CHEF MATT VAWTER
2024 James Beard Foundation Award Winner | Best Chef: Mountain
James Beard Foundation Award ‘Best Chef: Mountain’ winner Chef Matt Vawter, raised in Summit County, Colorado, began his culinary journey at the Colorado Mountain College Culinary Apprenticeship Program in Keystone. In 2007, he joined Fruition restaurant in Denver under Chef Alex Seidel, and in 2014, they opened Mercantile Dining & Provision at Union Station.
Drawn back to his mountain roots, Vawter returned to Summit County in December 2020, opening Rootstalk in Breckenridge. Rootstalk offers an approachable, technique-focused, ingredient-driven dining experience, designed to evoke the feeling of coming home. In 2022, Vawter and partners launched Radicato, a modern Italian restaurant celebrating seasonal, technique-driven cuisine inspired by Italy’s rich culinary traditions.
During Vawter’s time at Fruition and Mercantile, he developed his cooking style and honed his culinary ethos with a focus on intentional sourcing. Now, at Rootstalk and Radicato, Vawter has maintained strong relationships with Colorado’s farmers, ranchers, and artisans to ensure they are using the best, high-quality ingredients available throughout the year.
Vawter is committed to creating environments where hospitality professionals can flourish amid mountain living, and envisions Rootstalk and Radicato as more than dining destinations—they’re places where guests are welcomed and embraced, invited to savor exceptional food, drink, and genuine hospitality.
