Cameron Baker, CMC culinary arts alum, has earned the Michelin Guide Colorado Young Chef Award. Courtesy of Rootstalk

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CMC culinary alum Cameron Baker earns Michelin’s Colorado Young Chef Award

BRECKENRIDGE — Colorado Mountain College culinary arts alumnus Cameron Baker, chef de cuisine and partner at Radicato and Rootstalk in Breckenridge, has received the 2026 Michelin Guide Colorado Young Chef Award. The award recognizes a chef whose talent and potential have impressed Michelin’s anonymous restaurant inspectors.

Baker grew up in Summit County, began working in professional kitchens at age 15 and graduated from CMC in 2014 after studying culinary arts and hospitality management. In 2020, he helped fellow CMC culinary arts alumnus Matt Vawter open Rootstalk. Vawter, the 2024 James Beard Award winner for Best Chef: Mountain, later opened Radicato with Baker and other partners. Vawter has hired and mentored numerous CMC culinary students and graduates during his career.

Both Rootstalk and Radicato were added to the Michelin Guide’s list of recommended Colorado restaurants for 2026.