The Chef of the ‘World’s Best Restaurant’ Is Coming to Cook in Denver

In the hotly debated annual listing of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, revealed on Tuesday, Italian chef Massimo Bottura’s three-Michelin-starred spot Osteria Francescana landed back at No. 1. Though most diners won’t be able to make it to Modena, Italy, to pay $290 for one of his meals, there is another, cheaper option closer to home.

This summer, Bottura will be in Denver for Slow Food Nations, July 13-15. For its second year here, the free international festival is bringing in big talent to showcase and discuss sustainable food.

Two of Bottura’s events are open to the public that weekend: a Waste Not, Want Not summit and tasting ($75) also featuring Raj Patel, and a Zero Waste Family Meal ($40) made with food recovered from the festival. The Denver projects will be closer in style to Bottura’s non-profit organization than to his award-winning restaurant. In addition to Osteria Francescana, Bottura heads Food for Soul, with community kitchens now spreading around the world.

The three-day Slow Food Nations will include a free open-air marketplace, along with workshops, and summits, as well as ticketed meals, parties, and pop-ups. Other visiting chefs include Rick Bayless and Steven Satterfield. Leading up to the event, from June 18 to 30, some 40 Denver-area restaurants are also participating in a Taste of Slow Food Nations. On their menus will be a special item featuring endangered foods.

• Previous Coverage of Slow Food Nations [EDEN]
• Osteria Francescana Named ‘World’s Best Restaurant’ [E]
• The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2018: The Full List of Winners [E]