Boulder’s Frasca, Hosea Rosenberg named James Beard semifinalists

BOULDER — A Boulder restaurant and a Boulder chef were named semifinalists for the 2025 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards.
Hosea Rosenberg of Blackbelly is a semifinalist in the Best Chef, Mountain category, which includes chefs from Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming. Blackbelly’s Boulder location at 1606 Conestoga St., which celebrated a decade in business last year after adding private dining spaces and a larger market in 2023, earned a “green star” for its sustainability practices when Michelin introduced its first Colorado guide.
Michelin cited Blackberry for its “full utilization of every ingredient and animal, most of which are butchered in-house; sourcing from local ranches and farms that apply natural practices to everything it cultivates.” It noted that the restaurant grows herbs and flowers for its plates on its property. Its butcher Kelly Kawachi was honored with a Michelin Colorado Culinary Professional Award.
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Blackbelly opened a Denver location last March at 4334 W. 41st Ave., a space occupied for nine years by the Il Porcellino Salumi delicatessen and retail shop.
Boulder’s Frasca Food and Wine is a James Beard semifinalist in the Outstanding Restaurant category, a national award for restaurants that demonstrate “consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality and operations,” according to James Beard Foundation.
Last fall, Frasca retained its one-star Michelin Guide rating it received in 2023.
The upscale Italian restaurant on Pearl Street won a 2019 James Beard award in the Outstanding Service category.
All told, Colorado had 14 semifinalists for 2025 James Beard recognitions. Finalists will be named in April and winners celebrated at a June gala in Chicago.
“We congratulate the 2025 Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalists, each of whom displays a notable commitment to their craft and exemplifies leadership,” James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Committee co-chairs Lauren Saria and Erinn Tucker-Oluwole said in a prepared statement. “It is an honor to recognize your distinctive talents that enrich America’s culinary landscape.”
The James Beard Foundation is celebrating the 35th anniversary of its awards program, one of the American scene’s most prestigious, this year.
“For 35 years, the James Beard Awards have stood as a testament to American food culture and its exceptional talent. What began as a celebration of culinary achievement has evolved into a platform leading chefs and the broader culinary industry towards a new standard of excellence,” JBF CEO Clare Reichenbach said in a prepared statement. “As we mark this milestone, we are committed to our vision of a vibrant independent restaurant industry that stands as a cornerstone of American culture, community and economy; and drives towards a better food system.”
A Boulder restaurant and a Boulder chef were named semifinalists for the 2025 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards.