Paul Tamburello credited Lola for making LoHi viable. But Masterpiece and Old Major are setting the pulse.

A Locator

“When you put your shingle out, you’re saying, this is us.” - Chef Steve

Five years ago, Steve Allee and Justin Brunson started their partnership in a tiny kitchen in the Lancer Lounge. Water dripped from the ceiling and Brunson, a giant of a man, barely fit in the tiny kitchen. A menu had been made, a business plan enacted and fine sandwiches were being produced and enjoyed. But there was no view, with the exception of the drunks. The Lancer Lounge wasn’t going to cut it. There was a building being erected just on the other side of a new walking bridge that would connect LoHi to LoDo. In a matter of months, a master plan became the Masterpiece Delicatessen.

How it Began

Banking wasn’t really how Steve wanted to live. Speaking with clients over restaurant loans, he realized that the place he reminisced about most was the kitchen. He left Ohio and after finishing culinary school at Johnson and Wells, he reached out to Frank Bonanno who also shared a banking background. At Luca D’Italia Chef Alex Seidel put Steve to pealing artichokes. From then on he was there every day from 3 p.m. till close. There he got his foothold and met Brunson.



Justin grew up in Iowa. After graduating on the Dean’s List with a 4.0 at the Le Cordon Blu in Scottsdale, he worked for Michael DeMaria at the Citadel for 3 years. To escape the Arizona heat, Justin moved to Colorado and started working the circuit.



Pouncing on an opportunity to increase his earnings Steve was given a carte blanche when the owner of the Lancer Lounge got a visit from the Liquor Department. For several months Steve made sandwich wraps before heading to Luca D’Italia for his shift.



During this time, Justin, Steve’s roommate now, was helping Bonanno open Milagros. They began to talk. Justin revealed to Steve that he had always wanted to open a high-end sandwich shop. Steve wanted to bring fine dining food to a more pedestrian level. And so that’s how it began. Masterpiece Delicatessen moved to its present location at 1575 Center Street—a dead zone at the time.

Getting a Pulse on a Denver Neighborhood

“I’ve always found that neighborhood diversity shines through its restaurants.” - Chef Justin



Five years ago, when they opened Masterpiece, Justin saw the character. It reminded him of San Francisco. The hilliness, cool houses, the view of the city and how accessible it was. “LoHi has that right-outside-of-downtown-hip feel to it. And every neighborhood needs substance.”



The type of people Steve and Justin were dealing with were food savvy people, young, hip people with discretionary incomes who frequented different places in town and had an understanding of good restaurants and quality food.



People remember when they were doing the tile work at Masterpiece; their kids were being born then—now they’ve grown up. “I feed some people there five times a week. I feel like somebody’s mom. I know the costumers by name.” Justin says.



The bar has been set high. Restaurants coming into the neighborhood today have to live up to certain expectations. “We manage our business kind of in reverse of most business models.” Steve said. “Whatever money falls to the bottom line, that’s what we’ll pay ourselves. Most businesses say they want a 15% margin at the bottom and they cut their brands. We look at it differently. This is the plate of food I want to put out there. We pay attention to the ingredients and the proper technique over and above the bottom line. This is how you become the go to place.”

Seafood, Swine and Wine

“Feeding the community—this is what I do.” - Chef Justin



Old Major is an upscale neighborhood bistro, with an upscale bar look. Old Major, a character from George Orwell’s book, features paintings by Paul Vismara that portray the characters of Animal Farm.



“I like how the animals revolted against the farmers. We’re revolting against factory farmed animals.”



Old Major’s menu is bought from local farmers who sell locally raised and assembled meats. They use as much local food possible and sustainable seafood. For Justin it’s about doing the right thing—feeding the community healthy food.



“This was the food I wanted to eat, so it’s the food I cook.”



But it’s not just the fine foods that have been assembled. Justin’s staff is also a carefully chosen assortment of talented chefs, bartenders, servers and managers recruited from the best restaurants around town.



“You’ve got to make a neighborhood [restaurant] a place that is inviting and comfortable for your neighbors.”



If you’d like to become part of Steve and Justin’s exciting neighborhood, call New Era Realty, they’ll set you up.

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