Madeline Merges Fine Dining, Comfort and Family

Photography by Stephanie Kelly Photo & Cognoscenti Creative

Chef Quincy Cherrett is no stranger to hospitality. Growing up in a family that worked in hotels and restaurants, he gained an understanding of how to take care of guests at a young age. At the foundation of his experience is his family, who remains the heart of Madeline, Cherrett’s first brick-and-mortar restaurant that opened in Denver this month in the former Fruition space. 

Throughout his childhood, Cherrett fondly remembers moving frequently as his father opened hotels across the country. His family often lived in hotels for a period at a time, resulting in a childhood similar to Disney Channel’s “Suite Life of Zach and Cody.” 

Madeline is named after Cherrett’s 1-year-old niece, solidifying his strong familial ties at the core of his work. His sister has played a massive role in opening the restaurant, and her daughter will grow up with the legacy of the family’s work in her name. 

“We keep saying [how it will be] when… she can actually comprehend that, she has a whole restaurant,” Cherrett shared. 

As a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Cherrett always found joy in restaurants, and his culinary career took him from New York to Denver, where he worked at Colt & Gray. Since then, he has been learning the art of different cuisines at various restaurants in Denver, including Death & Co., Izakaya Den and running his own concepts at Avanti. 

“I always wanted to learn all the cuisines I can and expand my knowledge,” Cherrett shared. 

While it’s difficult to pick a favorite cuisine, Cherrett loves crafting Thai dishes. This type of cuisine is part of his roots, working at the James Beard-nominated Teton Thai in Jackson Hole and spending time in Thailand, learning techniques directly from the mothers and grandmothers of the Teton Thai team. 

Cherrett admires Japanese culture and cuisine as well, and has “always been kind of drawn to that, but also the roots of French and Italian cooking,” he shared. “Homemade pastas and chicken liver pate really excite me.”

Cherrett’s dishes range from a Thai green curry with black forbidden rice done with French roots. The halibut is one of Cherrett’s favorites, and  is beloved by his family. As the star of family dinners for years, it’s now on the Madeline menu. 

“One of my favorite dishes that we’re doing right now is highlighting spring,” said Cherrett. “It’s a lamb mousse, agnolotti style, it’s a fancy ravioli pasta… on top of a spring pea and mint puree.” The dish includes sautéed asparagus and morels finished with a pear demi, with just a couple spritzes of sherry vinegar on top. 

Fruition’s wine cellar is at the core of the beverage program in Madeline, with a selection of wines that symbolize the history of the space as well as its new beginning. 

Madeline is meant to offer a fine dining experience, with familial roots at the core of its existence. Brian Tott is the brains behind the front-of-house team. His operations background in the Denver restaurant scene is vast, in spaces including Brasserie Brixton, Alma Fonda Fina and most recently Cimera at The Source Hotel. Tott brings his knowledge to Madeline to ensure that hospitality is not only at the foundation, but always remains a strong focus for the team. 

Cherrett’s goal for the space itself was to keep what worked about Fruition, but let the room become something of its own. Nods to his family are within the design and decor of the restaurant, including an art installation of old-school hotel keys near the bathroom. 

“I want everyone to feel welcome in this restaurant,” Cherrett expressed. “
It can be a really romantic date night or you can just come in for a steak and a beer. It’s everyone’s restaurant. Me and my family came together for this restaurant, to create a place that our family would love to go to.”