Colorado only wins one James Beard award — but it’s a big one

Frasca Food and Wine took home the prize for Outstanding Restaurant in the country at the James Beard Foundation awards Monday evening in Chicago It was the only win amid six nominations for Colorado chefs and restaurants The Italian fine-dining destination at Pearl St in Boulder received the top honor during the black-tie and red carpet affair held at the Civic Opera House It s the fourth Beard win for Frasca which has been nominated more than a dozen times in various categories over the years Frasca Food and Wine co-founder Bobby Stuckey center flanked by his restaurant partners after winning Outstanding Restaurant at the James Beard Foundation awards in Chicago on Monday June Provided by Sarah Abell Frasca co-founder Bobby Stuckey dropped his hands in exaltation upon climbing the stage to accept the award flanked to his right by his business partners He thanked the restaurant s guests employees and executive chef Ian Palazzola who Stuckey revealed of late became a father We thank you because our industry is freaking beautiful Stuckey noted from the podium I love that the James Beard Foundation gives this beautiful industry this night He ended by bidding the audience good evening in Italian Frasca s other Beard wins were for outstanding institution in outstanding wine plan in and best chef in the then Southwest for Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson in Colorado restaurants and chefs were nominated in five other categories but were not awarded They included Alma Fonda Fina th St Denver for best new restaurant Carolyn Nugent and Alen Ramos of Poulette Bakeshop Hess Rd Parker for outstanding pastry chef or baker Penelope Wong of Yuan Wonton Fairfax St Denver for best chef in the Mountain region and McLain Hedges and Mary Allison Wright of Yacht Club Williams St Denver for outstanding professionals in cocktail arrangement a new category Related Articles Neighborhood realm serves sandwiches burritos with slice of Denver history He loved ribs more than anyone This Cajun-flavored recipe is for him on Father s Day Five Weeknight Dishes ingredients or fewer because summer Your Summer Grilling Showstopper Involves a Lot of Wine and a Lot of Salt I Was Sidelined by Illness This Soup Got Me Back in the Kitchen Stuckey a master sommelier who co-founded the James Beard award-winning and Michelin-starred Frasca Hospitality Group won the Julia Child Award presented by the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts earlier this year Subscribe to our new food newsletter Stuffed to get Denver food and drink news sent straight to your inbox