From Colorado Soil to Colorado Soul: The Largest Farm-to-Table Dinner in State History
Mi mesa es tu mesa. De la tierra a la mesa. My table is your table. From the earth to the table.
On September 24th, these weren’t just beautiful Spanish phrases – they became the heartbeat of the most ambitious farm-to-table undertaking Colorado had ever witnessed. The Hispanic Restaurant Association, in partnership with the City of Littleton and Lift up Littleton, transformed Main Street into something revolutionary: the largest farm-to-table dinner in Colorado history, proving that local sourcing, cultural celebration, and radical hospitality could operate at unprecedented scale.
When Colorado Fed Colorado
As morning clouds parted to reveal a perfect 70-degree day, something extraordinary was already unfolding. About 4,000 Coloradans would gather at one impossibly long table, and every single ingredient on their plates – from the humblest pinto bean to the most succulent cut of beef – had been grown, raised, and harvested right here on Colorado soil.
This was farm-to-table dining reimagined. Not as an exclusive restaurant trend for those who could afford it, but as a community celebration that honored both the land beneath our feet and the mi casa es tu casa spirit that insists there’s always room for one more at the table.
At the heart of this agricultural symphony stood The Hispanic Restaurant Association, our culinary arm, Heritage Flame Catering, and Hearty Provisions, the vital connection between Colorado’s farmers and the culinary vision that would feed thousands. Through their network and dedication, ingredients traveled from field to plate, each one telling a story of Colorado’s diverse agricultural landscape.
The Colorado Harvest
The Vegetables:
- Black beans from Northern Bean and Feed in Ault, where generations of Colorado farming expertise meets the protein that anchors every great meal
- Bell peppers (vibrant greens) from Hoffman Farm in Greeley, picked at peak ripeness
- Russet potatoes from Strohauer Farm in LaSalle, the Colorado gold that has sustained communities for generations
- Carrots from Hungenberg Produce in Greeley, earth-sweet and crisp
- Cucumbers from Hoffman Farm, cool and refreshing under Colorado’s high-altitude sun
- Onions (both red and white) from Petrocco Farm, some grown in Brighton, others in Greeley – the aromatic foundation of every great dish
The Bread:
- The Tortillas were provided by the generosity of Raquelitas and La Popular – Both Colorado born companies
The Ranchers: This wasn’t supermarket meat shipped from thousands of miles away. This was Colorado beef, raised with care by ranchers who know their animals by name:
- Centennial Cuts – premium Colorado beef
- Bear Creek Cattle – ranch-raised with integrity
- Pleasant Valley Meats – honoring traditional ranching values
- Mountain View Meats – where mountain air and grasslands create exceptional flavor
The Culinary Vision
Six superb chefs transformed Colorado’s bounty into a feast that honored both the ingredients and the cultural traditions they represented:
Chef Pablo Aya – The culinary architect who saw not just a dinner, but a movement. His vision connected soil to soul, farmer to family.
Chef Fausto Felix – Whose skilled hands and team transformed vegetables into works of art, honoring each ingredient’s journey from field to fork.
Chef Luis Gurrola – Bringing passion and precision to every plate, ensuring thousands would taste excellence.
Chef John Mancha – The backbone of preparation, whose tireless work behind the scenes made magic possible.
Chef Rudolf Elsener – Whose experience and expertise elevated every meat dish to celebration-worthy status.
Chef Robert Grant – Whose giving spirt, and skill has been present all year!
The Restaurants That Made It Real
Heritage Flame Catering – The culinary powerhouse of the Hispanic Restaurant Association, coordinating the monumental task of feeding 4,000 people with grace and excellence.
Cencalli Taqueria – Bringing authentic Mexican flavors and traditions to the table.
Rumbo 52 – Infusing the celebration with culinary passion and cultural pride.
Rudy’s Catering – Expertise and heart in every dish served.
Chef Luis Catering – Dedication to quality and community in every bite.
More Than a Meal
This wasn’t just the largest farm-to-table dinner Colorado had ever seen. It was a powerful statement about what’s possible when we choose to honor the land that sustains us, the farmers and ranchers who tend it, and the cultural traditions that teach us to share whatever we have with whoever might need it.
Mi mesa es tu mesa – my table is your table. Just as mi casa es tu casa welcomes strangers into our homes, this phrase welcomes everyone to our tables. It’s the embodiment of Hispanic hospitality that insists abundance is meant to be shared, that no one should eat alone, and that the best meals are those where there’s always room for one more chair.
On this perfect September day, the Hispanic Restaurant Association didn’t just feed a community – they demonstrated that local agriculture, when supported with vision and commitment, can sustain thousands. That farm-to-table isn’t a luxury, but a return to the way food is meant to be: grown close to home, prepared with skill and love, and shared with open hearts.
Every black bean from Ault, every potato from LaSalle, every pepper from Greeley, every cut of Colorado beef – they all carried the same message: We are connected. To this land. To each other. To the farmers and ranchers who feed us. And that connection, when honored and celebrated, becomes the foundation for the kind of community we all hunger for.
The Hispanic Restaurant Association, City of Littleton, and Lift up Littleton proved on September 24th that the longest table isn’t measured in feet or miles – it’s measured in the connections we forge, the farmers we support, and the neighbors we welcome. From Colorado soil to Colorado soul, this was farm-to-table at its most powerful: local, abundant, and open to all.