MEET THE CHEF: Patrick Balcom of Farow Restaurant in Boulder, Colorado

WRITTEN BY 5 REASONS TO VISIT® EDITORIAL STAFF

PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 2022 • 4 min read

5 Reasons to Visit® sat down with Executive Chef Patrick Balcom of Farow Restaurant in Boulder, Colorado.

Executive Chef Patrick Balcom of Farow Restaurant in Boulder, Colorado

Where did you grow up, and where have you traveled to that has helped inspire and shape your cooking philosophy? 

I grew up in Dallas, Georgia—but I developed most of my cooking philosophy when I lived in Charleston, South Carolina working with small farms and learning more about the food system.

Farow Restaurant in Boulder, Colorado

Tell our readers an interesting fact or two about yourself.

I love mixing ingredients from different cuisines, so I may do a latin dish with a Southern flair or add a touch of French technique to Israeli food.

Tell us about your absolute favorite food and why readers should try it if they haven’t already.

While its cliché, pizza is probably my favorite food followed closely by a legit Texas brisket.

Farow Restaurant in Boulder, Colorado

What are three ingredients that you simply couldn’t live without? 

Rutabaga in the winter is the backbone of a lot of my menu. Otherwise, beautiful heirloom tomatoes and Palisade peaches during the summer.

We love the art behind plating. What do you love about designing the perfect dish?

It’s the refining and combining of texture, shape, color and flavor that makes plating fun for me. The part I love most is seeing the reactions of our guests as the food’s being presented and after their first bites.

Farow Restaurant in Boulder, Colorado

Tell us about one of the most creative dishes you’ve created?

A dish I loved was a chilled corn soup but charged it like whipped cream so it was like eating a corn cloud. For a pop of color, I garnished it with a tomato salad and chili oil.

Farow Restaurant in Boulder, Colorado

Share your most recent awards and accreditations with us!

I can’t accomplish anything without a great team behind me. Our most recent award was “Best New Restaurant Boulder County,” plus 7 other categories as the write-in winner in Boulder Weekly, which felt amazing considering all the amazing places in Boulder, Colorado itself.

What are some of the latest trends you’re seeing in top restaurants across the globe?

I don’t tend to follow trends. I just strive to make creative food with the ingredients our farmers grow for us.

What’s your favorite cocktail or beverage of choice?

Tequila or gin based cocktails are usually my go-tos during the summer and whiskey cocktails in the fall and winter. It’s hard to beat a really well made Manhattan.

What do you love about being the Executive Chef of Farow Restaurant in Boulder, Colorado?

Being the Chef/Owner at Farow has provided me a creative platform to continuously be inspired by the seasons and their ingredients. Supporting sustainable farming and finding creative ways to put the seasonal offerings of produce together is really inspiring. Sharing that with our team and guests makes it a true joy.