Industry veterans Dana Query and Adam Schlegel will lead outreach effort to develop strategic solutions to support Denver’s restaurant sector 

DENVER (Aug. 5, 2025) — Visit Denver, Denver Economic Development & Opportunity (DEDO) and hospitality technology company inKind, through a novel collaboration, are announcing a restaurant liaison team to support and advance Denver’s food and beverage industry.  

The team will work to develop strategies that focus on the advancement of this critically important sector. They are tasked with looking at best practices across the country, acting as a connector between stakeholders, leading roundtables and listening sessions, identifying the issues, recommending business retention strategies and more.  

“Restaurants are one of the pillars of Denver’s economy and part of our cultural identity,” said Richard Scharf, president and CEO of Visit Denver. “From your favorite neighborhood bistro to our new Michelin-star restaurants, and cherished events like Denver Restaurant Week and Denver Food & Wine Festival, the food and beverage industry is one of the most visible and treasured parts of what makes Denver such a great place to live, work and visit. This liaison effort builds on our longstanding work to support the industry and ensure it thrives for the betterment of Denver as we continue to attract visitors from across the country and around the world.” 

Leading this six-month effort will be two respected industry veterans:  

Dana Faulk Query is co-owner of Big Red F Restaurant Group, which operates Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar, The Post, Centro Mexican Kitchen and several other concepts. As a nonprofit leader, she has served on the boards of EatDenver, Colorado Restaurant Association, Boulder Chamber, National Association of Asian American Professionals, Zero Foodprint and others. 

Adam Schlegel is a restaurateur, sustainability advocate and co-founder of Snooze A.M. Eatery and Chook Chicken and has served on the board of EatDenver, Visit Denver, Colorado Restaurant Response and others. He also led the Denver Public Market initiative working to align food and agriculture alignment throughout Colorado. 

Over the next six months, the team will use a variety of tools to gather information from restaurateurs and operators. The liaison team will engage directly with the industry through listening sessions, roundtables, interviews and a survey portal currently under construction. The team will also engage with City and County of Denver agencies and, using the gathered feedback, develop recommendations to address issues facing the industry.  

“The restaurant sector plays a pivotal role in our city’s economy, workforce and quality of life,” said Adeeb Khan, executive director of Denver Economic Development & Opportunity. “Our City systems should be designed to ensure that opening and operating a business in Denver is simple, fast and effective. This liaison team will play an important role to bring together best practices, and expertise to improve outcomes for our food and beverage industry. We look forward to working collaboratively with this talented and knowledgeable team and continuing to make Denver the best place to open and run a business.” 

“Since we were founded, inKind’s mission to support growing restaurants with the best form of financing, as well as other tools, has never wavered. Finding new ways to ensure success in our industry is always front of mind,” said Jonathan de Wolff, chief sustainability officer at inKind. “As operators ourselves, we know how challenging it can be to succeed in an obstacle-filled environment. So, we’re excited to partner in this Denver initiative, pursuing a collaborative approach to finding ways to positively impact operators, their teams and the guests they serve.” 

“I have worked in restaurants since I was eight, holding every front and back of house position from dish washing to now co-owning some of Denver’s longest-standing restaurants with my husband,” said Query. “To me, restaurants aren’t just businesses; they're community anchors, gathering spaces and can represent the surrounding culture. I’m excited to help strengthen the bridge between operators and City leadership to support and strengthen the health of the Denver restaurant industry.” 

“I have started two restaurant concepts in this town over the past two decades. While I have seen our restaurant scene grow by leaps and bounds in terms of size, quality and reputation, some of the ways the industry is asked to operate have not kept pace,” said Schlegel. “We’ve all heard the pain points of permitting delays, workforce struggles and razor-thin margins. Now we have a chance to put real data behind those concerns and push for change. I’m honored to be part of this collaborative effort to not only listen, but to deliver a plan that works for independent operators and the next generation of Denver restaurants.” 

To engage with the team visit VisitDenver.com/RestaurantInput

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About Visit Denver 

Celebrating 116 years of promoting the Mile High City, Visit Denver is a nonprofit trade association that contracts with the City of Denver to market Denver as a convention and leisure destination, increasing economic development in the city, creating jobs and generating taxes. Denver welcomed more than 37.1 million visitors in 2024, generating $10.3 billion in spending, while supporting tens of thousands of jobs and making Tourism one of the city’s largest industries. Learn more about Denver at Visit Denver or Tourism Pays Denver. Follow Denver’s social media channels for up-to-the-minute updates on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.   

About DEDO 

Denver Economic Development & Opportunity works to create an economy that works for everyone.  Learn more at denvergov.org/dedo or connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram @DenverDEDO 

About inKind 

inKind is a dual-sided app-based marketplace that offers low-cost capital investment for restaurants and exclusive dining rewards for consumers. Since launching in 2017, inKind has grown into the largest consumer marketplace of its kind, offering a unique combination of low-risk financing for restaurants and high-value dining rewards for consumers. With more than 3 million downloads and collaborating with 4,000+ restaurants nationwide, inKind has infused over $450 million in capital to some of the most successful restaurant groups in the world, such as MINA Group, Ethan Stowell Restaurants, and José Andrés Group, as well as independent restaurants such as Okàn, Kann, and Xiquet. inKind’s mission extends beyond profit by prioritizing exceptional experiences for restaurant partners and diners alongside profitability. Seamlessly blending the joy of dining out with a cutting-edge app, inKind redefines shared dining experiences, enhancing every meal, every day through tangible savings, enticing rewards, and seamless transactions. Stay informed on all things inKind at https://inkind.com and @inkind.app.  

With press or photo inquiries, please contact:  

Taylor Shields, Director of PR & Communications   

TShields@VisitDenver.com