- Date: October 16-19, 2025
- Location: The Farm
Friends of James Beard Food & Wine Weekend
Experience our decadent weekend-long Friends of James Beard event at Brush Creek Ranch. Join the ranch’s award-winning culinary team and notable guest chefs for two unforgettable nights of culinary artistry. During this luxury food and wine weekend you’ll have a one-of-a-kind opportunity to taste the finest ingredients plucked from our 20,000 sq. ft. greenhouse, onsite goat creamery, and our highly sought-after 100% American Wagyu beef prepared by the hands of exceptional culinary talent, paired with Brush Creek Distillery spirits and selections of top wines in the world.
Taste of the Farm Festival Night
Friday, October 17
Experience an unforgettable evening of food and wine as the sun sets against Wyoming skies. While enjoying the tunes of live music, walk around to multiple food action stations, including flambé, BBQ, satay, and sliders featuring our ranch-raised Wagyu, prosciutto carving, goat creamery cheeses and charcuteries, live pasta making, banana leaf-wrapped whole fish for tacos, freshly made ice cream, petit fours, truffles, and more. Pair your culinary creations from our featured chefs with Brush Creek Distillery spirits and wines from one of the top 10 largest wine collections in the world.
Chef Tasting Dinner
Saturday, October 18: Fine-Dining Restaurant, Cheyenne Club at The Farm
Taste the finest ingredients sourced from The Farm at Brush Creek, prepared by our four featured event chefs, in one of the most elegant and sophisticated dining atmospheres in the West. Chefs will prepare an amuse-bouche, a starter, and an entrée perfectly paired with wines selected by our award-winning sommelier team. The evening will end on a decadent note with an unparalleled dessert prepared by Chef Keisha.
*Schedule is subject to change
Meet Executive Chef Nicholas Pissare
Chef Nicholas Pissare is a distinguished culinary talent whose career has been shaped by mentorship under some of the most celebrated chefs in the country and a relentless pursuit of excellence. His journey began at Oak at 14th in Boulder, CO in 2014, where he trained under Chef Steve Redzikowski, a multiple-time James Beard Award Nominee for Best Chef: Southwest. This foundational experience ignited his passion for refined, ingredient-driven cuisine.
He then honed his skills at two of Denver’s most acclaimed restaurants—Fruition and Mercantile Dining & Provision—under the guidance of Chef Alex Seidel, who was awarded the James Beard Best Chef: Southwest in 2018 during Nicholas’s tenure. These formative years deepened his understanding of seasonal cooking and elevated hospitality.
Chef Nicholas continued to build his repertoire at Ardent in Milwaukee, working alongside Chef Justin Carlisle, a four-time James Beard nominee for Best Chef: Midwest. This experience further refined his approach to modern American cuisine with a focus on precision and creativity.
Most recently, as Executive Chef at Dunton Hot Springs, Chef Nicholas led the culinary program to new heights. Under his leadership, the property earned two Michelin Keys, making it the only property in Colorado to receive this prestigious recognition. His commitment to excellence, sustainability, and innovation continues to define his culinary philosophy.
Chef Nicholas Pissare brings a wealth of experience, a deep respect for pasture-to-plate, sustainable ingredients, and a passion for storytelling through food to every plate he creates.
Meet Guest Chef Justin Carlisle
Food has played a major part in Carlisle’s life ever since his humble beginnings on the farm and in small restaurants, where a passion for cooking, a love for local food and a hard work ethic sprouted and thrived. These foundations developed into perennial James Beard Award nominations for Best Chef: Midwest along with countless accolades among the top restaurants in North America.
Justin’s flagship restaurant, Ardent, opened on Milwaukee’s East Side in October of 2013. Since its inception Ardent was named among the nation’s 15 best new restaurants by Condé Nast Traveler; Best Restaurant in the State of Wisconsin by Business Insider; semifinalist for Best New Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation; The Forward 50: Our Favorite Restaurants Right Now by Wine Enthusiast; 19 Great Restaurants to Work for in Food & Wine; and among the Top North American Restaurants (2021, 2022, 2023) in Opinionated about Dining.
About the James Beard Foundation
The James Beard Foundation is a nonprofit organization that celebrates and supports the people behind America’s food culture, while pushing for new standards in the restaurant industry to create a future where all have the opportunity to thrive. Established over 30 years ago, the Foundation has highlighted the centrality of food culture in our daily lives and is committed to supporting a resilient and flourishing industry that honors its diverse communities. Friends of James Beard benefit events are planned throughout the year, staging high-profile venues and chefs that support James Beard Foundation programs.
