How one Denver operator is testing the water with a virtual brand

In Denver, where rents come high and buying a property proves difficult, it’s not a bad idea to test the waters virtually before launching a brick-and-mortar restaurant.

So contends Jonathan Konsila, who moved to the Mile High City in 2021 with the goal to eventually open his own Thai restaurant with his family.

"I think we will stay here maybe another year and see each season so we can see when it's busy and slow," said Konsila, who runs his Thai concept Khan Toke out of ChefReady, a virtual kitchen space with multiple concepts inside. "It's a good start for us and a good chance to test out our recipes and see how it goes in Denver."

Not only that, but Khan Toke is a good way for his family to be and cook together. The specialty of the house is kee mao, or drunken noodles, which Konsila's father makes on a huge cast iron wok nestled onto the stove. Konsila's wife cooks the tom kha soup, another signature dish. At the sauté station, is his mother, who focuses on curry. Many of the recipes made at Khan Toke were perfected by his mom, and it's what he grew up eating.