In a recent nod to excellence, Frasca Food and Wine, an Italian fine-dining establishment nestled in the heart of Boulder, Colorado, has claimed the title of Outstanding Restaurant at the prestigious James Beard Foundation awards. The black-tie event, which took place at Chicago's Civic Opera House, celebrated the crème de la crème of culinary finesse, with Frasca emerging as the sole victor among six Colorado nominees, as reported by The Denver Post.
Accustomed to the spotlight, Frasca has garnered acclaim numerous times, boasting four Beard wins to date, with this latest triumph marking their ascent to national recognition. The moment was punctuated by the words of Bobby Stuckey, in an impassioned acceptance speech, who lauded the inclusive nature of the hospitality industry. "Our industry is frickin' beautiful," Stuckey proclaimed, according to CBS News, "We are the industry -- if you are new to this country and you don't speak the language -- the hospitality industry is here for you. If you're a single parent and you need a flexible schedule, we're here for you. If you need a second chance because maybe you were incarcerated or just made some mistakes, hospitality is here for you, and I love that the James Beard Foundation gives this beautiful industry this night. Thank you."
While Frasca clinched a win, other Colorado culinary artists who held nominations included Josh Niernberg, chef of Bin 707 in Grand Junction, for Outstanding Chef, and Denver's Alma Fonda Fina for Best New Restaurant. Among the talent, nominees for Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker were Carolyn Nugent and Alen Ramos of Poulette Bakeshop in Parker, while McLain Hedges and Mary Allison Wright were noted for their cocktail service expertise at Yacht Club, Denver. Penelope Wong, chef at Yuan Wonton in Denver, was recognized in the Best Chef: Mountain Region category, as listed by 9News.
