Chef at Boulder’s Cozobi wins Michelin award

Local food news for Sept. 10, 2024

By John Lehndorff - Sep. 10, 2024
Johnny-Curiel-Courtesy-Michelin-guide
Johnny Curiel, owner/chef of Denver's Alma Fonda Fina and Boulder's Cozobi Fonda Fina, won the Young Chef award from Michelin. Credit: Shawn Campbell

The 2024 Michelin Awards for Colorado announced last week did not add any new Boulder County eateries to the roster, but last year’s winners in various categories retained their designations. Denver’s Alma Fonda Fina was the only new one-star winner, and its owner/chef Johnny Curiel was also awarded Michelin’s Young Chef Culinary Professional Award. He opened Boulder’s Cozobi Fonda Fina in July. 


Best of the rest

You only have until midnight on Sept. 14 to cast a vote for your favorite restaurants, bars, bakeries and businesses in Longmont, Louisville, Lafayette, Erie, Niwot and Lyons in the 2024 Best of Boulder East County survey. Make sure to vote in at least 20 categories for your vote to count: vote.boulderweekly.com/food 


Culinary calendar: Cookie art with wine

Boulder’s Bookcliff Vineyards hosts a hands-on custom-decorated cookie workshop Sept. 13 with Cookies by Nicole. Artists over 21 can sip wine as they craft edible art. bookcliffvineyards.com

Cocina Libre: Immigrant Resistance Recipes is a new cookbook featuring recipes and stories from Colorado’s refugee and immigrant cooks. Authors Dr. Julia Roncoroni and Dr. Delio Figueroa will talk about their project Sept. 18 at the Boulder Bookstore. Tickets: bit.ly/CocinaEventBW.

Read a BW interview with Roncoroni: bit.ly/CocinaLibreBW


Taste of the week: Pie Squared = perfect 

Square pizza is all the rage these days, with local eateries labeling their thick-crusted horizontal pies as Detroit, Sicilian or Roman-style.

Cacio e pepe pizza at Urban Field Pizza & Market. Credit: John Lehndorff

When we recently visited Longmont’s Urban Field Pizza & Market, we dug into slices that ignored the labels and delivered incredible flavor and chew. Urban Field’s cacio e pepe square pizza is topped with creme fraiche, a blend of fontina and gorgonzola cheeses, extra virgin olive oil and a generous grind of black pepper

The slow-fermented crust is a deeply flavorful wonder with an airy, moist middle, addictively crispy caramelized cheese edges and just enough toppings. The re-baked leftovers the next day were a joy.  

Our recommendation: Ask the kitchen to leave the pie in the oven an extra five minutes to amplify that cheesy crunch. 

We also dug into a spot-on Caesar salad and tender beef and pork meatballs in tomato sauce with provolone cheese, basil and pistachio pesto. 

Urban Field Pizza is also served in The Lounge at the Boulder Theater.


Words to chew on: Have some pudding 

“I think I’ll just go down and have some pudding and wait for it all to turn up — it always does in the end.” – Luna Lovegood in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Read a BW story about A Magical Feast from the new Experimental Dinner Club in Louisville


John Lehndorff hosts Radio Nibbles and Kitchen Table Talk on KGNU. Comments: [email protected] 

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