Monarch butterflies migrate south to Mexico every winter. They’re the only butterflies to complete a two-way migration, like birds do, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“No matter how far they travel, though, they always know how to return home,” said Justin Freeman.
Freeman, the former head chef at The Greenwich and the current executive chef at vegan restaurant Somebody People, was inspired by the monarch butterfly and using that inspiration for his upcoming pizzeria: Monarch. He loves the sense of nostalgia that food gives you, and how it can make you feel like you’ve returned home from a long migration.
“When I think of home in New York, I have vivid memories of the smell of chicken in the oven, or even on nights out when we’d grab a slice of pizza,” Freeman said. “I have always loved the idea of cooking for people in a way that makes them feel like they’re coming to my house.”
Monarch, which doesn’t yet have a location, will be Freeman’s first restaurant on his own. A former chef at upscale New York City restaurants like Nobu, Ai Fiori and Upland, he moved here in 2021 to help restaurateur Delores Tronco open The Greenwich, a New American restaurant in RiNo.
And he brought his sourdough starter — which he kept in the front seat of his car with him for the entire drive west — from New York and carved out a section of The Greenwich’s menu for creative pizzas, like a rendition of a Hawaiian pie with bacon jam, pickled pineapple, whipped cream cheese and jalapeno. He had tended to the sourdough starter for more than a decade.
But Freeman said he left The Greenwich this summer to “spread my own wings,” starting as Somebody People’s executive chef two months ago.
Once he finds a spot for Monarch, he plans to serve specialty sourdough crust pies, like a house Margherita, a take on a pepperoni pie with spicy andouille sausage instead, and a possible radicchio pizza. Freeman also wants to have an extensive vegetable section featuring selections from local farmers he cultivated relationships with while at The Greenwich.
“I’m happy people enjoyed what I did at The Greenwich, and I just want to continue that, but make it smaller and a little more personal to me,” Freeman said.
Freeman has teamed up with his barber, Danny Matthews, who owns the Dark Rose Club barber shop in Washington Park, to see his vision through. The two discussed the business plan over many haircuts, as Matthews, who also owns a small clothing boutique in Denver, has always wanted to get involved in the hospitality industry from an ownership perspective.
“We felt aligned on a lot of things,” Matthews said. “It’s hard to find someone who shares the same work ethic and vision as you, so the partnership felt natural.”
The duo are going to be picky about a location, they said, and won’t stop until they find the perfect, intimate space. “I want it to have an open kitchen, so it can feel like you’re sitting at a holiday party in the kitchen, talking to your friends while they make food,” Freeman said.
Until then, Freeman and Matthews will test their concept at pop-ups, including one on Dec. 12 at Brasserie Brixton, 3701 N. Williams St. There will be two dinner services with five courses for $65 per person at 5:30 and 8 p.m. Guests can reserve a spot online through OpenTable.
“Denver is a land of opportunity, and I can’t wait to share a little bit about what I grew up with,” Freeman said.
