James Beard Foundation Recognizes Local Culinary Greats With Awards Nominations

Four Denver chefs and a Boulder restaurant have been named as semi-finalists for the 2015 James Beard Foundation Awards, which released the list yesterday. Chefs Steve Redzikowski (Oak at Fourteenth, Acorn), Dana Rodriguez (Work & Class), and Alex Seidel (Fruition, Mercantile Dining & Provision) were recognized in the Best Chef Southwest category while pastry chef Yasmin Lozada-Hissom, previously of Spuntino, was nominated for nationwide Outstanding Pastry Chef category.

Renowned Boulder restaurant Frasca Food and Wine was nominated in the national Outstanding Restaurant category, alongside Greens in San Francisco, Per Se and Momofuku in New York City, and Hominy Grill in Charleston, S.C. The Frasca team has won a Beard Award for Best Wine Program in 2013 and chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson was named Best Chef Southwest by the Foundation in 2008.

On March 24, the James Beard Foundation will announce five finalists for the awards in each category. The all-around winners will be revealed on May 4 at a ceremony at Chicago's Lyric Opera.