The much-lauded James Beard Foundation has announced the semifinalists for the 2010 Restaurant and Chef Awards, and Colorado comes up on the sweet side with six chefs (out of 20) nominated for Best Chef: Southwest.
Nominees out of thousands of entries in that category are: Bertrand Bouquin, Summit at the Broadmoor, Colorado Springs; Mark Fischer, Six89, Carbondale; Ryan Hardy, Montagna at the Little Nell, Aspen; Jennifer Jasinski, Rioja, Denver; Kelly Liken, Kelly Liken, Vail; and Alex Seidel, Fruition, Denver.
“We dominated the Southwest category, which has never happened,” said Denver restaurant consultant John Imbergamo, whose client list includes chef/restaurant owner Jasinski. “It’s a clear indication of Colorado’s increased culinary visibility throughout the U.S. Perhaps this is a bit of the fruits of our labor, so to speak.”
Making it onto the Outstanding Restaurateur list are Frank Bonanno (Bones, Luca d’Italia, Mizuna, Osteria Marco) and Steve Ells, founder of Denver-based Chipotle Mexican Grill.
James Rugile from Venue Bistro in Denver was the sole Colorado nominee for Rising Star Chef of the Year, and an Outstanding Pastry Chef nomination went to Yasmin Lozada-Hissom from Duo and Olivea. The Penrose Room at the Broadmoor was nominated for Outstanding Service, and Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder was nominated for Outstanding Wine Service.
“It’s really like winning an Academy Award,” said Jessica Attman of New York PR firm Susan Magrino Agency, which represents the Beard Awards. “It’s been related to the Oscars of the food world.”
Finalists (each category will be narrowed down to five entrants) will be announced March 22 in New Orleans, with the awards gala taking place May 3 in New York City. For a complete list of nominees, go to .
Leigh’s life.
KCNC-Channel 4 anchor Karen Leigh will soon be planning her Big Fat Greek Wedding, but first there’s the little matter of little Leigh, a baby girl due at the beginning of July.
Leigh, 38, will marry Greek Denver native Jimmy Peros, the father of her unborn child, early next year. Peros, 41, popped the proverbial question on Valentine’s Day at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs.
Shanahan’s chef shift.
Stephen Vice, who for more than 10 years headed the kitchen at McCormick’s in LoDo before turning free agent and signing with Shanahan’s restaurant late last year, has left the steakhouse.
Managing partner Marc Steron has replaced Vice with Keith Stitch, former executive chef at Mastro’s Ocean Club in Newport Beach, Calif. Stitch started cooking and tweaking the menu Thursday.
“I just felt like we could take the food to even a higher level,” Steron said about the chef switch. “There will be more emphasis on fish and more emphasis on the quality of accompaniments.”
Steron said the new menu should be in place in two or three weeks.
“I want to make sure we are viewed as the best steakhouse, and that takes work and doesn’t happen overnight,” he said.
EAVESDROPPING
Two women before the start of a University of Denver hockey game:
“I actually had a good hair day on my last date.”
“The last time I had a good hair day, I had on a wig.”
Penny Parker’s column appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Listen to her on the Caplis and Silverman radio show between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-630 AM. Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail pparker@denverpost.com.
