Leading organizations large and small were recognized last week for business excellence and community impact at the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce’s 2014 Business Awards.

The winners are:

* Small Nonprofit of the Year: Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1 of Denver;
* Large Nonprofit of the Year: A Precious Child of Broomfield;
* Emerging Business of the Year: Oakman Aerospace, Inc. of Littleton;
* Green Business of the Year: Goodwill Industries of Denver;
* Minority or Woman-owned Business of the Year: Comedy Works of Denver;
* Small Business of the Year: Weifield Group of Denver;
* Colorado Technology Association CEO Erik Mitisek received the David E. Bailey Small Business Advocate Award, given to a member of the Chamber who assists entrepreneurs and small businesses.

See the conversation on Twitter @DenChamber and with #chamberbizawards.

Le Grand Bistro & Oyster Bar, the French bistro owned by restaurateur Robert Thompson, closed its doors at 1521 Curtis St. Sunday after a three-year run.

According to Internet reports, Thompson said the business was too cyclical depending largely on the popularity of whatever was playing at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts complex.

Instead, Thompson will focus his restaurant repertoire on the opening of Argyll Whisky Beer in the former Las Margaritas space at 1035 E. 17th Ave., and The Griffin on Brighton Boulevard in the fall.

Masterpiece Delicatessen Uptown at the Wells Fargo Center, 1710 Sherman (on the corner of 17th and Sherman), will be serving breakfast and lunch from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, starting May 31.

Since opening the second location in Uptown this winter, the delightful deli has been serving sandwiches, soups and salads from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Starting this weekend, customers will be able to enjoy the restaurant’s commitment to “fine dining between bread” on the weekends.

The Uptown location seats 50 inside and 25 on the outdoor patio with views of the State Capital. With the restaurant’s full liquor license, diners can enjoy bottomless mimosas (weekends only), Colorado craft brews on tap, Infinite Monkey Theorem wine and Mile High Spirits liquor.

“Masterpiece Deli Uptown is now positioned to be the newest weekend brunch spot in Uptown serving their niche breakfast, coffee, lunch and desserts,” said Justin Brunson, co-owner and executive chef. “With the beautiful patio, ample indoor seating, fresh, quality products, beer, liquor and wine, we are sure to please all customers alike. We hope people spend their weekends with us relaxing, celebrating and mixing.”

More information at www.masterpiecedeli.com.

Masterpiece Deli owners and managers — Stephen Allee, Eric Clayman, Casey Taylor and Executive Chef Justin Brunson.

Green Day rockers Billie Joe Armstrong and Tre’ Cool (Frank Edwin Wright III) in the audience of “American Idiot,” the hit musical based on the band’s music, Friday at The Buell Theatre.

The band members were also spotted at Pizza Republica in the Colorado Convention Center.

Eavesdropping on Facebook: A father tells his 4-year-old daughter if she didn’t eat her dinner she couldn’t have a popsicle.

“She came into my office with a clean plate and an innocent smile, ‘Daddy! I ate my dinner!’ Suspicious, I said, ‘If I look in the trash, am I going to find your dinner in there?’ She looks up at me and says, ‘Uhhh … are you going to look in the bathroom trash?'”

John Elway, Pro Football Hall of Famer and Denver Broncos general manager and executive vice president, will get to re-create “The Drive,” this time on a golf course when he competes in the 15th annual HealthONE Colorado Senior Open May 28-30 at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club.

The two-time Super Bowl Champion will compete against 155 other amateur and professional golfers in the three-day championship. Elway competed in the 2010 tournament and was low amateur after round one, made the 36-hole cut and finished in a tie for 52nd place.

Elway’s tee time is 8:05 a.m. Wednesday, May 28, and 1 p.m. Thursday, May 29. He will be paired with four-time Colorado Open/Colorado Senior Open champion Bill Loeffler of Castle Rock, and Meridian (Englewood) Golf Club head pro Paul Lobato.

Also joining Elway in the $50,000 event is defending champion Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale, who won the 2013 championship by a six-stroke margin, pocketing the $8,500 first place prize. Rohrbaugh’s feat was even more impressive due to the fact that he didn’t post higher than a five on any of the 54 holes over three days in difficult weather conditions. Rohrbaugh will tee off at 12:45 p.m. Wednesday and at 7:40 a.m. Thursday.

History is being made at this year’s championship as the first female competitor in a Colorado Senior Open will tee it up with the guys for the first time. Sherry Andonian, a teaching professional at Valley Country Club in Centennial, earned an exemption through the Colorado Section PGA.  Andonian was also eligible to play in the Colorado Open in July but has chosen not to compete, and she has a conflicting event keeping her from participating in the Colorado Women’s Open in August. Andonian’s tee times are 7:55 a.m.Wednesday and 12:50 p.m. Thursday.

Another new contestant in the field is Jim Chancey who played on the Champions Tour where he finished in the top-100 money list in 2006 and 2008.

Admission and parking are free to the public. Complete event details can be found at www.coloradoopen.com.

Second Home Kitchen + Bar inside the JW Marriott at 150 Clayton Lane is starting summer in style during a patio launch/runway party featuring hair and makeup designs by Denver’s tresses titan and “Shear Genius” star Charlie Price and Antoine du Chez at 3 p.m. June 8.

Guests can snack on complimentary small plates while sipping drinks specials and watching a hairstyle fashion show, which will showcase summer’s hottest beauty trends.

Antoine du Chez Cherry Creek was recently ranked fifth in “Conde Nast Traveler’s Top 50 Hotel Spas in the Country”. Price, a high fashion hairdresser who has styled for the likes of Calvin Klein and Marc Jacobs, is the editorial director for the brand.

Reservations by calling Second Home Kitchen + Bar at 303-253-3000 or by visiting www.secondhomedenver.com.

Tim Jackson, the amiable president of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association, is a lock to stay in CADA’s driver’s seat for the foreseeable future.

Jackson, who has steered the course of the trade association for 10 years, signed an employment contract to keep him in that job.

“For the 10 years I’ve served here at CADA, I have not been locked in to ensure longevity of my services. Thus I was essentially a free agent,” Jackson said. “Our board of directors and I agreed that it is a great relationship, an excellent fit and a perfect situation.  So, we needed to engage in a way that ensures the certainty and security of a long-term relationship.

“Sometimes things work out.  This relationship has.”

Congratulations, Tim. Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.

Tim Jackson

Paul Attardi, a popular presence in Denver’s restaurant world, will be stepping down from his role as maitre’ d and a front-of-house staff member at Old Major, the nose-to-tail restaurant at 3316 Tejon St., at the end of the month.

Attardi joined Old Major a year ago after taking some time off from Denver and the hospitality industry where he lived and worked for many years. Attardi, along with business partner and chef Alex Seidel, launched the much-lauded Fruition restaurant on Sixth Avenue.

“During the past year, Paul has helped us create an amazing level of service and experience for our customers,” said Old Major’s executive chef and co-owner Justin Brunson. “Paul brought years of hospitality experience and wonderful relationships to our Old Major family. He has been touted as one of the mainstays of hospitality in Denver and we were blessed to have him with us.”

Attardi is going to enjoy the summer and spend time with his family, according to a press release. His successor has not been named.

Paul Attardi