About

Morso is the latest creation from acclaimed Chef Hosea Rosenberg's Little Piggy Hospitality, acclaimed for Blackbelly and Santo restaurants in Boulder & Denver, CO.

Morso envelopes the warmth of family, good company, exceptional hospitality with a fresh approach to craveable and contemporary "red sauce cuisine." 

Morso, meaning "bite" or "nibble" in Italian, celebrates the belief that life's best moments unfold through food, around a table abundant with heartwarming dishes, joyful connection, and a good dose of nostalgia.

Executive Chef & Owner, Hosea Rosenberg 

Executive Chef and Owner Hosea Rosenberg is celebrated for his dedication to seasonal ingredients, responsibly sourced meats and produce, and bold flavors. 

In 2011, after being named the winner of Top Chef Season 5, Rosenberg started Blackbelly as the Front Range's leading boutique catering and events company. Since then, its brick-and-mortar restaurant has evolved into an acclaimed Michelin award-winning culinary destination and beloved local market. 

In 2017, Rosenberg further enriched Boulder's dining scene with SANTO, a heartfelt tribute to the flavors of his Taos, New Mexico childhood. Expanding his footprint geographically, Rosenberg opened Blackbelly Market Denver in 2024, a deli born from the Boulder flagship serving counter service breakfast and lunch, as well as special chef-driven activations on select evenings. Most recently, prior to launching Morso, he opened a new location of SANTO in Terminal C of the Denver International Airport in partnership with High Flying Foods, bringing the flavors of northern New Mexico to mile-high travelers near and far.

Chef Hosea has received multiple accolades and honors over the years, with Blackbelly being named among the 25 Best Restaurants in Denver by 5280 Magazine repeatedly since its inception; he has been celebrated by the U.S. Small Business Administration for inspiring the entrepreneurial spirit of the nation; and Rosenberg has made several appearances cooking at the prestigious James Beard House. Further underscoring his commitment to sustainable practices, Blackbelly received multiple Michelin Green Star awards for sustainable gastronomy, and both Blackbelly and SANTO are distinguished as Michelin-recommended restaurants. Rosenberg was a James Beard Award Semi-finalist for Best Chef of the Mountain region in 2025.

General Manager, Irving Mares

Irving Mares is the General Manager of Morso, following leadership roles at Blackbelly and Santo. A Longmont, Colorado native, Irving learned the value of hard work and hospitality at an early age, helping his stepfather with restaurant cleaning jobs and later preparing hundreds of burritos for the family's catering business.

His restaurant career began as a busser at the Dickens Tavern before he moved to Guadalajara, Mexico, to attend university and spend time with extended family. There, he developed a deeper appreciation for food, indigenous ingredients, and the connection created through sharing a meal.

After returning to Colorado and gaining experience in hospitality, Irving joined Blackbelly in 2017. His warmth, work ethic, and natural ability to connect with guests quickly propelled him into leadership, first at Blackbelly and later as General Manager of Santo. When Little Piggy Hospitality prepared to open Morso, Irving was a natural choice to lead the team.

Irving brings genuine joy to hospitality and believes restaurants have a unique ability to create connection, happiness, and community through shared food and experiences.

The restaurant industry has long faced a significant pay gap between tipped service employees and back-of-of-house employees (cooks, dishwashers, and others who handle and prepare the food). This disparity is largely rooted in the traditional U.S. tipping system and the state and Federal regulations governing how gratuities may be distributed.

Simply raising menu prices cannot adequately address this imbalance. Because tips are generally calculated as a percentage of the bill, higher menu prices simply increase tipped earnings while providing no direct or proportionate benefit to back-of-house employees. 

To address this, we apply a 7% Kitchen Support Fee to full-service dining guest checks that enables us to provide compensation more directly and equitably to our hourly kitchen team. This fee does not generate additional revenue for the restaurant. Rather, 100% is distributed to hourly back-of-house employees; none is retained by ownership or distributed to salaried managers.The fee is clearly disclosed on our menus and appears as a separate line item on the guest check before payment. It is a mandatory service charge and is not a gratuity or tip. It is applied consistently to every table, every bill, every day.  Any additional gratuity (tips) that you choose to leave is entirely up to you, and will be paid entirely to the front-of-house staff.  

After decades in this industry, we believe this is the most effective way to invest in our team, reduce the longstanding wage gap, and build a healthier, more sustainable workplace.

We appreciate your understanding and trust in our commitment to operating our restaurants with integrity. 

If you have any questions about this policy, please contact Chef/Owner Hosea Rosenberg at hosea@lpiggy.com.

Contact us!

hello@morsoboulder.com