Ski Area Food

"VtSkier" wrote in message
...

No more heat lamps.

We have heat lamps, to warm the crusty bread. Makes it smell nice.

ant

Jeff wrote:

Is it just me or does all ski area food suck?

In the US, although I expect there's an exception here and there, I'm
afraid it does seem to be the rule.

I'm not talking about
the resort area; I'm talking about the crap they serve at the bottom
of the mountain. Now granted I avoid celebrity hot spots like botulism
poisoning (hint: celebs carry in their facial skin), but it seems most
areas could serve something better than heat-lamp pizza, bland chilli
and cold french fries.

Don't forget the lumpy fried bits of boneless chicken and soup inna
bread bowl!

Last weekend I had re-heated frozen pizza, a
small cup of crappy coffee and a granola bar. I held my hands high when
the cashier told me it $9.50. Beyond my experience in VT, NY, PA and AZ
friends have relayed similar stories from other areas. From my vantage,
it looks like a trend. Is it?

Hell no, it's not a "trend". A "trend" means things are moving in some
direction, and they're not moving, they've been there for quite some time.

--
Mary Malmros
Some days you're the windshield, other days you're the bug.

"Mary Malmros" wrote in message
news:2Z6dnW5J5YJL55jfRVn-
In the US, although I expect there's an exception here and there, I'm
afraid it does seem to be the rule.

True. However, I still remember the Rueben sandwiches they made at Mt Snow's
main lodge. They got up a scheme where the kitchen staff could bring in
their favourite home recipes and make them once per week, that was the
"special". Someone made these reubens which where then fried so the bread
was crispy and the insides just warm. Oh my god, they were to die for. This
got a weekly run, and the word would go round quick that the Reubens were
on.
the specials were always good, but these reubens... well it was 4 years ago
and I'm still drooling.

ant

You might want to try Sun Valley or Snowbasin for outstanding food and
surroundings. Huge lodges at the top and bottom (SV anyway) and great food
offerings. I think they even sell adult beverages.

Jeff wrote:

Is it just me or does all ski area food suck? I'm not talking about
the resort area; I'm talking about the crap they serve at the bottom
of the mountain. Now granted I avoid celebrity hot spots like botulism
poisoning (hint: celebs carry in their facial skin), but it seems most
areas could serve something better than heat-lamp pizza, bland chilli
and cold french fries. Last weekend I had re-heated frozen pizza, a
small cup of crappy coffee and a granola bar. I held my hands high when
the cashier told me it $9.50. Beyond my experience in VT, NY, PA and AZ
friends have relayed similar stories from other areas. From my vantage,
it looks like a trend. Is it?

Jeff

Not all ski food sucks. The pinnacle of ski resort food of course is
Deer Valley. Other good stops: Summit Deck & Grille at Northstar, The
mountaintop restaurant at Sierra-at-Tahoe, Sausages slopeside at Alpine
Meadows and most deck grilles springtime. There are other gems out
there, too.

Here's the skinny on why it is frequently subpar: Imagine if you will a
business that:
- is in operation only 4-5 months a year
- depends on a workforce that most likely will be with the company one
season
- depends on a workforce motivated by snow, not work ethic
- spends many dollars training said workforce every season for a week
or two before opening (read - in no-cashflow time)
- must have a fully functional staff for the busiest part of the
season 2-3 weeks after start date

Now add the unpredictablity of a paying clientele (oh shades of the Pac
NW this year) and the difficult logistics of getting product to
on-mountain lodges (Hmmmm - how do you think the product gets up the
hill... kinda hard to get Pepsi to deliver on a skislope maybe?).

Then, try to recruit top-notch managers to run these places on a
seasonal basis without much chance at benefits.

Then to finish the picture, the ski resort has to pay a full crew to
"put it to bed" at the end of a season... again with no cash flow.

And this just scratches the surface of the logistical, financial and
managerial difficulties of running an effective and tasty ski resort
food service operation. And of course this is not just limited to
onslope restaurants but the businesses that depend on the seasonal
slider for their income. Not many resorts have the talent to make it
happen.

Food for thought.

RAC

"AstroPax" wrote in message
news
One exception, from time to time, is located at the tailgate of my
Subaru, in the parking lot at Alta.

Portable grill burning burgers, sausages, beer braised brauts,
sauerkraut, or even a T-bone now and then.

Ice cold bottled beer included at no additional cost. Sorry, cans not
allowed.


Excellent. I'll be there Wednesday & Thursday. Which car should I look for?
I'm happy to bring the beer. Thanks!

--
I'm Gumby dammit!

I think the prices are about the same everywhere. However, for those
inclined to ski the pow at Wolf Creek, CO, the food isn't too bad for a
local ski hill. Limited, but they have some good stuff.

They do a really good green chile cheese burger, and the burgers are all
make to order, so you don't get the heat lamp McDonalds feeling... When the
sun's out, they take out the grill on the day-lodge deck and do burgers and
braut out there... pretty decent. Inside, my fave is the chili. They have
the basic "Santa Fe" (aka, texas red) chili, and then the green chile chili.
Here's the trick... Order 1/2 Santa Fe, 1/2 green, with a tortilla and "all
the fixins (onions, cheese, jalepenos, etc.). They look at you funny, and
charge for the slightly more expensive green chili, but the mix brings out a
unique flavor that is "to die for!".

- Steve

"Jeff" wrote in message
news:6YKMd.5294$uc.1532@trnddc02...
Is it just me or does all ski area food suck? I'm not talking about
the resort area; I'm talking about the crap they serve at the bottom
of the mountain. Now granted I avoid celebrity hot spots like botulism
poisoning (hint: celebs carry in their facial skin), but it seems most
areas could serve something better than heat-lamp pizza, bland chilli
and cold french fries. Last weekend I had re-heated frozen pizza, a
small cup of crappy coffee and a granola bar. I held my hands high when
the cashier told me it $9.50. Beyond my experience in VT, NY, PA and AZ
friends have relayed similar stories from other areas. From my vantage,
it looks like a trend. Is it?

Jeff

"AstroPax" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 6 Feb 2005 14:24:42 -0500, "Gumby"
wrote:

Excellent. I'll be there Wednesday & Thursday. Which car should I look
for?
I'm happy to bring the beer. Thanks!

The Subaru, with Utah plates.


GRIN
I'll be there.
BYOB ?

"rosco" wrote in message
...

Then, try to recruit top-notch managers to run these places on a seasonal
basis without much chance at benefits.

So, give them benefits, make it happen. People seem to accept these things
as though they are gospel. They're not, someone made that decision. When
they want it to change, it will change.

ant

"ant" wrote in message
...

"rosco" wrote in message
...

Then, try to recruit top-notch managers to run these places on a
seasonal basis without much chance at benefits.

So, give them benefits, make it happen. People seem to accept these
things as though they are gospel. They're not, someone made that
decision. When they want it to change, it will change.

What ****in benifits do you need besides skiing when you want, a nice
place to live and to be happy. Now if you want to rake in the
socialist benifits to take care of the kids that you had of your own
choice maybe you should move to Sweden or something.

If you enjoy boogers and stench and screeming, maybe you should work
in a factory where they have benifits.