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Colorado Restaurant Association & Foundation

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Colorado Restaurant Association & Foundation

Champions for Colorado's dynamic restaurant industry. Send us a message with your questions and we will help you with any issues you may be experiencing!

ALL CRA members can take advantage of the following money-saving programs and benefits:
• Industry representation at the local, state, and national level
• Legislative and regulatory alerts
• Education and training programs
• Discounted insurance programs - workers' comp, property, casualty, business and liquor liability, equipment breakdown, and employment practices liability insurance
• Discount

ed credit card processing
• Discounted payroll & HR services
• Discounted music licensing
• Discounted food safety training
• Discounted alcohol server training
• And much more!

06/17/2026

The CRA Chef Alliance continues to bring local culinary leaders together for professional development, industry insights, and to make meaningful connections... and eat delicious food!

Yesterday’s gathering at the Museum of Boulder featured a tour of the Boulder Eats! Food Traditions Along the Front Range exhibit, a butchery demonstration and tasting, Sundance Film Festival insights from a Park City chef, a BBQ culinary competition, important updates on Colorado’s state legislative session from the CRA team, and valuable insights on adapting to weather-driven changes on produce yields and availability.

From exploring culinary traditions to discussing the future of our industry, the Chef Alliance creates a space for chefs to learn, share ideas, and strengthen Colorado’s hospitality community.

Thank you, Chef Taj and Chef Chris, for planning a wonderful meeting, and thank you to all who participated and attended!

Interested in joining the CRA Chef Alliance? Learn more about CRA membership at the link in our bio.

06/16/2026

✨ A huge congratulations to Chef Penelope Wong of Yuan Wonton, who took home the 2026 James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Mountain at last night’s gala. Penelope, who started Yuan Wonton as a beloved food truck, has been a James Beard Award Finalist three times and is the first Asian woman from Colorado to win this award!

In 2024, Penelope won the Colorado Restaurant Association Hospitality Award (HOSPY) for Chef of the Year.

Please join us in congratulating all of Colorado’s 2026 nominees and semifinalists! These chefs, restaurateurs, bakers, beverage professionals, and hospitality leaders represent the creativity, passion, and innovation that make Colorado’s culinary scene one of the most exciting in the country. Their talent continues to elevate our state’s reputation on both a local and national stage, and we couldn’t be more proud to celebrate their incredible achievements.

🏆 2026 James Beard Foundation Award Nominees

Best Chef: Mountain
• Johnny Curiel, Alma Fonda Fina (Denver)

Outstanding Chef
• Josh Niernberg, Bin 707 (Grand Junction)

Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service
• Ryan Fletter, Barolo Grill (Denver)

Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service
• McLain Hedges & Mary Allison Wright, Yacht Club (Denver)

We also celebrate Colorado’s 17 James Beard Foundation Award semifinalists, whose talent and dedication continue to shape our vibrant hospitality community:

• Tommy Lee, Uncle, Hop Alley & Molino Chido (Outstanding Restaurateur)
• Kizaki (Best New Restaurant)
• Poulette Bakeshop (Outstanding Bakery)
• Emily Thompson, The Wolf’s Tailor (Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker)
• Restaurant Olivia (Outstanding Hospitality)
• Lady Jane (Outstanding Bar)
• Van Atta (Best New Bar)
• Theo Adley, Marigold (Best Chef: Mountain)
• Dave Grant & Rocky Hunter, Gladys (Best Chef: Mountain)
• Miles Odell, Odell’s Bagel (Best Chef: Mountain)
• Bo Porytko, Molotov Kitchen + Cocktails (Best Chef: Mountain)
• Kenneth Wan, MAKfam (Best Chef: Mountain)

06/13/2026

On Monday, June 15, the James Beard Foundation will announce the 2026 Restaurant and Chef Awards during the ceremony at Lyric Opera of Chicago.🍴

As we wait with our fingers crossed to see which Colorado finalists (below) will be celebrated, let’s take a look back at the history of the James Beard Foundation Awards in the Centennial state. Read more from 5280 Magazine’s article, “A Complete List of Every Colorado James Beard Award Winner,” by Food Editor Mark Antonation (Mark Antonation) through the link in our bio!

2026 James Beard Foundation Awards Colorado Finalists:

🍴Best Chef: Mountain
Johnny Curiel, Alma Fonda Fina (Denver) Alma Fonda Fina, Johnny Curiel

Penelope Wong, Yuan Wonton (Denver) Yuan Wonton

🍴Outstanding Chef: Josh Niernberg, Bin 707 (Grand Junction) Bin 707 Josh Niernberg

🍷Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service: Ryan Fletter, Barolo Grill (Denver) Barolo Grill Ryan Fletter

🍹Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service: McLain Hedges and Mary Allison Wright, Yacht Club (Denver) Y A C H T C L U B Mary Allison Wright McLain Hedges

06/10/2026

Calling Colorado chefs... and CRA Boulder Chapter members! Please join us for an informative, educational, and very delicious meeting of the CRA Chef Alliance, taking place next Tuesday, June 16, from 6 - 8 p.m. at the Museum of Boulder.🍴

We’ll explore the “Boulder EATS! Food Traditions Along the Front Range” exhibit at the Museum of Boulder; get tips and tricks for the 2027 Sundance Film Festival; enjoy a BBQ competition (with tastings!); and learn more about what restaurants can expect after the 2026 Colorado Legislative Session.

RSVP: corestaurant.org/membership/cra-chef-alliance

CRA Chef Alliance meetings are open to all chefs who work for CRA member restaurants. If you’re a CRA member and you’re interested in joining the Chef Alliance, please attend this meeting or reach out to us to learn more.

If you’re not a CRA member but you are interested in learning more about and/or joining the Chef Alliance, reach out to us at [email protected].

06/01/2026

Happy Pride Month, Colorado!🏳️‍🌈

We’re honoring the rich history behind Colorado’s LGBTQIA+ restaurants, bars, and clubs, which are a reflection of the state’s impactful q***r civil rights movement.

Spaces that have since closed — such as The Pit and The Three Sisters, which was one of the few le***an bars in the U.S. and Denver’s best-known le***an bar from 1973 to 1996 — served as critical gathering spots during times of intense discrimination. Many of these businesses may have closed, but their torch has been passed on.

Please join us in celebrating Pride Month and honoring the individuals who continue to shape Colorado’s LGBTQIA+ restaurant and bar history!

05/30/2026

Colorado restaurants, it’s time for Governor Polis to sign the Swipe Fee Relief Act into law, choosing to help local businesses over credit card networks and corporate giants.

Please share this video and help spread the word!

05/14/2026

On the last day of Colorado’s Legislative Session, the CRA secured an amendment to HB 1223, which increases the utility sales tax deduction in perpetuity AND guarantees our industry 8 months of sales tax holidays over two years, for all restaurants & foodservice businesses in Colorado!

What do these wins mean? Short answer: Financial relief for restaurants, food trucks, caterers, bars, taverns, and more at a time when it’s needed most.

💡Utility Sales Tax Deduction Increase: Restaurants & foodservice businesses can deduct 100% (!!!) of utility costs (gas, electricity) used to prepare food on your first tax filing of the year. Did your kitchen use gas and electricity to prepare food? Deduct 100% of those 2026 costs on your 2027 taxes.... and all years going forward.

🎊Sales Tax Holidays in 2027 & 2028: Similar to the sales tax holiday the CRA secured during COVID, there will be 8 total months across 2027 and 2028 in which restaurants and foodservice businesses get to keep $2,000 per month of the state sales taxes they collect; the holidays will be in July, August, November, and December 2027 and 2028. For even the smallest restaurants, this is a $10,000 - $16,000 annual savings!

These wins apply to every single restaurant across the state, as well as other foodservice businesses. While the CRA advocates for and protects all restaurants, we are stronger together with the support of our members. Not a member? Consider joining today! If you are a current member, join us for our Annual CRA/F Member Meeting and 2026 Legislative Update on Tuesday, May 19 at 10 a.m.

We’re also still urging Governor Polis to sign SB26-134 (the Swipe Fee Relief Act) so that restaurants are relieved from paying swipe fees on sales taxes. Link in bio to send a note to our Gov!

05/09/2026

The Colorado General Assembly passed and sent to the Governor the landmark Swipe Fee Relief Act (SB26-134), which eliminates swipe fees from being charged on sales taxes.

This bill is estimated to save Colorado restaurants $34 million each year and comes at a time when our industry truly needs relief. The bill narrowly passed through the Senate by an 18 - 17 vote, and passed through the House on a 44 - 20 vote.

Please join us in taking a moment to thank the legislators who stood with local restaurants and businesses despite enormous pressure from big banks and credit cards. When we stand together, our community is so much stronger!

Now, we urge Governor Polis to support local restaurants and retailers and sign this bill into law. Use the one-click email link in our bio to send him a note!

05/08/2026

From family-run kitchens to iconic Denver staples, Colorado’s Latin restaurant scene tells a story 150+ years in the making.🌶️

Think: legacies like Casa Mayan (1946) and La Fiesta (1963), beloved institutions like La Loma and Santiago’s, and newer spots like Work & Class and Xiquita Restaurante Y Bar, each restaurant reflects a piece of Colorado’s evolving culinary tapestry.

These restaurants aren’t just places to eat, they’re places where history lives, recipes are passed down, and communities gather.

05/07/2026

Today, the Colorado House of Representatives took a stand for small businesses and local restaurants by PASSING the Swipe Fee Relief Act. This bill delivers real bottom-line relief to local restaurants by ending swipe fees on the sales tax portion of every transaction. The bill now goes to Governor Polis for his signature.

Colorado proved something important today: Grassroots voices are stronger than corporate pressure.

This victory belongs to the restaurant owners staying late to close up shop, the small business owners fighting to keep their doors open, and the communities that believe local economies matter more than Wall Street profits.

HUGE thank you to the bill sponsors — Senators William Lindstedt and Iman Jodeh, Speaker of the House Julie McCluskie, and House Majority Leader Monica Duran — as well as the 44 Colorado Representatives who stood with local businesses and voted YES.

Please take a moment to reach out to Governor Polis and urge him to sign this bill! Link in bio to send our Governor an email

Address

430 E 7th Avenue
Denver, CO
80203

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

(303) 830-2972

Website

http://www.corestaurant.org/

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