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Kelly Whitaker

James Beard Award Winner & CEO at Id Est Hospitality Group

James Beard Award Winner & CEO at Id Est Hospitality Group

Travels From Travels From:
Denver, CO, USA
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Kelly Whitaker Biography

Kelly Whitaker is a renowned chef and restaurateur known for his exceptional culinary skills and commitment to sustainability. As the owner and executive chef of Id Est Hospitality Group, he has earned recognition for his innovative approach to zero waste cooking and menu development. His acclaimed restaurants have been recognized twice by the James Beard Foundation, and in 2024, he and his wife Erika were honored with the award for Outstanding Restaurateur.

Born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Whitaker spent his summers on his grandfather’s vegetable farm, fostering a deep connection with food from an early age. He holds a degree in hospitality management from Colorado State University and, driven by a mission to understand food's impact on people and the planet, he traveled abroad to refine his culinary skills in various mom-and-pop restaurants. He studied at Hotel Institute Montreux in Switzerland, which led him to his first culinary stint in Italy on the island of Procida. It was there that he fell in love with simple, wood-fired eateries, and the joy of taking care of guests.

Whitaker's culinary journey took him to Michelin-starred restaurants Hatfield’s and Providence in Los Angeles before he realized his dream of opening a restaurant of his own. In 2011, he co-founded Id Est in Colorado, which has since grown to include six Denver-area restaurants, including Michelin-star winners Brutø and The Wolf’s Tailor. The Whitakers own the restaurant Nonesuch in Oklahoma City as well.

Whitaker has been named Eater's “Chef of the Year” twice; received a 2017 StarChefs Denver Rising Star Award and a 2022 StarChefs Mentor Award; and founded the Noble Grain Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting domestic milled-to-order grains. In 2019, Whitaker launched Boulder’s first commercial milling operation, Dry Storage, which has added a bakery and R&D department to highlight the complexities and flavors of local grain. Later that year, his progressive, fermentation-forward restaurant, The Wolf’s Tailor, opened its doors and landed on Bon Appétit’s Hot 10 list. He followed that up with BRUTØ, the 16-seat chef’s counter located within Denver’s Free Market.

Whitaker is an active member of both the local and national hospitality community, participating in the Blue Ribbon Task Force, the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch, and the Chefs Collaborative.

Kelly Whitaker Videos

  • Kelly Whitaker | Comino Food Services
    James Beard Award Nominee Chef Kelly Whitaker | Hospitality Heroes Episode #3

FAQs on booking Kelly Whitaker

  • How do I book Kelly Whitaker to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Kelly Whitaker for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Kelly Whitaker, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Kelly Whitaker or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Kelly Whitaker

    Speaking fees for Kelly Whitaker, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Kelly Whitaker are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Kelly Whitaker, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Kelly Whitaker speak about?

    Kelly Whitaker is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Food & Beverage, Lifestyle.
  • Where does Kelly Whitaker travel from?

    Kelly Whitaker generally travels from Denver, CO, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Kelly Whitaker’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Kelly Whitaker for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Kelly Whitaker for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Kelly Whitaker or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Kelly Whitaker is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Kelly Whitaker for your event is available upon request. Kelly Whitaker generally travels from Denver, CO, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Chef Alan Bergo, Dale DeGroff, Michael Solomonov, Dominique Crenn and Vivian Howard. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Kelly Whitaker for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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