Frasca Celebrates Twenty Years of Food, Wine and Community

"We have our mission statement and tenets on the back wall in the office from before we opened, and it's aged really well," says Bobby Stuckey, who worked with Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson at the French Laundry, Thomas Keller's renowned California restaurant, before the two left to open Frasca Food and Wine with Stuckey's wife, Danette, in Boulder on August 4, 2004 — though that date was supposed to be August 6.

"I had scheduled two friends-and-family dinners, but after the first one, I realized we didn't have enough money to do another whole night of free dinners. So I had to call every guest and say hey, you're still invited — you don't have to come — but we're going to open on the 4th because Lachlan and I literally didn't have enough money to do another free dinner," Stuckey recalls.

A lot has changed since then at Frasca, in Boulder and in the world. "When we looked for this space, it was May 2003, and we got the lease at the end of February 2004. For nine months, there was not a vacant space between [now-closed restaurant] Mateo and 9th and Pearl [streets]," Stuckey says. "I didn't take 18th and Pearl because I thought, wow, what a great location — it was the only location." Today, though, there are many vacant spaces in downtown Boulder as businesses continue to struggle in the post-pandemic climate.

During their time at the French Laundry, "it had been named the best restaurant in the world twice, and so we wanted to be the number-one neighborhood restaurant in the world," Stuckey remembers. "And I think we still accomplish that."

A neighborhood restaurant with very fine dining. Over the years, Frasca has racked up national and even international awards for both its food and wine programs (Stuckey is a master sommelier), including earning a Michelin star when the guide released its first Colorado edition last year. But it's also become an anchor in the neighborhood, a place where countless special occasions have been celebrated and connections have been made.

More than a space with four walls, Frasca is a community that's been built over two decades meal by meal, plate by plate, glass by glass. Along the way, it's helped transform the local culinary scene, drawing attention to the region and proving that Colorado is a place where fine dining can thrive.

"We kind of beat to our own drum," Stuckey says, explaining why Frasca has stayed relevant over the years. Instead of jumping on new trends, "we have the North Star of Friuli," the region in northeast Italy that guides everything the team puts out. "It takes a lot of self-control and discipline" to stay focused, Stuckey admits, but that's an essential part of what's made the restaurant a success.

"Our future is in the hands of the same discipline that we've spent the last twenty years practicing," Stuckey says. "And that is, having the team understand our process and what we do, and the humility of how we do it. If we do what we've done the last twenty years — get a little bit better every night — I really look forward to the next twenty years."
In honor of two decades of dining at Frasca, we reached out to some of its notable friends and alums for their memories. Here are some highlights:

"Frasca Food and Wine is truly singular. For the last twenty years, Bobby Stuckey has quietly been building the most complete and perfect restaurant in America. I dare you to find a better neighborhood restaurant where you can have a few stunning bites at the bar or table on a Tuesday. Is there a better fine-dining Italian experience? Nope. And it’s absent the pretension of the others that come to mind. Better service? Better wine program? More convivial? Doesn’t exist. By every measure, Frasca is about as perfect a restaurant as there is.

Bobby and I come from the same family tree, as it were. We both worked for Thomas Keller, so dining there always elicited a special familial joy, but the most enjoyable experience of all that I’ve ever had at Frasca was cooking there [for a guest chef dinner in September 2021]. ... I cook a lot of Chinese food, and one of my dishes for the dinner was a Sichuan classic pairing of poached shrimp and leeks with an intense hot pepper oil. For the wine pairing, Bobby selected a very old Spanish red that was 'big' enough for the dish, and before service, since I don’t drink, a young bartender asked me if I wanted to try the N/A pairing. I was eager to, and he began to describe the smoked apple juice-based beverage that he was going to team with my dish. I was stunned. In China, the spiciest foods in many regions are paired with smoked plum juice, my favorite beverage for eating with dishes like the one I was preparing. The young man told me he did a lot of research, including talking to his Chinese grandmother, and eventually came up with this stunning drink. He had worked a month on this drink; lightly fermenting and smoking local apple juice was just the start. That’s Frasca for you. Empowering the whole staff to contribute, devoting time to make one course on one night everything that it can be. Simply perfect."
— Andrew Zimmern, award-winning chef, writer, traveler, television host
"I was invited to do a dinner back in 2017 as my first (and only) cookbook was coming out. Bobby and his team were the most generous and hospitable group of people. The guests, the energy were so memorable. I think often about my experiences as a guest chef and how Frasca absolutely is the standard on how it’s done. ...[Frasca] defines hospitality with a genuine kindness and level of excellence that is derived from education, leadership, and community."
— Kristen Kish, chef and current Top Chef host

"I first met Lachlan and Bobby in 2005 at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. It was a fortuitous year for all of us. Lachlan had just been named a Food & Wine Best New Chef, I had just joined the magazine about eight months earlier, and had just become director of the acclaimed festival that year, too. Bobby was leading several of our reserve and consumer wine tastings. From that first meeting, I knew they were an incredible team, and we were instant friends. I’ve been lucky enough to spend countless Classics in Aspens with them since, as well as many visits to Frasca and Tavernetta, and plenty of other opportunities for work and play together over the years.

In 2017, while shooting Top Chef season fifteen in Colorado, I arranged for a group of my producers and crew to join me at Frasca for dinner. It was a meal we will never forget — overly generous, incredibly beautiful and creative, and utterly delicious. Then in early 2018, just after my cookbook came out and at the end of a twelve-city book tour, they invited me host a night at the restaurant with a menu from my book. I was six-plus months pregnant with my son, but it was easily the most successful and fun book event of all. The place was packed for two full seatings; Lachlan’s team, of course, cooked my recipes impeccably; and Bobby and crew made sure the energy in the room was at full tilt from 5 p.m. until midnight. It was exhilarating and so special.

Along with a select few other restaurants of its caliber, Frasca has helped set the standard for service, wine and innovation in America’s culinary culture, all while focusing on Colorado’s exceptional ingredients, farmers and purveyors. They have created an ethos of genuine hospitality that has been endlessly emulated and trickled down to the hundreds of cooks and service-industry pros they have mentored and trained over the last twenty years, many of whom have gone on to be trailblazers themselves. Their commitment, passion and hard work has made them true leaders in our industry, respected and valued on the world stage."
— Gail Simmons, cookbook author and Top Chef judge

"I worked in Denver for a few years and had always heard about Bobby's status as a local icon. Frasca was always on my list as this magical destination. I spent many mornings on Zooms with Bobby as we launched the Independent Restaurant Coalition at the start of the pandemic. I was first invited to speak to team Frasca over Zoom during the pandemic, then I was invited to cook with them in the summer of 2021. I have had the opportunity to cook at Frasca twice now, and love the team dearly. I think Frasca is one of the great American restaurants, and I absolutely love the surprises experienced when dining there. The food and hospitality are world-class. ...Frasca reminds us that great hospitality, great wine and modern food can be found anywhere. It truly is a gem and a shining example of the longevity of fine dining in America."
— Gregory Gourdet, James Beard Award-winning chef and author
"Frasca is probably the restaurant in America, other than my own, that I feel part of the family. And I have probably done more chef events there than anyone else. I did the fifteenth anniversary, the twentieth anniversary, three cookbook dinners, two takeovers at then-Pizzeria Locale (now Pizzeria Alberico) and one takeover at Tavernetta...and that's just what I can remember. But what started all of it was my wedding. My wife and I got married September 17, 2005, in the afternoon at the Flagstaff House, and that evening, everyone was told they could do whatever they wanted. Frasca was only a year old, so I wanted to dine there, and I had met Bobby a handful of times at Little Nell and the French Laundry, so I wanted to say hi. When I walked in that evening, literally almost everyone who was invited to our wedding was dining there. It was almost as if it was our wedding reception! After dinner, and after most other guests left, Bobby ended up opening champagne for all of us and staying open extra late. It was like the best after-wedding party ever. That night was the beginning of a great friendship for years to come."
— Marc Vetri, award-winning chef and author

"Bobby’s tenure at the French Laundry left an enormous impact. He was a dynamic sommelier and acted with incredible mentoring and hospitality. He transformed our wine program, and in just one year of his arrival, we were honored with the James Beard Award for Outstanding Wine Service in 2001. With his ambitious and caring nature, we always knew he was bound for his own venture. So when Bobby ventured to Denver to co-found Frasca with Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson, it was a moment of pride for all of us. We were eager to see him bring his vision to life — and his vision promised to be nothing short of extraordinary. Witnessing its inception was truly rewarding.

Being a part of Frasca’s twentieth-anniversary celebration [at a June 18 dinner] was unforgettable. Witnessing Bobby in his element, surrounded by the community he has nurtured over the years, all sharing in the joy of this milestone, was remarkable. ... Frasca has been an undeniable force, largely due to Bobby’s uncompromising vision. More than its exceptional cuisine and wine selection, Frasca embodies a hospitality that is centered on empathy and genuine care for every guest. In much the same way that we aimed to draw people to Yountville with the French Laundry’s experience, Bobby has put Boulder on the map as a special destination.
— Thomas Keller, award-winning chef and author

"I worked at Frasca from 2008 to 2012. I started out stocking the wine cellar and left as a sommelier. I was trained at every front-of-house position along the way. One of my first weeks as a server was when Frasca reopened and I was taking care of a writer from Westword, in fact. At the time, I was 21 and looked about 12. Bobby thought it would be funny to introduce me as his and Danette’s son. The writer believed it and loved the story. ... From that point on, it’s been his running joke."
— Grant Reynolds, founder, Parcelle Wine in New York
"Working at Frasca was my finishing school to set me up to be able to move my career forward opening Oak. Learning so much about food, wine and hospitality at Frasca really is something that I could never replace. I think being able to meet so many people from so many different walks of life at Frasca was one of the most special experiences. Frasca is a powerhouse of cultivating chefs and hospitality professionals in the culinary world. If you look at all the alumni that have come from those four walls and what they have done, it’s truly special. Frasca has its threads in hospitality across the U.S. and beyond. Not many restaurants can say that. It’s truly an inspiration to be part of that world and to see it continually evolve."
— Bryan Dayton, restaurateur (Oak at Fourteenth, Corrida, BriDer, Bellota, C Burger)

"I've always thought how amazing it would be if someone could draw a Frasca family tree. Frasca alumni are all over the country making wine, being chefs, bussing tables, baking pies — and doing it all at an incredibly high level. It's one of those special restaurants where you can trace back other people's success and see the indelible mark Frasca has made not only on Denver, but also the country. The world is a tastier and more hospitable place because of Frasca."
— Chris Donato, Frasca alum and owner of Champagne Tiger

"I first staged at Frasca in 2004 — this was my freshman year in high school, when I was just getting into cooking. I returned in 2011 to open up [Pizzeria Locale] and then joined the Frasca team a couple of months later. My most memorable Frasca experience was when I was invited to cook alongside alums Brian Lockwood and Jared Sippel for the restaurant's fifteen-year anniversary. It was such a fun collaboration, and great to be back. Frasca's influence extends beyond Boulder and Denver, as it continues to be a beacon of excellence in hospitality and culinary influence inspiring food lovers and industry professionals."
— Alexander Hong, Frasca alum and executive chef/owner Sorrel Restaurant in San Francisco

"Having the opportunity to travel to Friuli with some of the Frasca team is one of my favorite memories — getting to experience the regional wine and restaurants and better understanding the vision and inspiration behind Frasca. It put not just Boulder, but the central U.S. on the culinary map. Bobby and the team’s approach to hospitality, the focus on the guest experience, the hyper-focused Friuli inspiration have had an immense influence on our industry. Bobby is no doubt one of the most important leaders in our industry."
— Brian Lockwood, Frasca and Eleven Madison Park alum, consultant for The Bear

"My most memorable experience at Frasca occurred before I started working there. I was sitting at the bar, which was run by Allison [Anderson] at the time (who’s now my wife), next to a frequent guest who kept me in good company. Despite the cold and snowy winter weather, the warmth and fun from that experience made Frasca a place that I will never forget."
— Duncan Holmes, Frasca alum and chef/owner, Beckon and Major Tom

"Frasca removed the boundaries for what is possible in Colorado. Danette, Bobby and Lachlan are tastemakers. Through the scope of hospitality, food and wine, they’ve introduced us to people, flavors and products that have shaped the way we dine. Many of us would not be where we are today without them or Frasca. Buon 20 Anniversario, Frasca!"
— Allison Anderson, Frasca alum and director of experience, Beckon