Jorel Pierce a semi-finalist for James Beard Rising Star; four more Denver chefs make the cut

The James Beard Foundation has just released its list -- its long list -- of semi-finalists, and several Denver area restaurants and chefs have made the cut. Jorel Pierce may have gotten bumped from Top Chef early, but the exec chef at Euclid Hall made the cut for Rising Star...

By Patricia Calhoun

February 19, 2013

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The James Beard Foundation has just released its list -- its long list -- of semi-finalists, and several Denver area restaurants and chefs have made the cut.

Jorel Pierce may have gotten bumped from Top Chef early, but the exec chef at Euclid Hall made the cut for Rising Star Chef of the Year. And Frank Bonanno of Bonanno Concepts (Mizuna, Luca D'Italia, Osteria Marco, et. al.) is again on the list for Outstanding Restaurateur. See also: - Exclusive: Leigh Sullivan announces the new troop of Denver FIVE chefs: Selby, Yontz, Pierce, Kleinman and Morrison - Chef and Tell with Jorel Pierce - Chef and Tell with Frank Bonanno - Chef and Tell with Alex Seidel - Chef and Tell with Mac Mackissock - Chef and Tell with Jennifer Jasinski

Williams & Graham is a semi-finalist for Outstanding Bar Program; Frasca Food and Wine is a semi-finalist for Outstanding Wine Program.

And in the Best Chef: Southwest category, Jennifer Jasinski of Rioja (and Bistro Vendome and Euclid), Max Mackissock of Squeaky Bean (who also happens to be Jasinski's husband) and Alex Seidel of Fruition are among the twenty semi-finalists.

The 2013 James Beard Foundation finalists will be announced on Monday, March 18. In the meantime, read the full list of James Beard semi-finalists here.

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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