Michelin chef Johnny Curiel to open ‘tasting menu restaurant’

Johnny Curiel, the acclaimed chef behind LoHi’s Alma Fonda Fina and Mezcaleria Alma, is gearing up for another exciting venture in 2026.

His latest project, Maize, is set to open this spring in RiNo’s Taxi campus. This will mark Curiel’s sixth restaurant opening in just two years, following the success of Alteño and the upcoming Mar Bella Boqueria in Cherry Creek.

Maize will offer an exclusive dining experience with an 18-course tasting menu, seating only eight guests at a time. The menu will showcase Curiel’s expertise in working with house-made masa sourced from a special corn harvest project near Boulder.

Guests can expect a unique journey through Maize, starting with a special libation and moving through raw specialties and a glass-enclosed wine and fermentation room. The menu will feature six different moles and highlight dishes like Colorado lamb rack carne asada.

Curiel’s culinary prowess has already earned him a second Michelin star for Mezcaleria Alma, along with recognition as one of the top 50 restaurants in America by The New York Times.

For more details, visit our partner BusinessDen.

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