Colorado got here up empty-handed on the 2023 James Beard Awards.
The “Oscars” of the meals trade’s stay ceremony befell on the Lyric Opera of Chicago on June 5, and no Colorado restaurant or chef was among the many 23 winners that the muse awarded. That wasn’t surprising, although since Chef Michael Diaz de Leon of BRUTØ, 1801 Blake St., was the one Colorado nominee this 12 months.
De Leon was within the operating for one of the best chef within the Mountain Area, which incorporates Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming. It was awarded to Chef Kris Komori with KIN in Boise, Idaho.
Colorado is often a robust contender for the James Beard Awards.
When the muse introduced semifinalists in January, Colorado boasted 13 nominations, a few of them in nationally aggressive classes akin to excellent restaurateur, excellent chef and finest new restaurant. De Leon was the one one to advance.
In 2022, Colorado swept one of the best chef within the Mountain Area class with 5 finalists all hailing from the Entrance Vary. Annette’s Caroline Glover ended up taking dwelling the prize.
And two years earlier than that, in 2020, Colorado notched an astonishing 18 semifinalist nominations and 6 finalists, together with Glover and Dana Rodriguez at Tremendous Mega Bien, however the awards had been canceled in gentle of the pandemic, in addition to in 2021.
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