It’s been nine long years since a Front Range chef has played a starring role at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen (June 14 to 16), mainly because no Colorado toques have been named to that magazine’s Best New Chef class since Alex Seidel earned the honor in 2010 for his cooking at Fruition. But by making it onto the prestigious list in April, chef-owner Caroline Glover of Annette—an intimate, two-year-old, wood-fire-based New American restaurant in Aurora’s Stanley Marketplace—became one of 10 acclaimed young chefs headlining the posh culinary festival. If you’ll be there, you can toast Glover’s success when she cooks for attendees at the Grand Tasting tent. Otherwise, celebrate with Glover and her team (whom she credits for the honor) by dining at Annette instead. Its new spring menu is full of seasonal treats—tagliatelle with morels, guanciale, and sweet peas; a decadent leek-and potato gratin with Taleggio—that warrant appreciation back where it all began.

This article was originally published in 5280 June 2019.
Denise Mickelsen
Denise Mickelsen
Denise Mickelsen is 5280’s former food editor. She oversaw all of 5280’s food-related coverage from October 2016 to March 2021.