{"id":7059715,"date":"2026-09-17T06:40:05","date_gmt":"2026-09-17T06:40:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/recipes\/category-a-b\/beer\/michelin-stars-james-beard-awards-shine-at-paired\/"},"modified":"2026-09-17T06:40:05","modified_gmt":"2026-09-17T06:40:05","slug":"michelin-stars-james-beard-awards-shine-at-paired","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7059715","title":{"rendered":"Michelin Stars & James Beard Awards Shine at PAIRED"},"content":{"rendered":"


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The\u00a0Great American Beer Festival<\/a>\u00ae (GABF\u00ae), the country\u2019s largest celebration of craft beer, today unveiled the star-studded lineup of chefs joining\u00a0PAIRED<\/a>\u00ae, the festival\u2019s intimate food-and-beer tasting experience, returning October 9\u201310 in Denver. This year\u2019s roster features some of the nation\u2019s most celebrated culinary voices\u2014including multiple James Beard Award winners, Michelin-starred restaurateurs, and nationally recognized tastemakers\u2014making 2025 one of the most exciting PAIRED lineups to date.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Colorado Culinary Leaders\u00a0\u00a0<\/h3>\n

Caroline Glover<\/strong>\u00a0(Annette<\/a>\u00a0&\u00a0Travelling Mercies<\/a>, Aurora) is making her PAIRED debut. Glover\u2019s resume includes being named\u00a0Food & Wine<\/em>\u2019s \u201cBest New Chefs in America\u201d (2019), a James Beard Award for Best Chef Mountain (2022), and recent recognition for Travelling Mercies as both a\u00a0James Beard Best New Bar<\/em>\u00a0semifinalist (2025) and one of\u00a0Esquire\u2019s Best Bars in America<\/em>\u00a0(2024).\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kelly Whitaker and Mara King<\/strong>\u00a0(The Wolf\u2019s Tailor<\/a>,\u00a0Bruto<\/a>,\u00a0Basta<\/a>,\u00a0Hey Kiddo<\/a>,\u00a0Ok Yeah<\/a>,\u00a0Dry Storage<\/a>, and\u00a0NoneSuch<\/a>) continue to push the boundaries of Colorado dining with two restaurants earning Michelin stars in 2024 and a James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur.\u00a0Matt Vawter<\/strong>\u00a0(Rootstalk<\/a>\u00a0&\u00a0Radicato<\/a>, Breckenridge), fresh off his 2024 James Beard Award win for Best Chef Mountain, and\u00a0Josh Niernberg<\/strong>\u00a0(Bin 707<\/a>, Grand Junction), a 2025 finalist for the Beard Award\u2019s Outstanding Chef (National), will also bring their culinary artistry to the PAIRED table.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Denver dining pioneer\u00a0Jen Jasinski\u2019s three restaurants<\/strong>\u00a0(Rioja<\/a>,\u00a0Bistro Vendome<\/a>,\u00a0Ultreia<\/a>), and fan-favorite\u00a0Carrie Baird<\/strong>\u00a0(Fox & The Hen<\/a>), known from\u00a0Top Chef<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Beat Bobby Flay<\/em>, will showcase their signature styles alongside fellow Denver chefs\u00a0Paul Reilly<\/strong>\u00a0(Coperta<\/a>) and\u00a0Linda Hampsten-Fox<\/strong>\u00a0(The Bindery<\/a>).\u00a0<\/p>\n

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National Heavyweights\u00a0<\/h3>\n

PAIRED\u2019s reach extends well beyond Colorado, including\u00a0Dan Jacobs<\/strong>\u00a0(DanDan<\/a>, Milwaukee), a\u00a0Top Chef<\/em>\u00a0alum and James Beard finalist; Washington, D.C.\u2019s powerhouse duo\u00a0Danny Lee and Scott Drewno<\/strong>\u00a0(Anju & Mandu<\/a>), 2025 Beard finalists for Outstanding Restaurateur; and\u00a0Mike Friedman<\/strong>\u00a0(The Red Hen<\/a>, Washington, D.C.), celebrated for his Michelin Bib Gourmand\u2013recognized cooking.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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The full Paired lineup of over 25 chefs can be found\u00a0here<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

From the Bar\u00a0<\/h3>\n
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For the first time, PAIRED expands beyond beer and food with a\u00a0curated Mocktail Bar<\/strong>, led by\u00a0Steve Wildy<\/strong>\u00a0(Mad Wild Wine<\/a>). A James Beard Award semi-finalist and one of the country\u2019s most respected sommeliers, Wildy will highlight the creativity and sophistication of zero-proof pairings, reflecting the rapid growth of this sector in the beverage industry.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Curated by the Brewers Association\u2019s\u00a0Adam Dulye<\/strong>, PAIRED has grown since its debut into one of the premier destinations where chefs and brewers collaborate to showcase their craft. Each year, Dulye brings together top talent from across the globe, transforming Denver into a stage for innovation in beverage and food pairing.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cPAIRED is where culinary innovation and brewing creativity meet,\u201d said Ann Obenchain, vice president of marketing and communications for the Brewers Association. \u201cThis year\u2019s chefs represent the very best of Colorado and beyond, and together they\u2019ll create one-of-a-kind pairings you can only find at the Great American Beer Festival.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Each PAIRED ticket includes unlimited tastings of small plates and craft beverages, thoughtfully paired to surprise and delight adventurous palates. A PAIRED + GABF ticket also provides access to the festival floor.\u00a0Get tickets here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

CraftBeer.com is fully dedicated to small and independent U.S. breweries. We are published by the Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade group dedicated to promoting and protecting America\u2019s small and independent craft brewers. Stories and opinions shared on CraftBeer.com do not imply endorsement by or positions taken by the Brewers Association or its members.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n