Coohills Restaurant & Bar Returns to the Beaujolais & Beyond Culinary Competition

Denver, CO (10/20/25) — The French American Chamber of Commerce – Rocky Mountain Chapter (RMFACC) is proud to announce the return of Coohills Restaurant & Bar, one of Denver’s most celebrated fine dining destinations, to the Culinary Competition at the 27th Annual Beaujolais & Beyond, taking place on Thursday, November 20, 2025, at ReelWorks Denver. Beaujolais & Beyond stands as Colorado’s premier French food and wine celebration, drawing more than 650 business leaders, chefs, and community members together to honor the release of the Beaujolais Nouveau while spotlighting Colorado’s culinary talent.

Opened in 2011 by husband-and-wife team Chef Tom and Diane Coohill, Coohills Restaurant & Bar brings a French-influenced, Colorado-grown philosophy to Denver’s LoDo neighborhood. The menu showcases local and regional partnerships and features seasonal highlights such as fresh crudo salads, house-cured charcuterie, signature crab cakes, and artfully prepared seafood, game, and produce—all made from scratch.

Chef Tom Coohill’s culinary career began at Kentucky’s L’Auberge de Champs and led him to train under master chefs at Michelin and Mobil 5-star establishments including L’Oustau de Baumanière in France, Le Français in Illinois, and Ma Maison and Le St. Germain in Los Angeles. His acclaimed Atlanta restaurant Ciboulette was ranked among the Top 10 in the nation by Condé Nast Traveler and Top 25 by Esquire Magazine.

Since opening Coohills, Tom has become a cornerstone of Colorado’s culinary community, participating in festivals across the globe and earning multiple honors at Beaujolais & Beyond, including “Best Appetizer” for his now-iconic blue crab cake.

“Tom Coohill has been part of the Beaujolais & Beyond story for over a decade,” said Sacha François Heppell, Executive Director of RMFACC. “His return brings both prestige and warmth to this year’s competition—a reminder of how deeply our local chefs shape Denver’s connection to French gastronomy.”

Guests will have the chance to taste Coohills’ competition dish during the event and cast their votes for the People’s Choice Award, alongside a panel of distinguished judges evaluating presentation and creativity. Tickets and sponsorships for Beaujolais & Beyond 2025 are available now at www.rmfacc.org/beaujolais-beyond