It's been a rough road and not always friendly, and Van Dyke and his Japanese-born wife, Noriko, have had some tough times in this town which doesn't take easily to outsiders. They have persevered for four years now. Van Dyke is a member of The Chefs' Collaborative, a network of chefs, restaurateurs and other culinary professionals who promote sustainable cuisine by supporting local farmers and inspiring their customers to choose clean healthy foods. The collaborative has taken strong positions opposing genetically modified food product and warning the food industry of the depletion of world fisheries. His personal response to agribusiness is to support local farmers and to plan his menus using seasonal produce.
Food is politics.
Van Dyke pays local kids to gather chokecherries for his Braised Buffalo Short Ribs. Foragers come by the back door with mushrooms. Local purveyors provide goat cheese and trout. His menu changes daily, but not dramatically. Noriko, a talented chef herself, often contributes a Japanese-influenced dish such as Smoked Salmon Sushi Roll to a menu studded with Elk Chili, Colorado Rainbow Trout, and Smoked Pork Chops.