Denver's Avanti Boots 'Top Chef' After Domestic Violence Charges

DENVER, CO — Award-winning chef Paul Qui of Austin has been pulled from a Denver food hall lineup after news of past domestic assault charges emerged, according to reports on Tuesday.

Avanti Food & Beverage pulled out of a deal bringing a Qui-owned restaurant to a vacant spot in the Denver food hall in May, the Denver Post reported. The pullout comes a day after Avanti announced the addition of Qui — a "Top Chef" winner and James Beard Award recipient — to the restaurateur mix with his East Side King eatery.

“We apologize to our guests, our tenants and our team for misjudging the severity of the situation surrounding chef Qui,” Avanti representatives wrote late Tuesday in a prepared statement after public outrage of his inclusion. “At Avanti we pride ourselves on offering a safe, all welcoming environment. We want our actions to speak louder than words and therefore have cut all ties with Aqui Hospitality and East Side King. Our priority is to listen to our community and continue to support Denver’s culinary scene and aspiring restaurateurs.”

Qui was arrested on suspicion of assaulting his then-girlfriend in 2016 inside his East Austin apartment. The charges were later dropped when the woman declined to participate as a witness in his trial.

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East Austin 'Top Chef' Arrested Amid Domestic Abuse Allegations

Domestic Abuse Charges Against Austin Chef Paul Qui To Be Dropped

The disgraced chef has had a hard time advancing in his culinary career since news of the charges surfaced. In an interview with the Denver Post before the food hall pullout, Qui struck tones of contrition for his past, saying he was hopeful the city would embrace him: “Avanti is the first step,” he said . I just want for [Denver customers] to give me a chance, and to let me cook for them.”

Since the domestic assault charges were levied, Qui has opened and closed a number of other restaurant concepts to attendant controversy. Before his court date in 2017, the Denver Post noted, he opened Aqui in Houston before it was shuttered a mere 15 months later. Restaurant critic Allison Cook reviewed Aqui for the Houston Chronicle, giving the eatery four stars but with pained justification for the high rating in light of the #MeToo movement.

Closer to home, the Austin American-Statesman garnered backlash after running a largely sympathetic, 4,000-word profile of Qui in August 2016 titled “Fall from the Top” detailing his fall from grace and efforts to rebuild his brand.

>>> Read the full story at Denver Post

Story by Tony Cantu, Patch Staff