Best Dishes at Ski Resorts Around the World
After an exhilarating—and exhausting—day spent cross-country skiing through Tahoe National Forest, comfort food was the only thing on my mind. A pile of brisket nachos was the après-ski pick-me-up I needed. I headed to the Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe’s casual outdoor restaurant, The Backyard, perusing other hearty offerings like St. Louis ribs and a bowl of chili—all standard fare following a day in the snow. Later that night, though, the culinary experience kicked up a notch. At Manzanita, the meal began with a surprise amuse-bouche of Oaxacan-style chochoyotes. Elevated fare like California quail, sourced from Diamond Ranch in Sacramento, sides of Babé Farm Nantes carrots and wild-foraged mushrooms spelled out a far different experience than slope-side nachos.
Lake Tahoe isn’t the only place where refined culinary options have become table stakes, even in remote, snowy settings. In recent years, travelers visiting rural mountain resorts on a wintry vacation can expect fine-dining offerings at hotel properties that rival or even surpass venues in cosmopolitan cities. And while there’s still plenty of room for informal winter snacks after a day on the mountain, the presence of elevated, chef-driven fare at hotels in these rustic areas is a welcome development. As seasonal menus are the driving force for most chefs worth their salt, the question of what, exactly, pairs with snow is a worthy one, and a query that culinarians around the world have begun to answer with gusto.
In anticipation of the shift toward cooler temperatures and snowy destinations, these are the best dishes that showcase chefs at the top of their game in chilly winter settings.
