BOULDER - Three Leaf Concepts, the restaurant company that operates the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse and owns other local restaurants, has won a five-year contract to operate the iconic Chautauqua Dining Hall.

Specific financial terms of the contract were not disclosed. A Three Leaf Concepts team headed by owners Lenny and Sara Martinelli will take over dining hall and catering services at Chautauqua starting Monday, Oct. 15, according to a press statement.

The team replaces current operators Rick and Susan Stein, who are leaving Chautauqua management to focus on their Alba Restaurant & Wine Bar in Boulder, according to the press statement.

Colorado Chautauqua Association board members chose Three Leaf Concepts after a 10-month process, according to the press statement. The Steins ran the dining hall for 16 years. The nonprofit Colorado Chautauqua Association manages the historic park at 900 Baseline Road, including the dining hall. It reported $5.1 million in total net assets in 2011.

"Three Leaf Concepts' experience and dedication to community, customer service, sustainability and healthy cuisine really impressed us during this process," said Susan Connelly, executive director of the Colorado Chautauqua Association.

Local products and produce will be featured at the restaurant, which is known for its wrap-around outdoor porch and its Sunday brunch.

The dining hall will be open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner through Sunday, Sept. 30. It will close on Monday, Oct. 1, for a scheduled roof replacement and energy efficiency and structural upgrades. Three Leaf Concepts also will make interior renovations during the closure. A grand re-opening of the dining hall is anticipated for April 2013, according to the press statement.

The Colorado Chautauqua Association leases the 26 acres of Chautauqua Park from the city of Boulder. The group manages the public buildings, gardens and 99 cottages, including rentals of 58 of the cottages. The park was designated as a national historic landmark in 2006.