Colorado Beef Takes Center Stage

On August 8, 2026, some of Colorado’s best chefs, ranchers, musicians, and beef lovers came together at MSU Denver for the Colorado Beef Festival, a celebration of Colorado beef, Western culture, great food, and the people who bring it all together. Presented by the Hispanic Restaurant Association, the festival featured live chef battles, unlimited tastings, a meat market, live country music, and plenty of opportunities to celebrate the connection between Colorado ranches and the table.

For Centennial Cuts, being part of this event was especially meaningful. As a Colorado family ranch based in Fowler, we were proud to have a hands-on role in bringing our beef to the festival — and to see it transformed into incredible dishes by an impressive lineup of chefs.

From Our Ranch to the Festival Table

Centennial Cuts was proud to provide beef for all of the dishes created by the participating chefs, showcasing a variety of cuts and the versatility of Colorado-raised beef. From impressive tomahawk steaks to our outstanding Thor’s Hammer beef shanks and more, it was an incredible opportunity to see our beef featured in so many creative ways.

The chef lineup brought together an impressive range of culinary talent:

Chef Pablo Aya – Hispanic Restaurant Association
Chef Justin Freeman – Monarch and Somebody People
Chef Fausto Felix – Requeza Mexicana Group
Chef Orlando Benavides – Bits & Pieces
Chef Pako Venalonzo – Venalonzo’s Tacos
Chef Justin Cde Baca – Grill Vault BBQ
Chef Patrick Klaiber – Riot BBQ
Chef Tim Braden – The Lazy Butcher
Chef Julio Gaspar – Encanto Cocina & Cantina
Chef Luis Gurrola – Necio

From live-fire cooking to barbecue and Mexican-inspired cuisine, each chef brought their own personality and technique to Colorado beef.

Sharing the Centennial Cuts Story

While the chefs were busy creating incredible dishes, the Centennial Cuts team was on the ground serving samples and connecting with festival attendees at our booth.

A special shoutout goes to Kellan Larson, son of Centennial Cuts owners Luke and Kate Larson, and his friend Henry, who did a stellar job representing the ranch and offering samples to attendees throughout the day. Their enthusiasm helped introduce festivalgoers to Centennial Cuts and gave them a chance to taste the quality of our Colorado-raised beef for themselves.

For us, that’s what events like this are all about: bringing people closer to where their food comes from and sharing the story behind the beef that makes its way from our ranch to their plates.

Great Beef, Great Music & a Great Colorado Day

The food was only part of what made the Colorado Beef Festival such a memorable day. The festival also featured a full lineup of Colorado country and Western music.

The main stage featured:

Hillbilly Demons
Brad Lee Schroeder
Aubrey Dale
Red Mountain Highway

VIP attendees also enjoyed intimate acoustic performances from:

Dennis Anderson
Jeremy Smith
Duey Weibel
Jason Wulf Band

The festival brought together music, food, ranching, and Western culture for a full day celebrating what makes Colorado such a special place to live, work, and eat.

Proud to Be Part of Colorado Beef

At Centennial Cuts, we’re proud to be part of Colorado’s ranching community and even prouder when we get the opportunity to share our beef with the people who call this state home.

The Colorado Beef Festival was a fantastic reminder of just how much goes into getting quality beef from Colorado ranches to Colorado tables. We’re grateful to the Hispanic Restaurant Association, the festival organizers, the talented chefs, the musicians, our fellow ranchers, and everyone who stopped by our booth to say hello, sample our beef, and support Colorado agriculture.

And, of course, a huge thank you to Kellan and Henry for representing Centennial Cuts so well!

We’re already looking forward to the next opportunity to bring our beef, our Colorado roots, and a little taste of the ranch to the community.

From our family ranch to your table — thank you for celebrating Colorado beef with us!