The chef who built a cult following for the dumplings she served from a Denver food truck is now a James Beard winner.

Why it matters: Penelope Wong's journey from street-food sensation to award-winning restaurateur culminated last night with a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Mountain.

State of play: Wong, who opened Yuan Wonton's North Park Hill restaurant in 2023, ended her acceptance speech by thanking women in the industry.

• "It's always been a priority of mine especially to help uplift other women, because I know that they're not always seen in the kitchen," Wong told us.
• She also thanked her friend and mentor, fellow James Beard Award winner Caroline Glover, adding she was proud to follow in her footsteps.

What they're saying: "You all believed in me, even more so than myself, and I can't thank you enough," Wong told Axios from the ceremony in Chicago, stressing her gratitude to the Denver community.

• "It's the most incredible feeling," she told us after her win.

Wong had received three previous nominations before last night's win.

Between the lines: Wong beat fellow Denver chef and finalist Johnny Curiel (Alma Fonda Fina) for the award covering Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming.

• She referenced Curiel in her acceptance speech, joking about the competition: "It's a running joke. I love Johnny," she told us.

Zoom out: Colorado was well represented among yesterday's James Beard finalists:

• Josh Niernberg of Grand Junction's Bin 707 Foodbar.
• McLain Hedges and Mary Allison Wright of Denver's Yacht Club.
• Ryan Fletter of Denver's Barolo Grill.

If you go: Yuan Wonton is located at 2878 Fairfax St.

Send to a hungry friend

About two-thirds of Colorado women who plan to vote in the 2026 election say they have fewer rights and less opportunity than men, a new poll finds.

• And nearly half believe the gap is widening.

Why it matters: Women, who make up the majority of registered voters in Colorado, hold significant sway in determining who wins and what issues pass at the ballot box.

Driving the news: Women say men are better off when it comes to health care access, pay, career advancement, financial stability and safety, a survey from the Women's Foundation of Colorado shows.

• An overwhelming majority (84%) say the cost of living is rising faster than their income, while 76% say they're taking steps to compensate, including cutting back on retirement savings, relying on credit cards and delaying medical care.
• The top barriers to getting ahead financially are caregiving responsibilities, limited career advancement and lack of a flexible work schedule, the poll found.

Between the lines: Women say affordability is key to address these challenges, citing housing (38%), high-quality health care (33%) and healthy food (29%) as their top needs.

The fine print

Colorado Springs and the Denver suburbs are experiencing sizable one-year population increases in 2025, new census data shows.

Why it matters: The growth is transforming once sleepy communities.

• But other bigger municipalities are on the decline.

By the numbers: Colorado Springs added 2,288 residents between July 2024 and July 2025 — more than any other city in the state, according to the state demography office.

• Erie, Windsor, Johnstown and Aurora, respectively, rounded out the top five Colorado cities for population growth.
• Johnstown (population 22,433) ranked 10th in the U.S. among fastest-growing cities and towns with 20,000 or more residents.

The big picture: The increases come as over half of the state's 272 municipalities experienced population losses.

• Centennial, Denver, Pueblo and Boulder were among those that saw the steepest declines in the state.

🇨🇦 The Trump administration yesterday approved Colorado's request to import cheaper prescription drugs from Canada, a move Gov. Polis said would save $46 million over three years, John reports.

🫠 Staffing at Denver DMV's offices are running at about 55%, driving 90-minute waits and rotating branch closures — a shortfall officials tied partly to budget cuts made as the city paid for migrant sheltering in recent years. (9News)

🏗️ Denver's residential permitting process has improved, City Auditor Tim O'Brien noted in a follow-up to his critical 2024 audit. (Denver Post 🔑)

Jeffco Public Schools says the 61 boys cited in a federal probe as being on girls' sports rosters were managers, trainers or mascots — not atheletes. The district says it has asked federal officials to correct the distinction. (Chalkbeat)

Summer travel is getting pricier, but travelers aren't staying home.

Why it matters: Average domestic airfare is up nearly $100 from a year ago, according to Kayak. Meanwhile, international airfares are up nearly $200.

The big picture: Travelers are responding by seeking out cheaper destinations seeing the biggest jumps in search interest this year, per Kayak.

By the numbers: The Dominican Republic and Morocco are among the destinations seeing the biggest jumps in search interest this year, per Kayak.

• Meanwhile, among the 10 most-searched summer destinations overall this year: Orlando, Las Vegas and London.

What they're saying: "International fares are getting expensive, but if we head to our neighbors to the north or the south, those are typically a little bit cheaper," Kayak travel expert Kayla DeLoache tells Axios.

Between the lines: Mexico, Iceland and Ireland have some of the most affordable international airfares for U.S. flyers this summer, per Kayak.

• For bargain hunters, DeLoache recommends booking sooner than later and considering midweek flights.

Make your getaway