Goed Zuur chef and co-owner leaving for job in California

Anthony Lopiccolo wants to shoot for the stars – a Michelin star, that is.

The chef and co-owner of Goed Zuur, 2801 Welton St., a sour beer bar with an eclectic charcuterie and sandwich menu, has decided to step down from both of his roles in order to take a job in California’s Sonoma County, the heart of wine country.

“It’s been a good run, and I feel like I gained a lot from being here,” Lopiccolo said. “A lot of people told me that I should’ve moved on a long time ago and jumped on other opportunities, but the opportunity is now. I stayed for the perfect amount of time, and if this wasn’t in my lap, I probably never would have left.”

Lopiccolo’s last day at Goed Zuur is May 6, the same day as the restaurant’s six-year anniversary, which it will celebrate with a party. To days later, he’ll take over at Chalkboard, a casual French restaurant attached to the luxury 16-room Hotel Les Mars in Healdsburg, Calif.

“I’m leaving enough time to pack my bag, land in San Francisco at 8 a.m. and start service by noon,” he said.

Chalkboard, which opened in 2013, is owned by Foley Entertainment Group, led by billionaire businessman William Foley II, which also owns the NHL Vegas Golden Knights team and hotels around the West Coast. Chalkboard has been looking for a new executive chef for the past year, and Lopiccolo said the restaurant group had heard his name from fellow chefs in Boulder who joined the group as well. He was keen to move to California since he and his fiancée, Rachel Smith, the general manager of Goed Zuur, have family nearby.

Before Chalkboard, the restaurant space was home to Cyrus, a two Michelin-star restaurant led by Top Chef alum Chef Douglas Keane. “With enough hard work and figuring things out, I think I can bring a Michelin star back to that kitchen,” Lopiccolo said.

Lopiccolo is ready to get back to his French roots and is most excited to have his own farm for the restaurant. The hotel’s Chalk Hill Estate Vineyards has four acres of gardens, where it grows its own produce for Chalkboard.

“A huge reason for this pivot is I want to be in a spot where I’m closer to the source and have a little bit more control of the products I get to use,” Lopiccolo said. “I mean my next door neighbor is basically SingleThread [a farm, restaurant and inn], and they just got three Michelin stars, and I feel like they’re so good they could get four and just share one with me.”

When Lopiccolo leaves for California, Davin Rachles, formerly with Redeemer Pizza, will take over as Goed Zuur’s executive chef. Co-owner John Fayman, who also owns Backcountry Pizza & Tap House in Boulder and Nederland, will remain the owner.

“Goed Zuur is going to be in good hands, and I wouldn’t be doing this if it wasn’t,” Lopiccolo said.

And Smith, Lopiccolo’s soon-to-be-wife who he met while working at the restaurant, will stay as general manager for the next month or so before moving to California.

“I’m going to miss working with Rachel,” Lopiccolo said. “We found each other at work and built this together in a big way. I mean some of the regulars we’ve developed here are people coming to our wedding.”