Here are Colorado's James Beard semifinalists for 2025
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.

The aguachile de chile fresno at Alma Fonda Fina in Denver. Photo: Esteban L. Hernandez/Axios
The James Beard Awards announced their 2025 semifinalists on Wednesday, with more than a dozen Colorado chefs, bars and restaurants in the running.
Why it matters: The Beards are as big a deal for the hospitality industry as an Oscar is in moviemaking. Winning one can catapult a chef's career or restaurant's reputation to new heights.
Zoom in: Here are the categories Colorado secured semifinalist spots:
- Outstanding restaurant: Frasca Food and Wine (Boulder)
- Outstanding chef: Josh Niernberg, Bin 707 Foodbar (Grand Junction)
- Emerging chef: Anna Nguyen and Ni Nguyen, Sắp Sửa (Denver)
- Best new restaurant: Alma Fonda Fina (Denver)
- Outstanding pastry chef or baker: Carolyn Nugent and Alen Ramos, Poulette Bakeshop (Parker)
- Outstanding wine and other beverages program: Hop Alley (Denver)
- Best new bar: Traveling Mercies (Aurora)
- Outstanding professional in cocktail service: McLain Hedges and Mary Allison Wright, Yacht Club (Denver)
- Best chef — Mountain (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY):
- Erasmo Casiano and Diego Coconati, Lucina Eatery & Bar (Denver)
- Bo Porytko, Molotov Kitschen + Cocktails (Denver)
- Paul C. Reilly, Coperta (Denver)
- Hosea Rosenberg, Blackbelly (Boulder)
- Kenneth Wan, MAKfam (Denver)
- Penelope Wong, Yuan Wonton (Denver)
What's new: The 35th anniversary of the Chef and Restaurant Awards marks an expansion into three new categories focused on beverages: Best New Bar, Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service.
Flashback: Last year, Erika and Kelly Whitaker — co-founders of Id Est Hospitality Group (The Wolf's Tailor, BRUTØ, Basta and more) — won the award for outstanding restaurateur.
- Matt Vawter of Breckenridge-based Rootstalk took home the title for best chef in the mountain region.
What's next: Finalists will be announced April 2, and winners will be celebrated at a Chicago ceremony on June 16.
