Matt Vawter

James Beard Foundation Award winner for Best Chef: Mountain, Matt Vawter was raised in Summit County, Colorado, and began his culinary career through the Colorado Mountain College Culinary Apprenticeship Program in Keystone.

In 2007, he joined Fruition Restaurant in Denver under Chef Alex Seidel, where he helped shape his technique and philosophy around ingredient-driven cooking. In 2014, he continued with Seidel to open Mercantile Dining & Provision at Union Station, further refining his approach to seasonal cuisine and intentional sourcing.

Drawn back to his mountain roots, Vawter returned to Summit County in December 2020 to open Rootstalk in Breckenridge. The restaurant offers an approachable, technique-driven dining experience designed to evoke the feeling of coming home.

In 2022, Vawter and his partners opened Radicato, a modern Italian restaurant focused on seasonal, technique-driven cuisine inspired by Italy’s culinary traditions. In December 2025, alongside partners Sean and Melissa McGaughey, he opened Threefold Bakery, which quickly gained both local and statewide recognition.

Across Rootstalk, Radicato, and Threefold, Vawter maintains strong relationships with Colorado farmers, ranchers, and artisans, ensuring a consistent commitment to high-quality, responsibly sourced ingredients.

He is dedicated to building environments where hospitality professionals can thrive within mountain communities, and views his restaurants as more than dining destinations, but as places where guests feel welcomed, connected, and cared for through exceptional food and genuine hospitality.