The James Beard Awards are like the Oscars of the food world.
And yesterday, restaurants and chefs from across the country were honored with nominations. The non-profit organization announced its 2018 semifinalists in categories from best new restaurant to the outstanding chef. Colorado locked down eight categories on that prestigious list, with seven food and drink destinations across the state represented:
- Anette, Aurora – Best new restaurant
- Andy Clark, Moxie Bread Co., Louisville – Outstanding baker
- Frasca Food & Wine, Boulder – Outstanding restaurant
- The Little Nell, Aspen – Outstanding wine program
- Caroline Glover, Anette, Aurora – Best Chef Southwest
- Dana Rodriguez, Work & Class, Denver – Best Chef Southwest
- Alex Seidel, Fruition, Mercantile Dining & Provision, Denver – Best Chef Southwest
- Todd Leopold, Leopold Bros., Denver – Outstanding wine, beer or spirits professional
READ: Meet the Three-Person Dream Team Behind Nationally-Recognized Annette
Photo courtesy of Frasca Food and Wine.
This isn’t the first time that Colorado has had nominees in the running. The Little Nell in Aspen celebrates its seventh nomination and Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder has bragging rights to its third time in the Outstanding Restaurant category. Congrats to all of the nominees and stay tuned to see who takes home the big award.
Finalists for all awards will be announced next month, with winners presented in May. For more information on the organization or this year’s nominees, check out their page here.