For a mountain town with about 8,500 year-round residents, Park City has an extraordinary pool of culinary talent. Mountain connected with the executive chefs from four local resorts to learn why they choose to live and work here and find out about their plans for this winter’s menus. While we can’t speak to the snow outlook for this season, the food forecast looks incredible.
Peter Menteer
Peter Menteer has been in and around restaurants for most of his life. His mom was a waitress, and Menteer started washing dishes at a restaurant as soon as he was old enough. He worked the kitchen line in college, but after two years a big realization hit. “I thought about cooking more than I thought about schoolwork. It just made sense to drop out and go to culinary school instead,” he says. In the 25 years since, he has held a variety of roles, from private chef to catering and corporate chef.
The Montana native “never thought I would work at a ski resort,” he says. “They’re not typically known for their food. But Deer Valley has a rich culinary history and a team that is very hands-on.” Before joining Deer Valley four years ago, Menteer had to promise friends that he would not touch the famous turkey chili or cookies.
Overseeing the resort’s 20-plus food outlets is no small task. Menteer has been tasked with bringing each of the chefs together and removing the silos between outlets, while leaving room for each chef’s culinary creativity. When we spoke in the fall, Menteer was laser-focused on developing menus and plans for Deer Valley’s newest expansions. There will be an 80-seat temporary restaurant in the East Village this winter, followed by two new lodges in East Village and Park Peak set to open in coming years. Menteer emphasizes, “Anyone who wants to work for a great company and help us push the limits” should keep an eye out for open positions, as there will be hundreds to fill in the new outlets.”
Stuart Roger
At Waldorf Astoria Park City, Stuart Roger is preparing for his first full ski season at Powder. He joined the team last February, and this time around gets to design the new winter menus. A native of Evian, France, Roger is no stranger to the mountains, so he’s settled in Park City quite nicely. After working in Mexico resorts for 18 years, Park City has been a wonderful return to an alpine environment. “After so many years in big cities and beach towns, coming back to the mountains is like coming back to my childhood,” says Roger.
In addition to bringing his global experience from France, Scotland and Mexico, he is focused on sourcing local products. In addition to partnering with local ranchers, farmers and creameries, Roger is excited to incorporate Dendric Cider into his recipes. The new Kamas cidery debuted its first dry sparkling cider in June. Roger plans to use Dry Cut for a cider-glazed chicken entree. He is also working on a selection of family-style dinners. With a shared entree and choice of seasonal sides, it will be “ideal for filling up your whole family after a day of skiing,” he says.
Guillermo Tellez
In February, Guillermo Tellez will celebrate two years overseeing the culinary scene at The Lodge at Blue Sky. The Mexico native spent 19 years working with renowned Chicago chef Charlie Trotter and is the first and only recipient of the James Beard Foundation’s Felipe Rojas-Lombardi Award of Achievement for Hispanic Chefs.
Tellez brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Auberge property in Wanship and is excited about the potential to develop more dining concepts. As executive chef, he also oversees several onsite curated events, such as Gracie’s Farm Dinners and British filmmaker Guy Ritchie’s WildKitchen. In addition, the culinary team receives numerous requests for private dining, and each menu can be customized for individual guests.
Tellez is passionate about maintaining a strong focus on flavors and keeping a farm-to-table approach at all The Lodge at Blue Sky’s dining outlets. He works closely with Lynsey Gammon, the property’s director of farming. The property’s farm is “improving and growing little by little every year,” he says. “Production this year was amazing!”
When it comes to developing seasonal menus, Tellez is driven by simplicity. “It’s the hardest thing to do,” he says. “You have to stay true to your ingredients. You can’t mask the flavor.”
Tellez is working on several concepts, including a tasting menu to pair with whiskeys from the on-property High West Distillery.
Matthew Fradera
Matthew Fradera oversees the culinary operations of all dining outlets at The St. Regis Deer Valley, including Rime, La Stellina, Brasserie 7452 and Vintage Room. The Chicagoland native started cooking at a young age after receiving a kids’ cookbook for his birthday. Through the SkillsUSA workforce development program, Fradera competed in cooking challenges in high school and then attended culinary school at Johnson & Wales University in Denver. After years of working his way up the line in Michelin-starred restaurants in New York City, he relocated to Park City in 2020.
Fradera and his team are continually seeking ways to “deliver the best food product in Park City” at The St. Regis, he says. For example, they added a Sunday Summer Brunch in 2025 and look forward to reintroducing a skiers’ lunch buffet at Rime this season. Fradera is most excited about the addition of caviar and A5 Wagyu beef (the highest quality rating given by the Japanese government) for winter. The team now includes sushi chefs, so the Brasserie and Vintage Room menus have enhanced sushi options. If you haven’t locked in your holiday reservations, Rime will serve a prix fixe dinner, while La Stellina will feature a traditional Feast of Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve.
Culinary Experiences for Your Calendar
While winter has far fewer festivals than summer, there are still many occasions to celebrate the food of the season. Each of the venues mentioned also hosts fabulous Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, which book up early. Keep an eye out for more details about the following culinary events.
Deer Valley’s Taste of Luxury Series spotlights guest chefs and winemakers from around the world. It’s often a great opportunity to experience Michelin-star cuisine in Park City.
Red, White and Snow is the annual fundraising event for the National Ability Center. The three-day event on March 5-7 includes Uncorked, Wine on the Mountain and vintner dinners and culminates with a gala and after-party at Grand Hyatt Deer Valley on March 7.
Park City Spring Wine Festival returns for a second year on April 9-11. Say goodbye to winter at paired wine lunches and dinners around town and grand tastings on Pendry Plaza.
