James Beard Awards: Best Mountain Chef Nominees
Back for 2022, the coveted awards honor a range of chefs and restaurants across the mountain west
Photographs of the 2019 James Beard Awards in Chicago, MN. All images by Eliesa Johnson and Melissa Hesse of The Restaurant Project® 2019
After a hiatus due to COVID-19, the James Beard Foundation Awards are back in 2022. The James Beard Foundation honors chefs and bakers across the country. With their mission to celebrate, support and elevate the people behind America’s food culture and champion a standard of good food, it’s an honor to be a semi-finalist.
Across our western mountain states, 21 chefs have the pleasure of holding a nomination for Best Mountain Chef. These folks will be celebrated alongside the rest of the nominees at the awards ceremony on Monday, June 13, 2022, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Without further adieu, here are the nominees for Best Chef: Mountain (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY):
- Cody Cheetham, Tavernetta, Denver
- Saibeen Acord, Saibeen’s Kitchen, Great Falls, MT
- Salvador Alamilla, Amano, Caldwell, ID
- Dan Ansotegui, Ansots, Boise, ID
- Jose Avila, El Borrego Negro, Denver
- Mike Blocher and Nick Fahs, Table X, Salt Lake City
- Logen Crew and Paul Chamberlain, SLC Eatery, Salt Lake City
- Caroline Glover, Annette, Aurora, CO
- Briar Handly, Handle, Park City, UT
- Suchada Johnson, Teton Thai, Teton Village, WY
- Kris Komori, KIN, Boise, ID
- Chris Lockhart and Danny Mowatt, PREROGATIvE Kitchen, Red Lodge, MT
- Chris McDonald, Cowfish, Lander, WY
- Mawa McQueen, Mawa’s Kitchen, Aspen, CO
- Brian Menges, The 2nd Street Bistro, Livingston, MT
- Paul Naugle, Izakaya Three Fish, Bozeman, MT
- Dana Rodriguez, Work & Class, Denver
- Eric Skokan, Black Cat Farm Table Bistro, Boulder, CO
- Luis Young, Penrose Room, Colorado Springs, CO
- Dave Wells, The Tasting Room at Chico Hot Springs Resort & Day Spa, Pray, MT
“Honestly, I’m still in shock that I was nominated,” nominee Cody Cheetham from Tavernetta tells Mountain Living. “I didn’t believe it fully until my friend Carlo, who was nominated for another award, called me to congratulate me that morning. It’s incredibly humbling to be considered, and I have to thank my entire team for making it possible. Hospitality isn’t possible without a great team, and I am fortunate to have one of the best in the industry.”
Best of luck to the many fabulous chefs up for the award!
