Only One Colorado Finalist in James Beard Awards

This week, the James Beard Foundation announced the 2023 finalists in the chef and restaurant award categories, and only one Coloradan made the cut out of thirteen that were named semifinalists in January. In 2022, the Best Chef: Mountain Region category, which also includes Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming, was completely dominated by Colorado talent, with local chefs taking all five finalist slots and Annette owner Caroline Glover nabbing the win.

This year, just one local chef is among the five finalists: Michael Diaz de Leon of BRUTØ, which is part of Id Est Hospitality and is located inside Free Market at Dairy Block. “It’s surreal, it’s unbelievable. I’m in shock, and I’m extremely happy with the work we’ve done,” Diaz de Leon says. “It’s not just me. It’s the whole staff, those…