Colorado

Colorado chefs, restaurants snag 13 James Beard Award semifinalist spots

Published

1 year ago

January 24, 2024

Colorado chefs, restaurants snag 13 James Beard Award semifinalist spots

The James Beard Foundation released its list of 2024 restaurant and chef award semifinalists today. And like a repeat of last year, Colorado once again snagged 13 nominations for what’s widely regarded as one of the most prestigious honors in the hospitality industry; categories included “outstanding restaurateur,” “best new restaurant,” and “emerging chef.”

Denver chefs like Kelly Whitaker and Penelope Wong reappeared on this year’s list after being overlooked last year. And new faces and places, like MAKfam’s Kenneth Wan and the newly opened Sắp Sửa, are getting their first shot at a prize. A few of the nominees also won Michelin stars in 2023, including Whitaker, Bruto, Beckon and Bosq.

Six of the 20 chefs nominated as the best in the Mountain Region — which includes Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming — are from the Centennial State. The finalists will be announced in April.

Here’s the list of the Colorado semifinalists, who have a chance to make it to the final round of nominees before the annual James Beard Awards Gala in June in Chicago:

Owner Kelly Whitaker is pictured at The Wolf’s Tailor on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)

Outstanding Restaurateur

Kelly Whitaker, Id Est Hospitality Group (The Wolf’s Tailor, BRUTØ, Basta, and Hey Kiddo), Boulder

Outstanding Chef

Barclay Dodge, Bosq, Aspen

Wait staff tend to the diners ... — Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Wait staff tend to the diners in the quickly filling dining room at Beckon on Oct. 10, 2019 in Denver. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)

Outstanding Restaurant

Beckon, Denver

Kenneth Wan and Doris Yuen celebrated the opening of the first full-service restaurant, MAKfam, with a traditional Chinese lion dance. (Photo by Lucy Beaugard)

Emerging Chef

Kenneth Wan, MAKfam, Denver

DENVER, CO - JUNE 24: Owners of Sap Sua restaurant, chefs Anthony and Anna Nguyen give the stamp of approval on a plate just before it leaves the kitchen for a customer June 24, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post) — DENVER, CO – JUNE 24: Owners of Sap Sua restaurant, chefs Anthony and Anna Nguyen give the stamp of approval on a plate just before it leaves the kitchen for a customer June 24, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)

Best New Restaurant

Sắp Sửa, Denver

Owners Alen Ramos, left, and Carolyn Nugent at Poulette Bakeshop in Parker on Wednesday, December 6, 2023. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)

Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker

Carolyn Nugent and Alen Ramos, Poulette Bakeshop, Parker

Diners eating brunch at Sunday Vinyl, ... — M.Thurk Photography, Provided by Sunday Vinyl
Diners eating brunch at Sunday Vinyl, located by the train platform at Union Station. (M.Thurk Photography, Provided by Sunday Vinyl)

Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program

Sunday Vinyl, Denver

DENVER, CO - JANUARY 11: Co-owner and chef of Molotov Kitschen and Cocktails Bo Porytko, left, talks with co-owner Jareb Parker, right, January 07, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post) — DENVER, CO – JANUARY 11: Co-owner and chef of Molotov Kitschen and Cocktails Bo Porytko, left, talks with co-owner Jareb Parker, right, January 07, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)

Best Chef: Mountain (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY)

Theo Adley, Marigold, Lyons

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

Penelope Wong, Yuan Wonton, Denver

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Colorado

Colorado Bureau of Investigation vows to process backlog of sexual assault kits

Published

9 hours ago

January 28, 2025

Press Room

Colorado Bureau of Investigation vows to process backlog of sexual assault kits

Colorado Bureau of Investigation wants to process sexual assault kits faster

01:11

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation is vowing to process the backlog of sexual assault kits. The accumulation of the kits to preserve evidence of potential sexual assault is 517 days.

That is nearly six times the state’s goal of 90 days.

The head of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation said lab analysts are so far behind that it will take two years and $2.5 million to catch up.

Chris Schaefer testified in front of the Joint Budget Committee at the state Capitol on Monday. He said that rape victims are waiting a year and a half for DNA to be processed.

He said the money will allow him to outsource rape kits to other laboratories and bring down the wait time to three months. He also vowed to increase transparency after a former CBI DNA analyst was criminally charged for mishandling or manipulating evidence. Yvonne “Missy” Woods faces over 100 separate charges related to over 1,000 cases she worked on.

Yvonne “Missy” Woods

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office

“I want to see on our website a dashboard that has turnaround times for this so everybody sees how we are chipping away at that,” said Schaefer. “I agree the best thing to do is overdeliver.”

The state Legislature has set aside $3 million to re-test the DNA from those allegedly mishandled cases but district attorneys have only asked for 14 new tests. Schaefer wants to reallocate most of the money for rape kits.

Jennifer McRae

Jennifer McRae is a digital media producer for CBS Colorado with more than 25 years of experience in news. Jennifer is part of the digital team recognized for excellence for Best Website several times by the Colorado Broadcasters Association.

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Colorado

Some Colorado parents are offended by what they say was anti-semitism at sports event

Published

20 hours ago

January 28, 2025

Press Room

Some Colorado parents are offended by what they say was anti-semitism at sports event – CBS Colorado

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The event was a basketball game between Denver Academy of Torah and Lotus School of Excellence.

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Colorado

Spectator killed by hammer throw at high school track and field event in Colorado

Published

1 day ago

January 27, 2025

Press Room

Spectator killed by hammer throw at high school track and field event in Colorado

The hammer throw, a track and field event, uses a heavy hammer weight attached to a grip by a steel wire. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

A spectator was killed after a hammer weight was thrown out of bounds at a high school track and field event on Sunday.

The event, a club track and field meet held at University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, was halted after a hammer thrown by a participant went past the barriers and struck a man in the stands. The man was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a UCCS statement obtained by multiple outlets.

“We are heartbroken at this horrible accident and are focused on supporting all involved,” said UCCS chancellor Jennifer Sobanet said in the statement.

The meet was canceled after the accident, and participants were told to go home.

The hammer throw event uses a heavy hammer weight attached to a grip by a steel wire. Compared to discus, shotput and javelin, the hammer throw is a less common field event in the U.S. Some states, such as Ohio, have banned the sport from high schools altogether.

UCCS said that the victim’s identity would be released by the coroner’s office for El Paso County, which includes Colorado Springs. The man was reportedly the parent of an athlete who attended a local high school, per local outlet KKTV, which cited a statement from the Colorado United Track Club.

The meet was part of a three-meet series held on UCCS’s campus, per the school.

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