Chef-restaurateur Ray “Pete” Peterman says he’ll close Peanches

The iconoclastic chef Ray “Pete” Peterman didn’t care what people thought of him or the distinctive way he operated his 16-month-old restaurant, Peanches, at 900 West 39th Street. He wanted to do it his way – and he did. That meant turning away walk-in customers, only accepting reservations, attempting a prix-fixe only menu  (a noble experiment, but it didn’t last), even asking a couple of customers to leave.

The food was so delicious at Peanches that many customers were willing to put up with Peterman’s notoriously combative personality. But just as many thought once was enough. A local physician and his wife tried to become regulars at Peanches, but they told The Pitch that Peterman’s rudeness finally kept them from ever returning.

“We loved the food,” says the physician, who requested anonymity, “but couldn’t stand him.”

“I’ve got some interest from another restaurant owner wanting to buy the place,” Peterman says. “I may close it next week or maybe the week after. I don’t want to screw over anyone who still has a Groupon to Peanches.”

Peanches was Peterman’s third restaurant in the metro; the first two were the Sour Octopus at 11129 North Oak Trafficway and S.O. Redux in historic Columbus Park.

Peterman confirmed to The Pitch that he was closing the restaurant – he wasn’t sure when – after posting the following on the Peanches Facebook page:

Restaurants die long painful deaths. I worked with a great chef about 20 years ago that had two great restaurants in Denver and he told me I was crazy for wanting to open one of my own. He warned me it would make me miserable and turn me into a drunk like it has many good chefs (not all chefs). I should have listened to him (at least after my first one). I had a dream and I tried, I’m glad. Failure is a hard pill to swallow. We have always been a tad bit different, just wanted to do it our or at least my way. We have met a lot of great people and we thank you all for your support and taking the time to touch our lives! More than likely I will be pulling the plug in a week or so. No set date yet. Once again thanks everyone for touching our lives you made it a dream come true.
“Life is all a dream, but to live your dreams is truly life.”