Kelly Whitaker of Basta

After years of cooking in world-renowned restaurants and studying and living in Italy, in 2008, Whitaker moved to Boulder and co-founded Id Est Hospitality Group.

In January 2010, he opened his first restaurant, Basta. Centered around wood-fired, comforting, farm-based Italian plates (basta means “enough” in Italian), the restaurant represents a passion for creating magnificent flavors from simple, local, seasonal foods. Kelly believes strongly in responsibly sourcing ingredients, and is an active member and local leader of the national organization Chefs Collaborative. He also sits on the Blue Ribbon Task Force for Monterey Bay Seafood Watch.

In 2014, he was named Eater Denver’s Chef of the Year for the Denver Metro Area, and received the Heart of the Collaborative award from Chefs Collaborative. He was recently named 5280’s Editor’s Choice for Best Chef in Denver, in the magazine’s annual Top of the Town Awards for the Denver Metro Area.

My Perfect Day in Boulder:

• Start with coffee! Boulder is one of the best cities in the U.S. for coffee. Although Ozo and Boxcar are some of my go-to spots, my new favorite shop is Alpine Modern up on The Hill.
• If it’s a Saturday morning or Wednesday evening I am sure to be at the Boulder Farmers Market. I buy lots of ingredients for the restaurant here, but I also get the opportunity to connect with Eric Skokan from Black Cat Farms and Paul and Anne from Cure Organic Farms.
• After dropping my produce at Basta, I’d grab lunch at Blackbelly Market.
• If the snow is falling I’d head to the mountains for some runs at Eldora.
• On my nights off, when I get to go out, one of my favorite hidden experiences is Izakaya Amu on Pearl. The highlight of an evening at Izakaya Amu is letting Chef Yuki cook for you Omakase style, which means that you leave it up to her. Trust me; you’ll be in good hands.
• Boulder is also home to some of my favorite late-night spots: The Kitchen Upstairs for bites and a cocktail, OAK at Fourteenth for their stellar late-night menu and The Bitter Bar for a night cap and the best cocktail in town.