Meet Danette Calhoun | Restauranteur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Danette Calhoun and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Danette, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I had been working as a server for my brother and law and my brother’s restaurants for over 10 years. Working from 8:00AM till 10:00PM six day a week. I started learning the cooks line. I also learned to bartend. So and idea started forming in my head. I was making very good money as a server. But what if I opened my own restaurant?? I began to save my tips with the idea of opening my own place.
Ten years later La Fogata came to be. And I’m very proud to say I now a second location. Also helped my brother open the third location.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m very proud of making La Fogata a place where families come together to enjoy a home cooked meal. Making it a kids friendly restaurant has made our customers appreciate the dedication we offer them when dining in with us. (hold their babies while they eat).

I have dedicated 31 years to my business and I’m proud to say I’m still here. It’s merely dedication and hard work has has kept me going. It hasn’t been easy. There’s always challenges along the way. There was a time when they had part of the High Way closed. Customers had a hard time reaching us. COVID for sure has been a challenge. But learning to take it one day at a time is all you can do.

La Fogata is part of the Denver Communities and is here to stay as long as our customers keep coming back.

We have won many awards with our recipes we cook daily in our kitchen. I invite you to come experience our food.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take her to the History Museum. The center of Performing Arts. Go to the mountains. Black Hawk. Central City and then I will go south.

I enjoy a great steak. So I would go to Del Frescos. Sushi. I will go to Sushi Den. Mexican food. La Fogata. I have tried my competition and have to come back to La Fogata.

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?
I really didn’t have anyone supporting me. I had to learn the kitchen and the back office at the same time.

Working 16 hour days. Every day. So it took a lot of dedication and hard work on my part.

Website: la-fogatadenver.com