Good food and wine are even better with good service. A Colorado restaurant apparently knows a thing or two about that.
Frasca Food and Wine, an Italian restaurant and wine bar in Boulder, took home a prestigious James Beard Award for outstanding service at the Beard awards gala in Chicago on Monday night.
Frasca, founded in 2004 by master sommelier Bobby Stuckey and chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson, earned the honor over restaurants in New Orleans, Seattle, San Francisco and Ann Arbor, Mich.
The Beard awards – think the Grammys, but for food and wine – are handed out annually for everything from best new restaurant to outstanding wine program to the top chefs. The outstanding service category featured restaurants that have been open for at least five years and demonstrate "consistency and exceptional thoughtfulness in hospitality and service."
Frasca has been nominated for several Beard awards over the years, including outstanding restaurant from 2015-2018 and outstanding wine service or wine program from 2010-2013.
Seven other Colorado restaurants and chefs were named semifinalists for the Beard awards this year:
· Best new restaurant: Q House, Denver
· Outstanding baker: Andy Clark of Moxie Bread Co., Louisville
· Outstanding wine program: element 47 at the Little Nell, Aspen
· Best chef in the southwest: Caroline Glover of Annette, Aurora
· Best chef in the southwest: Kelly Whitaker of The Wolf’s Tailor, Denver
· Outstanding pastry chef: Jeb Breakell of The Wolf’s Tailor, Denver
· Outstanding wine, spirits or beer producer: Todd Leopold and Scott Leopold of Leopold Bros., Denver
