Colorado had some big winners at the 2024 James Beard Awards last week, and that’s good news for Colorado foodies and the state’s restaurant industry. Each year since 1991, the James Beard Foundation presents its James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards to honor excellence across the culinary industry, from fine dining to casual community gems and emerging talents to established luminaries, as well as to support and encourage a more sustainable industry. The James Beard Awards have become the restaurant industry’s highest honor, likened to the Oscars of the food world.
When the envelopes were read this year, Colorado could boast the most Outstanding Restaurateur in the nation and its Best Chef for the Mountain Region. Both winners were lauded for their innovation, creativity and tenacity. And the winning restaurants are within easy driving distance for Colorado Springs foodies.
James Beard Outstanding Restaurateur 2024 — ID EST
Erika Whitaker and her partner Chef Kelly Whitaker received the Outstanding Restaurateur award for their ID EST hospitality group. The married couple’s visionary restaurants include The Wolf’s Tailor and BRUTØ, both of which received Michelin stars last year in Colorado’s first inclusion in the prestigious awards. The group’s Basta, located in Boulder, received a Michelin Bib Gourmand award. Its Hey Kiddo focuses on in-house fermentation techniques in Denver and is also Michelin Recommended. And its newest concept, Dry Storage, is an artisan mill and bakery in Boulder.
Watch Kelly and Erika Whitaker’s Post-Award Interview
“We own seven restaurants, but we also have engaged in so many different conversations around our food supply systems and been food advocates,” Chef Kelly Whitaker said during his acceptance speech. “All these things are possible: to have restaurants, to grow a family and also to get involved. This year alone, we’ve contracted and built with farmers over 200 acres of regenerative land for growing grains and milling flour. And this isn’t just applicable to our tasting-menu restaurants; it’s applicable to a pizza or a sandwich. So this is really touching restaurants everywhere in Colorado right now.”
“We have a team of over 100 employees, which is crazy to say out loud,” Erika Whitaker said in her acceptance speech. “I also want to mention that our leadership team is comprised of 100% females. … So if you’re struggling, maybe change things up; hire some women.”
James Beard Best Chef: Mountain — Matt Vawter, Rootstalk
In another prestigious category, Chef Matt Vawter claimed Best Chef: Mountain award for his Rootstalk in Breckenridge. The James Beard Awards Mountain Region includes Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming.
“I started cooking when I was 14 years old to help my parents pay rent, and I’ve never looked back,” Vawter said in his acceptance speech.
That was in Breckenridge, where he grew up. And that’s where Vawter returned to open Rootstalk i in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. He previously worked at Fruition and Mercantile Dining & Provisions in Denver with Alex Seidel, who has also been named a James Beard Best Chef.
Watch Matt Vawter’s Post-Award Interview
Rootstalk’s theme is “Elevated, Everyday Dining” for the local community and Breck’s many out-of-town visitors. The restaurant is located in a renovated historic house on Breckenridge’s Main Street. Its cuisine is “ingredient focused, technique driven and deeply committed to quality at all levels,” according to its website. Vawter’s signature dish is Lion’s Mane Schnitzel, and Rootstalk offers seven-course tasting menus paired with wine to hearty snacks and cocktails at the bar.
“To our producers and our farmers, we get to highlight your products on the plate and in the restaurant, and it makes our lives really easy,” Vawter said in his speech.
2024 James Beard Award Colorado Semifinalists
Although Vawter and the Whitakers claimed the top honors, there were 13 semifinalists from Colorado among the original 2024 James Beard Award nominees. Here is the list of Colorado semifinalists:
Outstanding Restaurateur
Erika Whitaker and Kelly Whitaker, ID EST (The Wolf’s Tailor, BRUTØ, Basta and others), Boulder
Outstanding Chef
Barclay Dodge, Bosq, Aspen
Outstanding Restaurant
Beckon, Denver
Emerging Chef
Kenneth Wan, MAKfam, Denver
Best New Restaurant
Sắp Sửa, Denver
Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker
Carolyn Nugent and Alen Ramos, Poulette Bakeshop, Parker
Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
Sunday Vinyl, Denver
Best Chef: Mountain (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY)
Theo Adley, Marigold, Lyons
Erasmo Casiano and Diego Coconati, Lucina Eatery & Bar, Denver
Aminata “Ami” Dia and Rougui Dia, Le French, Denver
Bo Porytko, Molotov Kitschen + Cocktails, Denver
Matt Vawter, Rootstalk, Breckenridge — Winner
Penelope Wong, Yuan Wonton, Denver — Finalist
The winners were announced June 10, 2024, during a live gala at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
“Tonight, we raise a glass to the 2024 Restaurant and Chef Award winners for their phenomenal achievements,” said Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard Foundation, at the gala. “These remarkable individuals embody the very essence of our Good Food for Good ethos, showcasing exceptional talent, unwavering dedication to their craft, and a steadfast commitment to elevating the industry. With their passion, skill, and leadership, they are shaping our nation’s dining landscape and setting a new standard for culinary excellence.”
“On behalf of the Restaurant and Chef Awards Subcommittee, congratulations to the 2024 winners. We are thrilled to honor this exceptional group of culinary leaders and look forward to seeing their continued contribution to our industry,” said Restaurant and Chef Awards Subcommittee Co-Chairs Lauren Saria and Allecia Vermillion. “Thank you for sharing your talent and passion — and for all you are doing to push our food culture forward.”
The voting process for all James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards can be found here, and the criteria and eligibility for each category can be found here.
