Chef Kelly Whitaker had already been nominated for three James Beard Awards ahead of the 2024 ceremony, which took place earlier this month. This time, he came to win. On the other hand, Matt Vawter, who opened Rootstalk in Breckenridge just four years ago, was just grateful for his first invite to the “Oscars” of the food industry.
“It was an honor to be there just as a nominee and finalist,” Vawter told The Denver Post. “Given it was my first year on the semifinalist and finalist list, I thought, ‘No way.’” When Vawter heard his name called for Best Chef in the Mountain Region , waves of shock, nerves and pride rushed over him.
Luckily, he’d jotted down some notes to save him from freezing up during his speech. “I think it’s a real testament to our team, what they do on a daily basis, and what we’ve tried to bring to the Breckenridge community, so it’s amazing to be recognized for it,” Vawter said. Vawter and Whitaker, who won the national Oustanding Restaurateur title with his wife Erika, shared The James Beard Foundation spotlight and embraced at an afterparty.
The two have lit a fire under Colorado chefs after the state was snubbed as a whole by the James Beard Foundation last year. Chef Caroline Glover, owner of Annette and Traveling Mercies, was the last Colorado winner for Best Chef in the Mountain Region in 2022. But with a powerful title comes great responsibility.
The Whitakers have brought a whole new meaning to the word “restaurateur.
