The Great American Beer Festival® (GABF®), the country’s largest celebration of craft beer, today unveiled the star-studded lineup of chefs joining PAIRED®, the festival’s intimate food-and-beer tasting experience, returning October 9–10 in Denver. This year’s roster features some of the nation’s most celebrated culinary voices—including multiple James Beard Award winners, Michelin-starred restaurateurs, and nationally recognized tastemakers—making 2025 one of the most exciting PAIRED lineups to date.
Colorado Culinary Leaders
Caroline Glover (Annette & Travelling Mercies, Aurora) is making her PAIRED debut. Glover’s resume includes being named Food & Wine’s “Best New Chefs in America” (2019), a James Beard Award for Best Chef Mountain (2022), and recent recognition for Travelling Mercies as both a James Beard Best New Bar semifinalist (2025) and one of Esquire’s Best Bars in America (2024).
Kelly Whitaker and Mara King (The Wolf’s Tailor, Bruto, Basta, Hey Kiddo, Ok Yeah, Dry Storage, and NoneSuch) continue to push the boundaries of Colorado dining with two restaurants earning Michelin stars in 2024 and a James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur. Matt Vawter (Rootstalk & Radicato, Breckenridge), fresh off his 2024 James Beard Award win for Best Chef Mountain, and Josh Niernberg (Bin 707, Grand Junction), a 2025 finalist for the Beard Award’s Outstanding Chef (National), will also bring their culinary artistry to the PAIRED table.
Denver dining pioneer Jen Jasinski’s three restaurants (Rioja, Bistro Vendome, Ultreia), and fan-favorite Carrie Baird (Fox & The Hen), known from Top Chef and Beat Bobby Flay, will showcase their signature styles alongside fellow Denver chefs Paul Reilly (Coperta) and Linda Hampsten-Fox (The Bindery).
National Heavyweights
PAIRED’s reach extends well beyond Colorado, including Dan Jacobs (DanDan, Milwaukee), a Top Chef alum and James Beard finalist; Washington, D.C.’s powerhouse duo Danny Lee and Scott Drewno (Anju & Mandu), 2025 Beard finalists for Outstanding Restaurateur; and Mike Friedman (The Red Hen, Washington, D.C.), celebrated for his Michelin Bib Gourmand–recognized cooking.
The full Paired lineup of over 25 chefs can be found here.
From the Bar
For the first time, PAIRED expands beyond beer and food with a curated Mocktail Bar, led by Steve Wildy (Mad Wild Wine). A James Beard Award semi-finalist and one of the country’s most respected sommeliers, Wildy will highlight the creativity and sophistication of zero-proof pairings, reflecting the rapid growth of this sector in the beverage industry.
Curated by the Brewers Association’s Adam Dulye, PAIRED has grown since its debut into one of the premier destinations where chefs and brewers collaborate to showcase their craft. Each year, Dulye brings together top talent from across the globe, transforming Denver into a stage for innovation in beverage and food pairing.
“PAIRED is where culinary innovation and brewing creativity meet,” said Ann Obenchain, vice president of marketing and communications for the Brewers Association. “This year’s chefs represent the very best of Colorado and beyond, and together they’ll create one-of-a-kind pairings you can only find at the Great American Beer Festival.”
Each PAIRED ticket includes unlimited tastings of small plates and craft beverages, thoughtfully paired to surprise and delight adventurous palates. A PAIRED + GABF ticket also provides access to the festival floor. Get tickets here.
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