Not every chef is going to allow a journalist to come with them to forage for mushrooms, but Chris Royster of the Flagstaff House in Boulder gladly took me along. Spoiler alert, we didn’t find any edible fungi, though the chef did score some end-of-season spruce tips. It still was an educational adventure, with him guiding us on what to look for, and the seasons of certain plants.
“Usually it’s my escape from the world, and it’s one of the beautiful things about living in the Front Range,” said Royster, who started forging about eight years ago after being inspired by the restaurant’s local mushroom guy. “When it comes to forging there’s so much. Up and down the canyon you can find wild apricots, plums, apples, it’s everywhere if you look for it.”
Except when we went. But, just because we didn’t score a fat porcini or a dark hawks wing mushroom, Royster had plenty of local and seasonal ingredients to work with at the restaurant. After all, that’s the crux of his ever-changing menu, which one day might showcase Texas venison loin with asparagus and wild onion veloute, or over-wintered spinach cannelloni with chanterelle mushrooms.
“I am hyper focused on seasonality and what grows in our area. It’s short, but there’s the peak season when things are best,” he added. “It gets a little difficult at times, but we have a great chef team, and with the five of us together, there is always someone with an idea for something.”
It’s easy to see these skills and the chefs’ creativity just by having dinner at Flagstaff House, which everyone should do as soon as possible.
The Chef
For Chris Royster the joy of working in a restaurant hit him at the tender age of 14 while living in the Hudson Valley in New York state. His first job there was as a dishwasher, which he took because he wanted to buy more skateboards. Yet, the joy of skateboards rolled away as he moved up through the kitchen. By the time he was about 17, he became the restaurant’s executive chef.
“I looked back and realized I was a child, but I fell in love with cooking so much,” said the chef. “It’s so much fun for me, and the act of doing it, tasting it, and enjoying the food…cooking is an art form.”
Eventually Royster came to Colorado, a serendipitous move he took to follow his older brother, who was attending the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. The older Royster was doing an externship in Boulder, and the younger Royster was ready to leave New York. They started working together at the same restaurant, and eventually his brother left to work at Flagstaff House.
At that time Royster had moved on to Boulder’s Three Leaf Concepts (Chautauqua Dining Hall, Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse, Zucca Italian Ristorante, Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant, and more), owned by chef Lenny Martinelli. He eventually became the executive chef at one of the groups casual spots, The Huckleberry, which bills itself as serving “funky country food.” Royster stayed there a while, but eventually he wanted to do more elevated fare.
“I was looking for something more, it wasn’t my style, though I learned a ton since I was running a full-sized bakery, plus the restaurant and the catering,” said the chef. “It was one of the biggest challenges I had.”
Finding Flagstaff House
So, Royster changed jobs and started staging under chef Mark Monette, at the time the current owner and executive chef of Flagstaff House. For him, that was everything, especially when his brother left Colorado to move home.
“The relationship Mark and I built, it was special,” said Royster. “He became that first true mentor for me and molded me more into a true restaurant professional.”
Now, the chef who never went to culinary school is head of the kitchen and, as of 2022, a co-owner. He’s been at Flagstaff House for 14 years, and plans to make it better and better along with the younger Monette, who handles the front of house. Ironically, right before the two bought the restaurant, Royster was about to put in his notice.
“I am not a Monette, it’s a family restaurant, and I was going to find out what to do with the next step of my career,” the chef explained. “Mark told me not to do it, they had a plan for Adam and I and for [Flagstaff House] to grow.”
He stayed, and after all these years the chef is still having the best time. He loves it, he said, and doesn’t plan on doing anything else. It’s a lot of work, he added, “You have to have fun, it’s a lot of stress, long days, and a hot kitchen.”
The Restaurant
When the Flagstaff House was built in 1929, it was meant as a place to host special events. In 1954 the Buelkes family purchased the building and gave it the name we still know today.
Then, in November of 1971, Don Monette took it over and also bought the surrounding five acres of land that flanked the restaurant. The Monette family expanded the operation, made it sturdy enough to be enjoyed in all weather, and added outdoor terraces. It’s been in the family ever since, though now Flagstaff House is owned by Adam Monette, Don’s grandson, and chef Royster.
Today it remains a pinnacle in elegant fine dining. The restaurant also got a little modern makeover recently, stripping away the white table clothes and putting beautiful, handmade wooden tables in place of. The idea is to keep the specialness of Flagstaff House, but also open it up to a more casual vibe for those nights you want to simply enjoy intricately-plated seasonal food and a killer view. You’ll find expert hospitality and a wine list to revisit again and again, which you can anytime without dinner at the bar.
The Takeover
Go to our stories on Thursday, July 17 to catch the takeover. Plan on seeing Royster start his day with his 15-month-old daughter Lilac. He makes her breakfast every morning and said he would share that special moment. Later, you will get to see the chef in action as he forges for mushrooms and spruce tips.
Once back at the restaurant he will showcase the fantastic team at Flagstaff House, including co-owner Monette. We’re pretty sure you’ll catch the gorgeous view too. Since the restaurant is on Flagstaff Mountain, you can see all of Boulder on a clear day.
Now for the giveaway. We are super excited about this one and you should be too. Flagstaff House is sending one lucky follower a gift card for dinner for two. It will include the five-course tasting menu and drink pairings too, with zero-proof options.
Many of you know the drill, but here’s how to win anyway. Make sure you’re following DiningOut Denver and Flagstaff House on Instagram, and comment on the post. You get extra entries for every non-follower you tag.
Visit Flagstaff House daily from 5 to 9 p.m. Reservations are recommended. 1138 Flagstaff Rd., Boulder, flagstaffhouse.com
