Every year for the past seven years, I ve simultaneously looked forward to and dreaded the production of
Westword s annual Best of Denver edition. Helping to choose the best things to eat and drink in dozens of categories is a thrilling exercise, but it s also exhausting and more than a little stressful. How do I explain to people in the industry whom I respect and whose culinary contributions are important to the city why they didn t win a specific award? How do I choose between two outstanding places when only one slot exists?
The truth is that if you re open and selling food and your customers are coming back, you re already the best. You and your team of cooks, dishwashers, servers, bartenders, managers and other workers deserve recognition every day for your dedication to excelling in one of the most difficult industries in which to succeed now more than ever before, because of the increased strain of the pandemic.