denver, CO in 2002, and helped modern-Mexican Chef Richard Sandoval open hotspot Zengo in Riverfront Park before joining the kitchens at Nine75 and Ocean with real estate development mogul Jim Sullivan.
Guard opened his first restaurant, TAG, on Denver’s Larimer Square in 2009 which led to his opening of Mister Tuna, Crazy Love Pizza, TAG Burger Bar, Lucky Cat, TAG Raw Bar, Big Wave Taco, Sugar Mill, Tiny Giant Sushi, Rado Burgers, Grange Food Hall and FNG. TAG Restaurant Group currently has six concepts over eleven restaurants including the boozy breakfast joint, HashTAG, the quick-casual, build-your-own bowl Bubu, the bold Mexican concept Los Chingones, the chic cocktail bar Done Deal, the neighborhood hangout TAG Burger Bar and the show-stopping, modern steakhouse, Guard & Grace, and most recently, the chic cocktail bar, Done Deal. While the concepts vary wildly, throughout you will find evidence of Troy's Hawaiian roots as well as special global touches, creatively woven into the menus.
Guard has numerous accolades and awards to his name including being voted Best Chef in Denver, awarded one of the Top Steakhouses in the Nation with Guard and Grace, named one of the “Great Regional Chefs of America” by the James Beard Foundation, named Bar & Restaurant Expo’s 2023 Chef of the Year and most recently was honored by the MICHELIN Guide as a recommended restaurant with Guard and Grace. Always giving back to his community, Guard is very active in local and national philanthropic efforts, including participation in a variety of cultural and charitable events throughout Denver.
Jacob Kingrey