Meet Jorge Cespedes & Wyatt Hill | Co-Owners

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jorge Cespedes & Wyatt Hill and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jorge Cespedes & Wyatt Hill, what inspires you?
We are inspired by the love of sharing delicious moments; a plate of chef-curated meats and artisanal cheeses with the right accoutrements and a perfectly paired glass of wine. We have always had a passion for hosting friends and making even the smallest moments unforgettable. For us, these dinners almost always include a charcuterie board. Who doesn’t love to try different bites of delicious meats and cheeses – trying new combinations and flavors. From there, we had the idea of the charcuterie station where we could make individual charcuterie plates at any kind of event. After talking about it a few times, we ran out of reasons for “why not.” Jorge began pulling inspiration from his background in culinary and interior design. He designed every piece of the station. Some parts french patisserie, some parts elegant hotel bars – all parts beautiful. We were inspired to have a business that people would look at and say, “wow! I want that at my party/wedding/event.” It doesn’t hurt that we make sure it tastes delicious as well.

What should our readers know about your business?
Our brand is Olive Juice, a name that has many hidden meanings within; to start with, we love the fact that when you say “olive juice” to someone from far away, it looks like you are saying “I love you” and that makes sense for us because our business is routed in love. The love of sharing a meal with a friend, family member, co-worker or even a stranger. The love of helping people discover that they actually DO love olives or that a creamy blue cheese pairs incredibly well with some local wildflower honey.

What sets us apart is that not only do we bring exquisite food, but we make charcuterie an experience. We love when people get excited by how beautiful our station is and they are curious to try out new flavors. As a chef, Jorge elevates the ingredients beyond what you can just buy at a store. For example, lemon marinated olives, rosemary & honey whipped goat cheese, strawberry tarragon jam. Food should be exciting, it should be an adventure and we are passionate about sharing that with others.

We have big plans for Olive Juice Hospitality as a brand. Our charcuterie station is just step one. New business owners overcome challenges every step of the way. We feel incredibly fortunate to have each other to learn and improve a little bit everyday.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The day should always begin with a cup of single origin coffee and Denver is no stranger to some top quality coffee shops; some of our favorites are: Huckleberry, Queen City Collective Coffee and Thump. Followed by a nice walk around Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park and the gorgeous Botanical Gardens we will build up an appetite and hit the Cherry Creek area of town. The options are plentiful but we have to go for a delicious burger at The Cherry Cricket. We can’t leave this neighborhood without doing some local shopping, and hitting up some pretty cool art galleries. By now, it’s cocktail’o-clock and we head up to the highlands area of Denver where one of the best cocktail bars in the city is located, Lady Jane, a bar with an incredible roster of highly qualified bartenders and a menu in constant rotation. Finally, for dinner, we want to head over to RiNo; where we could have incredible pizza, Spanish tapas of the highest caliber, a taste of Corsican cuisine or some hand-pulled asian noodles that will keep your mouth watering for days to come.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
As a chef, Jorge has worked for different culinary figures in his career, Matt Jennings, a chef and cheese monger, is one that has had a big part in teaching Jorge what some of the best cheeses in the world taste like. To appreciate the funkiness, the unique styles and the simple flavors of well-aged culinary masterpieces.

Website: https://olivejuice-hospitality.com/

Instagram: @olivejuicehospitality

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577724718342

Image Credits
Elliot Archuleta (some of the photos)