WildKitchen summer season sequence brings an outside way of life to wonderful eating

At The Lodge at Blue Sky, Auberge Resorts Collection, a eating venue set excessive within the mountains fuses open-fire cooking and nature, a real “wild kitchen.”

The dinners held Wednesdays by way of Sundays till late September function a nightly seating for twenty-four friends in a open-air setting accessible solely by 4×4 autos, in-house automobiles or a guided hike.

WildKitchen, which was developed by filmmaker Guy Ritchie, made its U.S. debut at Blue Sky in 2024. The idea facilities on the WildTent, a retractable canvas and hardwood construction, and the WildTable, a multi-functional cooking station that enables cooks to grill, smoke, roast, boil and fry over open flame.

This summer season the resort will host a visitor chef sequence, the place the communal dinner setting pairs diners with specialists from throughout the nation. And it’s additionally an opportunity for cooks to expertise summertime within the Wasatch Back.

“The best part to me is the close personal interaction with your dining guests,” stated Kim Canteenwalla, chef at Honey Salt in Las Vegas. “It’s much more personal than a regular open-kitchen restaurant.”

Canteenwalla stated working outside will be difficult, relying on wind, rain or warmth however joked it’s all “Mother Nature at its best.” Getting to include native and regional produce, particularly merchandise from Blue Sky’s Gracie’s Farm, he stated, is a large asset.

His philosophy in cooking facilities round sourcing high-quality items, he stated.

“Allow food in its simplest form to speak for itself,” Canteenwalla stated. “Preparation of food in an outdoor setting should speak to the surrounding area and elements. Grilling, roasting, searing, smoking, purées and curing should be allowed to come into play.”

Seth Adams, govt chef and proprietor of Riverhorse on Main in Park City, was additionally invited to visitor for a dinner, closing out the sequence with nights on Sept. 26 and 27. As a regionally primarily based chef, he stated he was stunned to be included within the lineup.

“They called and said they wanted to feature a local chef,” Adams stated. “They usually bring in out-of-town people, so I feel like it was a huge honor to get invited up there.”

Adams stated accessing elements from Gracie’s Farm is without doubt one of the finest elements for these WildKitchen dinners. 

“By that time, their greenhouse is going off, so I’ll be able to pick whatever I want from there, which is super cool,” he stated.

Though he’s not touring far, Adams stated collaborating in visitor dinners like these is a chance to get extra inspiration to carry house to Riverhorse on Main. 

“Kitchens can get somewhat repetitive, and we don’t change the menu every day at Riverhorse, so it’s always nice to be able to do fun stuff,” he stated. “A lot of times, when I do events like this, it actually sparks new menu items because we get to play with things.”

He stated he’ll finalize his menu nearer to the occasion, however diners can anticipate a playful meal centered round what he does finest: “upscale, eclectic American cuisine and uncomplicated, seasonal dishes.” 

“I do things super last minute sometimes, so I’ll wait until we get close to it and start trying to figure out what we’re going to do,” he stated. “I get to take a couple of my sous chefs and go make a night out of it.”

Canteenwalla’s dinners are scheduled for Aug. 22 and 23, and different collaborating cooks includ Ryan DePersio of Battello in Jersey City, New Jersey on Aug. 8 and 9; Dan Kluger of Loring Place in New York City on Aug. 15 and 16; and Crista Luedtke of boon eat + drink in Guerneville, California, on Sept. 13 and 14.

Guest Chef Series occasions are $250 per grownup and $125 per youngster beneath 12. Wine pairings can be found for an extra $95, or $75 for non-alcoholic choices. 

For the conventional WildKitchen sequence, with the lodge’s Executive Chef Guillermo Tellez on the helm, costs begin at $150 per grownup and from $75 per youngster. 

Tellez stated the WildTable’s open-fire design makes for enjoyable challenges and alternatives and is a novel interpretation of wonderful eating.

“In ‘fine dining,’ there are four pillars — ambiance, service, food and wine. These can be performed in any environment. Everything is about the delivery of the experience, and everything must make sense and feel welcoming,” he stated. 

He stated the visitor interplay at WildKitchen is central to the format, and in some instances there are hands-on actions for dinners with the in-table grill. 

“We take this opportunity to connect with the guest, sharing our personal stories and showcasing the culinary process,” he stated. “It is very informative to see visually the ingredients we use, the story behind them — that makes the meal that much more meaningful.”

The ethos that motivates WildKitchen, of contemporary and stay cooking, is one thing Tellez has additionally prioritized as a chef.

“I look at this as a framework for making food choices that will be in sync with the values and goals that I believe in: This includes my cooking style and approach to sustainability, the use of ingredients that are fresh from the farm and my motivation for choosing certain foods,” he stated. “Thinking about how I can deliver an experience that guests will remember.”

Reservations for the WildKitchen dinners will be made by way of the Lodge at Blue Sky web site: aubergeresorts.com/bluesky/dine/wildkitchen.

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