The St. Regis Aspen Resort is getting ready to reopen with a new look after a $40 million renovation. One of the highlights of the new look resort is going to be the Chefs Club restaurant. The management of the resort announced that the restaurant will be operated in partnership with Food & Wine Magazine. The newly designed restaurant will be unveiled during the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen in June. The restaurant will feature distinct seasonal menus every six months. Exciting creations from the magazine will find its way in the menu. The Best New Chefs will help create the menu every season. There will be four chefs working out the menu every season.
New Restaurant with a Rustic Design
Kristin Kavanaugh, director of sales and marketing for St. Regis Aspen explained that it will not be the menu alone that will have a new look every six months but the restaurant itself will look fresh and feel different every six months. The new restaurant The Chefs Club has been created where the old popular Whiskey Rocks bar once stood. It was torn down for the renovation and has made way for the new restaurant. The restaurant has a rustic design with an oversized bar. The restaurant will be open round the year for lunch and dinner and will seat up to 120 guests for alfresco dinning.
The Four Best New Chefs
Christina Grdovic, vice president and publisher of Food & Wine Magazine is equally excited about the new initiative. She feels that it is central to their signature Best New Chefs platform. It makes it possible to bring the cuisine of the most talented chefs in one magnificent location. What is even more satisfying for her is that the restaurant opening coincides with the 30th anniversary of the Food & Wine Classic. It is a step forward for the movement and adds a new dimension to their offerings. St. Regis general manager Senih Geray is happy that the restaurant will expose Aspen diners to a world of new food. The first four chefs who will prepare the opening menu are George Mendes of Aldea in New York City; James Lewis of Bettola in Birmingham, Ala.; Alex Seidel of Fruition in Denver; and Sue Zemanick of Gautreau’s in New Orleans.
Wine Pairings and Cocktails
The next set of four chefs who will take over for the winter/fall season will be announced later. The next menu will be unveiled in November. Paul Duce who comes with a rich experience of working at a Four Seasons resort has been hired as the General Manager of the new restaurant Chefs Club. Eight different chefs will contribute to the restaurant in a given year. They will not only create the menu but also spend few days at the restaurant to oversee the kitchen. Editors from the magazine will help create cocktail lists to complement the seasonal menus. For the opening season executive wine editor Ray Isle will pair wines with the Best New Chef dishes. Jim Meehan, a nationally renowned mixologist who is associated with the magazine as contributing editor will create cocktails for the menu.
