Introducing Up NXT: A New Pop-Up Residency for Denver’s Emerging Culinary Talent
Up NXT, an eight-month pop-up residency series running March through October 2026 at BearLeek in the RiNo Art District, provides a platform for emerging chefs to share their cuisine, gain experience leading a professional kitchen, and connect with a broader dining community.
Up NXT co-founder Brandon Soto speaks about the 8-month popup culinary series at BearLeek in an interview with Chef’n It host Tarah Runco.
Co-founded by Brandon Soto of Blue Sun Food, and in collaboration with BearLeek chef owners Harrison Porter and Rema Maaliki, Up NXT is designed as a hospitality incubator and an opportunity for culinary talent in the early stages of their careers to showcase their work in a professional restaurant setting. While pop-ups have traditionally been an “in-the-know” corner of the hospitality industry, Up NXT aims to widen the circle.
“The goal is to close the gap between the pop-up community and traditional diners,” Soto explained. The series invites guests to engage with new ideas and meet the up-and-coming chefs shaping Denver’s evolving culinary landscape.
Chef Owners of BearLeek Rema Maaliki and Harrison Porter host the second year of the chef-residency series Up NXT at their RiNo Art District location in Denver, Colorado.
Rather than a single-night event, each participating chef will take over the BearLeek restaurant every Sunday for a month-long residency, giving them the opportunity to refine their concepts and build relationships with guests.
As Soto describes it, Up NXT is “an organism shaped by the people involved.” A collaborative space where ideas evolve, communities grow, and chefs are empowered to share their perspectives.
Chefs Porter and Maaliki say they attribute much of their own success to the community they’ve built within Denver’s culinary scene. Through Up NXT, they hope to provide the same opportunity for emerging chefs, helping “jumpstart their entry into this space and strengthen the Denver culinary network.”
Chef’n It Joins the Table
Chef’n It, a Colorado cooking show produced by Behind the Apron Media, showcases the state’s top chefs as they recreate approachable versions of their restaurant’s signature dishes for home cooks. The show is partnering with Up NXT to share the stories behind the resident chefs through its Chef’n It Bites! series—bite-sized features highlighting the individuals and independent businesses shaping the Colorado food and beverage scene.
Just as the residency provides a stage for emerging culinary talent, Chef’n It Bites! brings those stories to a wider digital audience, capturing the creativity and drive that define Denver’s dynamic culinary community.
More Chefs, More Stories Ahead
Up NXT Residency Schedule:
March: Josh Bednar — The Workbench
April: Pradyut Bansal — Chaatwala
May: David Arnold — Freehand Provisions
June: Matthew Drazick Halip — domī
July: Tiffany Leong & Cody James — Magnolion
August: Eric Vollono — Private Chef
September: Benjamin Carolan — BearLeek
October: Jesse Albertini & Will Harris — Sfoglina × Denver Mussel Club
With new culinary voices featured each month, Up NXT offers diners the chance to experience a wide range of cuisines and perspectives, with menus that may evolve week to week as chefs develop their concepts throughout the residency.
Follow @upnxtden and @chefn_it on Instagram for updates throughout the series, and reserve your table through the OpenTable link in Up NXT’s Instagram bio.
