Aspen hotels up their culinary offerings
A diverse array of visiting chefs provide tasty options
Courtesy photo
Editor’s note: A version of this story appears in this year’s edition of the Winter in Aspen/Snowmass magazine.
Aspen’s culinary scene is heating up this winter. In addition to the many extraordinary local chefs and restaurants that make this town a foodie destination, three Aspen hotels offer diners more diverse options by inviting visiting chefs into their kitchens.
For local chefs and hoteliers, the arrangement is a win-win situation. While the local staff learns from outside chefs, the renowned experts provide the community with fresh menus, cuisine, and experiences not always available in our small mountain town. So, if you have a taste for something new and delicious this winter, Hotel Jerome, The Little Nell, and W Aspen have you covered.
Hotel Jerome
Several pop-ups will visit the Hotel Jerome this winter, continuing the hotel’s commitment to providing unique epicurean experiences to its guests and other passionate diners in town.
“We have a lot of exciting things coming up,” Patrick Davila, general manager of Hotel Jerome, says. “Everything we do is about connecting people, and we are lucky to have guests that travel a lot and enjoy the variety.”
This winter brings new culinary talent, as well as the return of a couple of favorites.
First up: From Dec. 4-7, James Beard award-winning Chef Tyson Cole’s Uchi takes over Prospect Restaurant with a multi-course feast. It features its signature nontraditional Japanese cuisine, highlighting seasonal creations, and seafood.
On Dec. 12-14, Prospect hosts Monterrey’s Michelin-starred Koli Restaurant with an immersive journey through Mexico’s culinary landscape. Concurrently, Cometa restaurant offers its bold flavors and creative dishes in J-Bar and Living Room.
Between Dec. 19-21, Fauna returns for an epicurean takeover at Hotel Jerome. Helmed by a husband-and-wife team — Chefs David Castro Hussong and Maribel Aldaco Silva — Fauna is known for its farm-to-table philosophy and unique, ever-changing menus, which combine the best of Baja California with modern cuisine. Wero Cham, founder of Vinos Boutique, pairs wines highlighting distinctive Mexican vintners that complement each bite.
And on Jan. 8-11, three-Michelin-star Chef Norbert Niederkofler, in collaboration with his restaurant Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler Temporary, returns to Aspen following the success of its summer activation.
For reservations and more information about Hotel Jerome’s epicurean experiences available visit aubergeresorts.com/hoteljerome/experiences/epicurean-experiences.
The Little Nell
This season, The Little Nell welcomes visiting chefs, wine experts, spa partners, and more from all over the world.
“The Little Nell is celebrating our 35th anniversary this year, and, in doing so, we are honoring our international connections with guests, staff, and visiting talent. We intentionally sought out acclaimed chefs and sommeliers from around the world for this Chefs and Somms Series with various goals in mind: to offer different styles of cuisine to Aspen, to add to the camaraderie in the kitchen and dining room with our team and the visiting talent, and to continue pursuing excellence,” says Matt Zubrod, culinary director for Aspen Hospitality.
To that end, this winter ushers in a wide array of experiences, including an Indian Curry dinner with Chef Biju Thomas that kicks off the series on Saturday, Nov. 30; an Australian Wine dinner with Michael Hill Smith; Kong Hans Kælder dinners with Executive Chef Mark Lundgaard and Sous-Chef Claudiu Lutic from Denmark; a Kong Hans Kælder x Krug Champagne dinner with Executive Chef Mark Lundgaard and Sous-Chef Claudiu Lutic of Denmark and France; and a BOND Napa Wine dinner.
For reservations for Saturday’s dinner and more info on the series, visit littlenell.com.
W Aspen
W Aspen debuts a new dining destination this winter season. Joining forces with Chef Eyal Shani, the hotel brings his signature Mediterranean restaurant, HaSalon, to life from Dec. 2024 to April 2025.
HaSalon blends Shani’s creativity with his celebration of the Mediterranean land and sea. Using ingredients sourced locally wherever possible, the dining experience reflects the spirit and flavors of its Tel Aviv origins.
“At W Aspen, we are always looking to push boundaries and create unexpected experiences,” says Martin Magdeburg, general manager of W Aspen. “HaSalon Aspen is elevating the culinary scene in Aspen, perfectly in sync with the passion and energy that defines W Hotels.”
The Aspen menu celebrates bold flavors and fresh, high-quality ingredients. Guests can indulge in culinary delights such as charred beetroot carpaccio, baby potatoes topped with Osetra caviar, bluefin tuna, ribeye steak, and signature pasta dishes like ricotta clouds, among other uniquely curated dishes.
HaSalon opens daily from aprés ski onwards, offering two different dinner experiences. Before 8 p.m., guests can indulge in avant-garde dishes in a more intimate, music-filled setting. Afterward, the space transforms into a lively atmosphere for a dining experience filled with dancing, electrifying energy, and exceptional cuisine.
“At HaSalon, we’re bringing the essence of life’s most exhilarating moments — the kind of night you wish would never end,” Shani says. “It’s about embracing spontaneity, losing yourself in the experience, and finding freedom in that wild joy.”
Sarah Girgis is the Arts and Entertainment Editor for The Aspen Times. She can be reached at 970-429-9151 or sgirgis@aspentimes.com.
Aspen hotels up their culinary offerings
Aspen’s culinary scene is heating up this winter. In addition to the many extraordinary local chefs and restaurants that make this town a foodie destination, three Aspen hotels offer diners more diverse options by inviting visiting chefs into their kitchens.
Aspen local charged with poaching bull moose in Upper Fryingpan Valley
He said exhaustion and the desire to return home with meat clouded his judgment.
