“This is an incredible opportunity to really see the breadth of the Denver dining scene,” promises Laura Shunk, president of the Colorado Restaurant Foundation (and former dining critic at Westword). From September 3 through September 6, the foundation will host the annual Denver Food + Wine festival on the Auraria campus.
“All of the proceeds of this festival benefit the Colorado Restaurant Foundation,” explains Shunk. “They very directly support our programs in two different verticals."
Colorado ProStart, a high school culinary and career exploration program, falls into the first category, which is all about skill-set development and training. “We are the oldest ProStart program in the country...in more than fifty high schools across the state. It really gives students a holistic look at what it takes to succeed in this industry,” Shunk says.
The Colorado Restaurant Foundation also has a U.S. Department of Labor-registered apprenticeship program. “It builds from line cook to restaurant manager, [providing] a full set of competencies [needed] to advance along that career," Shunk explains. "We've got more than sixty apprentices and a number who are in the process of getting placed in apprenticeships. It's been very well received by the restaurant industry — we work with more than seventy employers across the state.
The ProStart and apprenticeship programs both use curriculums standardized by the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation. “Once they’ve gotten that certified line cook designation, they could really be a line cook anywhere," Shunk says of apprenticeship participants.
To aid in training, the foundation offers scholarships for students attending hospitality or culinary programs across the state. “You may have barriers to advancing and thriving that have nothing to do with your technical skill set," Shunk notes. "So the other side of our organization is about removing those barriers."
The foundation's second vertical is about removing other barriers: The Angel Relief Fund is a program that supports Colorado restaurant employees experiencing hardship due to an unexpected illness, injury or natural disaster. “We've expanded the Angel Relief Fund so that it also covers mental health grants. Anybody in our industry who's experiencing a mental health challenge can get up to $1,000 in coverage paid directly to their provider. They don't have to provide us any details; they just have to qualify," Shunk says.
Denver Food + Wine is the Colorado Restaurant Foundation’s key fundraising event of the year, and supporting the careers and wellness of local restaurant industry workers are both excellent reasons to attend. Here are four more reasons you should go to this year's Denver Food + Wine:
Sample restaurants from across the state
This year, the foundation invited restaurants from around Colorado to participate. This year's grand-tasting lineup of more than fifty top restaurants includes Rootstalk in Breckenridge (led by James Beard award-winning chef Matty Vawter), as well as Il Mago in Edwards, Sweet Basil in Vail, and Flagstaff House in Boulder.
Denver Food + Wine Festival, September 3-6 on the Tivoli Quad, Auraria Campus. The grand tasting starts at noon (for VIPS) Saturday, September 6. Get more info on the Denver Food + Wine.
“All of the proceeds of this festival benefit the Colorado Restaurant Foundation,” explains Shunk. “They very directly support our programs in two different verticals."
Colorado ProStart, a high school culinary and career exploration program, falls into the first category, which is all about skill-set development and training. “We are the oldest ProStart program in the country...in more than fifty high schools across the state. It really gives students a holistic look at what it takes to succeed in this industry,” Shunk says.
The Colorado Restaurant Foundation also has a U.S. Department of Labor-registered apprenticeship program. “It builds from line cook to restaurant manager, [providing] a full set of competencies [needed] to advance along that career," Shunk explains. "We've got more than sixty apprentices and a number who are in the process of getting placed in apprenticeships. It's been very well received by the restaurant industry — we work with more than seventy employers across the state.
The ProStart and apprenticeship programs both use curriculums standardized by the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation. “Once they’ve gotten that certified line cook designation, they could really be a line cook anywhere," Shunk says of apprenticeship participants.
To aid in training, the foundation offers scholarships for students attending hospitality or culinary programs across the state. “You may have barriers to advancing and thriving that have nothing to do with your technical skill set," Shunk notes. "So the other side of our organization is about removing those barriers."
The foundation's second vertical is about removing other barriers: The Angel Relief Fund is a program that supports Colorado restaurant employees experiencing hardship due to an unexpected illness, injury or natural disaster. “We've expanded the Angel Relief Fund so that it also covers mental health grants. Anybody in our industry who's experiencing a mental health challenge can get up to $1,000 in coverage paid directly to their provider. They don't have to provide us any details; they just have to qualify," Shunk says.
Denver Food + Wine is the Colorado Restaurant Foundation’s key fundraising event of the year, and supporting the careers and wellness of local restaurant industry workers are both excellent reasons to attend. Here are four more reasons you should go to this year's Denver Food + Wine:
Score stunning stemware at the Riedel Wine Glass seminars
What you drink matters, but what you drink out of does, too. "It's pretty interesting to taste the difference between glassware shapes, and the sommelier who leads it always picks really good wine. Plus, this year we are featuring the Veolce glass, which in my opinion is the best Riedel glass," says Shunk. “Every year, we see people have an aha moment of, ‘Hey, it does make a difference what glass you’re putting your wine in.’ Then, they take that glassware home and continue to enjoy the lesson over and over again." Every guest walks away with a set of four glasses — a $178 value, and tickets are $95. A few tickets are still available for the September 3 event, which starts at 6 p.m.; see if you can snag one on the Denver Food + Wine site.
Taste fare from top food trucks paired with cocktails at the Shake + Brake Showdown
ProStart participants will be out in force helping the food trucks at the annual Shake + Brake Showdown. There will be a new judges' pick for the food trucks this year, and winners will take home cash prizes. One of the judges is Christina Richardson from Chile Con Quesadilla, who won people's choice at this contest three years in a row. Yes, guests can still
vote for their favorites..while enjoying all-you-can-drink cocktails and an array of appetizers. The Showdown starts at 7 p.m. September 4.
What you drink matters, but what you drink out of does, too. "It's pretty interesting to taste the difference between glassware shapes, and the sommelier who leads it always picks really good wine. Plus, this year we are featuring the Veolce glass, which in my opinion is the best Riedel glass," says Shunk. “Every year, we see people have an aha moment of, ‘Hey, it does make a difference what glass you’re putting your wine in.’ Then, they take that glassware home and continue to enjoy the lesson over and over again." Every guest walks away with a set of four glasses — a $178 value, and tickets are $95. A few tickets are still available for the September 3 event, which starts at 6 p.m.; see if you can snag one on the Denver Food + Wine site.
Taste fare from top food trucks paired with cocktails at the Shake + Brake Showdown
ProStart participants will be out in force helping the food trucks at the annual Shake + Brake Showdown. There will be a new judges' pick for the food trucks this year, and winners will take home cash prizes. One of the judges is Christina Richardson from Chile Con Quesadilla, who won people's choice at this contest three years in a row. Yes, guests can still
Sample restaurants from across the state
This year, the foundation invited restaurants from around Colorado to participate. This year's grand-tasting lineup of more than fifty top restaurants includes Rootstalk in Breckenridge (led by James Beard award-winning chef Matty Vawter), as well as Il Mago in Edwards, Sweet Basil in Vail, and Flagstaff House in Boulder.
Support Colorado ProStart Students
Denver Food + Wine is more than a fundraising event; it’s a programmatic outlet that allows Colorado ProStart students to learn from and work alongside the city’s top chefs and restaurant teams. This year, for example, four Colorado Top Chef contestants — Hosea Rosenberg, Manny Barella, Brother Luck and Carrie Baird — are working with ProStart high school culinary classes to prep bites for the festival. “For some," Shunk concludes,"this is going to be that moment where they're like, ‘Wow, the restaurant industry is really cool, and I want to know more,’ which is our entire mission of the program."
Denver Food + Wine is more than a fundraising event; it’s a programmatic outlet that allows Colorado ProStart students to learn from and work alongside the city’s top chefs and restaurant teams. This year, for example, four Colorado Top Chef contestants — Hosea Rosenberg, Manny Barella, Brother Luck and Carrie Baird — are working with ProStart high school culinary classes to prep bites for the festival. “For some," Shunk concludes,"this is going to be that moment where they're like, ‘Wow, the restaurant industry is really cool, and I want to know more,’ which is our entire mission of the program."
