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11 07 24 Restaurant Association's Denise Mickelsen talks about the 2024 HOSPY Awards
But there's only one feeling like knowing your banker personally, like growing up with a bank you can count on, like being sure what you've earned is safe, secure, and local. There's only one feeling like knowing you're supporting your community. You deserve more from a bank. You deserve an institution that stood strong for generations. Bank of Colorado, there's only one. Member FDIC. At Sprouts Farmers Market, we're all about fresh, healthy, and delicious. Step into our bulk department to scoop up as much as you like from hundreds of bins filled with wholesome grains and limited-time goodies. Visit your neighborhood Sprouts Farmers Market today where flavor fills every scoop. It is Colorado's Morning News, celebrating Colorado's restaurant and hospitality industry and those who go above and beyond to contribute to their business and communities. That was the theme around the inaugural Colorado Restaurant Association's Hospitality Awards, also known as the Hospice. Joining us now on the Kway Common Spirit Health Hotline to talk more about it is the Communications Director for the Colorado Restaurant Association and Foundation. It's Denise Mickelson. Denise, thank you so much for your time. This morning, tell us a little bit more about how these words came to be and who they recognize. So we have always, the Colorado Restaurant Association, has always honored and recognized the talents and the impactful businesses in our industry, but we decided to really blow it out. We didn't feel like there was enough light being shown on our industry, so we are happy to announce the hospice, which are our new awards. We are honoring individuals in the restaurant industry, everyone from dishwashers and line cooks to managers, bartenders, and, of course, owners and operators. And that's what we felt was missing because there are so many important people in our industry who go unsung. I was going to say they go unsung, so let's sing about them. Who is awarded Restaurant of the Year and Chef of the Year? Those are the big ones. The Restaurant of the Year was a net in Aurora, which is a favorite of mine, too, personally. And the Chef of the Year was Penelope Wong. From you on one time, she's an incredible chef. She does so much for her community. She is outspoken, forthright, and very honest about the toll the industry can take and how hard it is to be in business, and she takes really good care of her team and her guests. Denise, like you mentioned, we always hear about restaurant awards like the Michelin Stars, the James Beard Awards, highlighting the chefs, the restaurants, the front of the house members. But the hospees are actually acknowledging even those behind the scenes when we see those that are new to Colorado's dining scene and some newer restaurants and some back of the house members. Absolutely. And that's what makes us so excited, too. Yes, we love the Chef of the Year Restaurant of the Year, but also we wanted to spread the love around the state. So, for instance, the Mater D at the Stone Cellar Bistro, Jen Harris, which that Stone Cellar Bistro's in Arvada, she won our Front of House Employee of the Year award. And then it was really lovely. Ricardo Tyrell is a line cook at Salt and Line in Tingle Springs, and he just became a citizen, and he brings so much warmth and positivity and professionalism to the team and to the whole restaurant at Salt and Line, so he won Back of House Employee of the Year, which was really exciting. The hospees also recognizing one of my favorite food scenes in Denver across the state really is the food truck of the year, and these I even had an opportunity to try at the Shake and Break Showdown, which I absolutely loved. So I'm curious who took home that award in that category. I know that was another wonderful moment. We had three incredible food trucks finalist, but the winner of the night was Pally Ty out of Palisade. I've all over the western, so serving, you know, delicious home cooked Thai food, and they were just overjoyed, and it was a really lovely moment. I love that you celebrate the industry. You always do that, Denise. What does it say? I probably ask you this question every time you come on with us, but what is the state of the industry at this moment in time? I think there's a lot of optimism, even though there are a lot of challenges, right? We know that costs across the board have gone up for everybody, but also for restaurants. And so it is a challenging business environment right now in Colorado, and I'd say across the nation. But nice like last night, I'm telling you, I just have the community together, have everybody celebrating all of these incredible professionals and these businesses that really make a difference in their communities. We also are operator of the year, for instance, which Chris Schmidt, who owns three different restaurants in Edwards and Frisco, and he has truly changed what dining in the Bell Valley is. You know, this industry is resilient and whatever the challenges are, I know that they will continue to push forward and continue to make our communities feel like home. Do the leaders and legislators of Colorado, do they help embrace the industry, make your all's job, make those you represent jobs easier in having a small business in a restaurant thrive in Colorado? I think that our government is really listening to our operators right now, it's a good moment in that way. They're coming to us. They're asking for feedback. They're asking, you know, what they can do to make sure that these businesses continue to thrive. So we're happy to have people listening to us and, you know, we are always ready to collaborate with our legislators and our elected officials to make sure they understand the needs of our community. Denise, if listeners want to see more results and reactions from the hospice, where should they go? They should go to co restaurant.org. The communications director for the Colorado Restaurant Association and foundation are friend Denise Mickelson. Thank you. Thank you so much. There's only one feeling like knowing your banker personally, like growing up with the bank you can count on, like being sure what you've earned is safe, secure, and local. There's only one feeling like knowing you're supporting your community. You deserve more from a bank. You deserve an institution that stood strong for generations. Bank of Colorado, there's only one. Remember FDIC. At Sprouts Farmers Market, we're all about fresh, healthy, and delicious. Step into our bulk department to scoop up as much as you like from hundreds of bins filled with wholesome grains and limited time goodies. Visit your neighborhood Sprouts Farmers Market today where flavor fills every scoop. (upbeat music)