Colorado only wins one James Beard award — but it’s a big one
Frasca Food and Wine took home one of the foundation's top honors on Monday night
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 1738 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 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 said recently became a father.
“We thank you, because our industry is freaking beautiful,” Stuckey said 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 service in 2019, outstanding wine program in 2013 and best chef in the then Southwest for Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson in 2008.
Colorado restaurants and chefs were nominated in five other categories but were not awarded. They included Alma Fonda Fina (2556 15th St., Denver) for best new restaurant; Carolyn Nugent and Alen Ramos of Poulette Bakeshop (19585 Hess Rd., Parker) for outstanding pastry chef or baker; Penelope Wong of Yuan Wonton (2878 Fairfax St., Denver) for best chef in the Mountain region; and McLain Hedges and Mary Allison Wright of Yacht Club (3701 Williams St., Denver) for outstanding professionals in cocktail service, a new category.
Stuckey, 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.
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