Denver’s dining scene will welcome a new neighborhood restaurant on May 7 with the opening of Madeline, the first brick-and-mortar restaurant from Chef Quincy Cherrett. Named after Chef Quincy’s newborn niece, the project reflects a deeply personal, family-driven approach that informs the entire concept. Located at 1313 E. 6th Ave., the future home of Madeline sits in the former Fruition space. Madeline will reimagine one of the city’s most storied restaurants through a vision centered on bringing fine dining technique into a setting that feels easy and comfortable, and where familiar flavors are reimagined with subtle, unexpected twists.
Tucked into a cottage-like storefront along 6th Avenue, Madeline will be shaped entirely by Chef Quincy’s vision. Raised in a family rooted in the hotel industry, Cherrett developed an early appreciation for exceptional service and fine dining. With his sister leading project management and marketing efforts, and their father contributing his experience as a longtime hotelier, the project is family-owned and operated at its core. In the months leading up to opening, they have worked together to refine an overall experience that reflects Chef Quincy’s perspective, personality and passion, creating a place where the food carries the precision of refined cooking, but the experience feels relaxed and easy to settle into.
“Madeline is really a culmination of everything that’s shaped me,” Cherrett said. “It comes from a deep love and respect for food, family and hospitality. This restaurant is my way of bringing it all together into something that feels uniquely my own. We want to create an atmosphere and menu that feel both elevated and entirely unpretentious. Just as important, we’re building a space where both the kitchen and front-of-house teams can grow, feel supported and take ownership in what we’re creating.”
Led by Kevin Nguyen of REGULAR Architecture, with construction by general contractor Nate Boyer and his team at NOVUM Contracting Group, the design of Madeline reflects a balance between preserving the character of the former Fruition space and introducing a refreshed identity. Early conversations with Chef Quincy focused on creating a space that feels refined yet welcoming, with an emphasis on natural materials. Subtle nods to his family’s background in hospitality and their father’s career as a hotelier are woven throughout, including a playful art installation near the bathrooms inspired by classic hotel keys. Artist Lena Dechamps will be painting custom murals on two walls, drawing inspiration from the organic shapes of the garlic scape logo designed by Cognoscenti, adding a vibrant, personal touch to the space.
“Taking on a space as iconic as Fruition was both an honor and a responsibility,” Nguyen said. “We wanted this new chapter to feel unique and fresh while still incorporating elements that were already in great shape.”
Guiding that front-of-house team is general manager Bryan Trott, who has been an essential part of the opening. With experience leading operations at Brasserie Brixton, Alma Fonda Fina and most recently Cimera at the Source Hotel, Trott will ensure that Madeline’s service is as thoughtful and welcoming as the kitchen.
The menu is rooted in technique and precision but designed to feel approachable, with dishes that start from familiar formats and build in more nuanced, modern ways. Guests can start with oysters with radish and green apple mignonette, beet carpaccio with Thai red curry peanut sauce and lemon goat cheese, or a crab cake with red miso shrimp bisque. Next up are house-made pastas offered in rotating seasonal selections, including dishes such as lamb agnolotti with spring pea, mint and morel mushrooms. Entrées continue the menu’s playful twists, featuring dishes like scallops with white miso celery root purée and jasmine tea-pickled pears, each highlighting layered flavors. The halibut exemplifies what Madeline is all about. Chef Quincy has been perfecting this dish for years, often for family dinners, and it remains a favorite. The green curry and black forbidden rice highlight Thai influences, reinterpreted in a way that feels both refined and a little unexpected. Desserts such as black sesame cheesecake and passion fruit crème brûlée offer a clever, memorable finish to the meal.
Madeline’s beverage program follows the same philosophy as the kitchen, balancing familiarity with discovery. The wine program will build on the restaurant’s existing cellar, inherited from Fruition, shaped over years of thoughtful collecting. That foundation will be complemented by the addition of contemporary selections, creating a list that bridges the past and a new chapter for the space. The batch cocktail program highlights beverages the team itself would order on a night out, featuring playful, inventive combinations designed to pair with the menu.
Chef Quincy, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, has held leadership roles at Denver favorites such as Colt & Gray, Death & Co. and Izakaya Den, building a strong foundation in both technique and guest experience. His early experience in Jackson Hole, including time in the kitchens of Sudachi and The Kitchen and working at the James Beard-nominated Teton Thai, shaped his appreciation for Japanese and Thai cuisine and his approach to bold, vibrant flavors. With his own concepts 22 Provisions and Eloise, Chef Quincy refined a more personal culinary style that is fully realized at Madeline, his first brick-and-mortar restaurant.
Madeline will open to the public on May 7, 2026. Guests are also encouraged to learn more about the concept at restaurantmadeline.com or by following @Madeline_dnvr on Instagram.
