Colorado Restaurant Association announces HOSPY winners

The Colorado Restaurant Association announced the 2024 class of Hospitality Awards honorees at the inaugural HOSPY Awards Gala, held Wednesday night at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts Seawell Ballroom in downtown Denver.

The HOSPYs celebrate the exceptional talent and accomplishments of Colorado’s restaurant and hospitality community, at all levels of the industry. Wednesday night’s event opened with remarks from Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and was emceed by award-winning author Adrian Miller.

The 2024 HOSPY Awards honorees:

• Front-of-House Employee of the Year: Jenne Harris, Maître d’, Stone Cellar Bistro (Arvada)
• Back-of-House Employee of the Year: Ricardo Tyrell, Line Cook, Salt & Lime (Steamboat Springs)
• Bartender of the Year: Keith Webber, Mountain Standard (Vail)
• Manager of the Year: Angelina Allen, Assistant General Manager, 626 on Rood (Grand Junction)
• Food Truck of the Year: Pali Thai (Palisade)
• Operator of the Year: Chris Schmidt, Craftsman Brew Co., Bird Craft, and Il Mago (Edwards, Frisco)
• Newcomer Restaurant of the Year: Sắp Sửa (Denver)
• Pastry Chef/Baker of the Year: Carolyn Nugent and Alen Ramos, Poulette Bakeshop (Parker)
• Chef of the Year: Penelope Wong, Yuan Wonton (Denver)
• Restaurant of the Year: Annette (Aurora)
• Legacy Employee of the Year: Miranda McFarlan-Garcia, Richard Sandoval Hospitality (Denver, Snowmass)
• Community Partner of the Year: US Foods (Centennial)
• Philanthropists of the Year: Jessica and Richard Fierro, Atrevida Beer Co. (Colorado Springs)
• Richard P. Ayers Award for Distinguished Service: Catherine Cooney, Cooney Consulting and Recruiting (Denver)

“The HOSPY Awards is already growing into a unifying, uplifting force for our community, which represents more than 10% of Colorado’s workforce, and we’re excited to see it grow as our industry does in the years to come,” said Sonia Riggs, CRA president and CEO.

Members of the public submitted online HOSPY nominations beginning in July. In late September, a
nominating committee made up of statewide media and industry professionals selected finalists and
awardees. The public submitted more than 4,200 votes across 10 award categories in October, and the 2024 HOSPY Award honorees were selected based on those public votes and those of the awards committee. Learn more at corestaurant.org/co-hospy-awards.

Also of note, on October 22 at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, the CRA inducted
four local hospitality professionals into the Colorado Foodservice Hall of Fame, which was established in
1978.

The 2024 Lifetime Achievement Awards inductees:

• Michael Coughlin, of 240 Union in Lakewood
• Lari Goode & Mark Fischer, of Six 89 and Phat Thai in Carbondale and The Pullman in Glenwood Springs
• Chad Scothorn, of Cosmopolitan in Telluride