From her beginnings in Louisiana to Texas, through Colorado, Puerto Rico, Tennessee and back to Colorado, Elise Wiggins has purposely and progressively moved up through the ranks—all the time honing her kitchen skills, tasting new flavors, managing more people and developing the talents that have won fine dining awards and accolades. Elise began her career in the restaurant business in the front of the house as a floor manager in a Dallas restaurant, The Grotto.  It wasn’t long, however, until she realized her heart and skills were best put to use in the kitchen.  She came to the Colorado Institute of Art’s school in Denver and graduated with honors. Several kitchen jobs in Denver included a stint as the chef of Bella Ristorante, a busy Southern Italian restaurant in Lower Downtown. Elise wanted to learn more about cuisines other than Italian and soon embarked on a five-month trip through Central America. From Mexico to Panama, Elise took classes, visited markets, sampled street food to haute cuisine and enjoyed being completely away from American food and sensibilities.

When it was time to get back to work, Elise accepted an offer from The Palio Restaurant at the Westin Rio Mar Resort in San Juan, Puerto Rico. From there, she took a position at the Capriccio Restaurant in the Peabody Hotel in Memphis and after transforming the menu and restructuring the training and procedures of the restaurant, she realized she wanted to get back to Denver. When Elise heard about the position at Panzano, she knew it was a job she wanted. Since making her way back to the Mile High City and Panzano, Elise has caused quite a stir. The Rocky Mountain News named the restaurant "Top Italian" since her arrival. The American Culinary Federation also named her 2005 Colorado Chef of the Year, and Panzano awarded four out of four stars and was named one of the Top 25 Restaurants by Denver Magazine, 5280 Magazine and the Zagat Guide. Watch Elise prepare Palisade Peach Salad.

Panzano offers the best in contemporary Northern Italian cuisine with a focus on sustainable, local, seasonal and organic ingredients in a spectacular urban setting with uncompromised service and award-winning wine list. Under Chef Elise, sustainable practices are the norm at Panzano with a heavy emphasis on recycling, composting and source reduction. Chef Elise even features a gluten-free menu for lunch and dinner alongside her outstanding selection of Northern Italian specialties.

Named Top 5 Denver Restaurant by The Rocky Mountain News, one of America's Top Restaurants by Zagat Survey, given 4 Stars by 5280 Magazine and "To die for" in the Gabby Gourmet Restaurant Guide, Panzano is a little bit of Italy in the heart of Denver, just blocks from the Denver Performing Arts Complex, the Colorado Convention Center, all the major hotels and the 16th Street Mall.

Centrally located, Panzano is the perfect spot to begin or end an evening at the theater, host a business meeting or celebrate a special occasion. The creative menu showcases the best that Colorado has to offer for breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.

"Chi mangia bene, viva bene." Eat well and live well at Panzano.

“Over the years, I have evolved my skills and applications in the kitchen as well as adopted new practices and procedures in how I run my business. One element that is becoming increasingly important to how I operate my restaurant is social and environmental sustainability. I appreciate Seattle Fish Company’s evolution in this area and commitment to carry products that are Marine Stewardship Council certified, ensuring their products meet a scientific standard for sustainability and environmental responsibility.”