At Montagna, the renowned restaurant in Aspen’s Little Nell Hotel, chef Ryan Hardy’s menu reads like The Pleasures of Slow Food cookbook (think homemade farm lamb sausage and fire-grilled lamb T-bones). So perfect is Hardy’s blend of local ingredients and clean, sophisticated cooking that he’s captured the eye of the James Beard Foundation, the nation’s culinary epicenter.

The organization is bringing Hardy to Denver next week to star in its Celebrity Chef Tour. He will join Lola chef Jamey Fader at the latter’s Lower Highland restaurant to prepare a special foundation benefit dinner.

Thursday, October 9, 7 p.m. 1575 Boulder St., 720-570-8686