Chefs from around the state huddled together with sweaty palms and weak knees in Denver’s Mission Ballroom on Tuesday night to wish upon a Michelin star.
And the respected Michelin Guide organization, which is rating restaurants in Colorado for the first time this year, didn’t disappoint, awarding single stars to five restaurants in Denver, Boulder and Aspen, along with a slew of special awards during the evening ceremony.
The winners of single Michelin stars in Colorado were:
Beckon and chef Duncan Holmes in Denver
“To be the first one up is quite exciting,” Holmes told The Denver Post. “It’s gratifying and nice to be acknowledged. We’re just going to keep going, and we’re going to try to maybe be the first to get two.”
“This is surreal, amazing and definitely humbling,” co-owner Craig Lieberman added. “Mostly, I’m excited for all the recognition that Colorado restaurants and chefs are finally getting.”
Bosq and chef Barclay Dodge in Aspen
Brutø and Michael Diaz de Leon and Kelly Whitaker in Denver
“This is the foundation,” Whitaker said. “It’s about Colorado at this point, and I can’t wait for next year, to be honest. This is an award for the future. It’s not just validation for the past, but especially with our sustainability awards, we can focus on how we share this information with each other and level up. It’s not a fine-dining thing, it’s an everybody thing.”
Frasca Food and Wine and Chef Ian Palazzola in Boulder
“I’m elated for our whole staff and team,” Palazzola said. “After 19 years, we’re still striving for greatness. You know you’re trying hard, but sometimes it’s nice to get a little extra congratulations for the whole team. It’s about everybody. You can’t have a restaurant without the dishwashers, glass polishers and everyone else.”
The Wolf’s Tailor and chefs Taylor Stark and Kelly Whitaker in Denver
The Michelin Guide announced in June that it would produce a Colorado guide for the first time, reviewing restaurants in Denver, Boulder, Aspen, Snowmass Village, Vail and Beaver Creek Resort. That was big news in the food world since Michelin, which is highly respected, only lists and reviews restaurants in seven other regions in North America: New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, California, Miami/Orlando/Tampa in Florida, Toronto and Vancouver.
The other awards were as follows:
Outstanding service award: Sergei Kiefel and the team at Frasca Food and Wine
Exceptional cocktails award: Caroline Clark of The Wolf’s Tailor in Denver
“The beverage side is something that I don’t think gets as much attention as it should, and we have an incredible team of culinary-minded beverage professionals that this cocktail award represents, and I’m so proud of them,” Clark told The Denver Post.
Sommelier award: Ryan Fletter and Erin Lindstone of Barolo Grill in Denver
Young chef/culinary professional: Kelly Kawachi of Blackbelly Market in Boulder
Green star (sustainable restaurants): Blackbelly Market; Bramble & Hare in Boulder; Brutø; The Wolf’s Tailor
“The green star meant a lot for us because we’ve been working on sustainability ever since I started at Bruto, and even before that, I’ve been working on sustainability for the last seven years,” Diaz de Leon told The Denver Post. “It’s cool to cook good, sexy food, but also care about the planet. I know that this is making a difference.”
The “famously anonymous” Michelin inspectors award one, two or three stars based on five criteria: the quality of the ingredients, the harmony of flavors, the mastery of techniques, the personality of the chef as expressed through their cuisine and consistency both across the entire menu and over time, according to Michelin.
Michelin also put together a list of recommended restaurants around the state, including Safta, Noisette, Restaurant Olivia, Dio Mio, Fruition, Hey Kiddo, Marco’s Coal Fired and Zoe Ma Ma among many others.
“For being in our first year, we’re so happy to even be recognized,” said Noisette co-owner Lillian Cho. “We’re going to put this recognition in the kitchen for all the chefs to celebrate.”
The Colorado Tourism Office, with help from the participating cities, contributed to the annual $135,000 cost to promote the Michelin Guide in Colorado for the next three years, according to state officials. Some cities, like Aurora, declined to participate, however, which led to disappointment for chefs and restaurateurs in those cities.
