Tour de Forks: Tour de France

Beginning with traditional caviar service and vintage champagne, this is an evening where masters of their craft pull out all the stops. Truly exquisite French cuisine, scrupulously selected Old World wine pairings, and decadent dessert pastries – lavish yourself with this most extravagant ending to a stunning summer season.

Chefs: Jason Vernon, Speckled Goose Culinary (Crested Butte, CO); Pastry Chef Danielle Riesz Gutter, Wildflour Sweets (Crested Butte, CO)

Sommelier: Dan Downing, Founder, Elevated Winesource & Wine Director, Soupçon (Crested Butte, CO)

Host: Maureen & Keith Gamble

Location: Skyland

Date: Thursday, September 5

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Cost: $1,000

CHEFS

Chef Jason Vernon of Speckled Goose Culinary, and former Proprietor and Executive Chef of Soupçon Bistro, is in the realm of excellence, relishing in the romantic nuances of the French countryside with its deep history and leisurely pace of life. The aesthetic attention to detail characteristic of that region leaks into Jason’s style as he sculpts dishes infused with passion and respect for ingredients and technique. Guided by the fresh offerings of the season, Jason’s food becomes a heartfelt expression and sensual celebration of life. Formally trained at the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Jason refined his prowess at such prestigious dining establishments as the Stamford Landmark in Connecticut, Chicago Four Seasons, Emeril Lagasse’s Nola in New Orleans and RK, an American Brasserie in Rye, New York. He has won the Tour de Forks Chefs on the Edge competition so many times we lost count.

Award-winning Pastry Chef Danielle Riesz Gutter of Wildflour Sweets graduated from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, with a degree in baking and pastry arts before training abroad in the Netherlands for a Relais & Château property and a Michelin star rated restaurant. She then joined the prestigious 5-star / 5-diamond properties of the Four Seasons Hotels in Jackson Hole; Washington, D.C.; Dallas and San Francisco. In Aspen she became Executive Pastry Chef at The Little Nell, a 5-star / 5-diamond Relais & Château property, and contributor to the Food and Wine Classic in Aspen. Danielle now owns Wildflour Sweets in Crested Butte.

WINE & SPIRITS

Sommelier Dan Downing, founder of Elevated Winesource, focuses on private wine cellar management and private wine events. With over 10 years of experience in the world of high-end wine and food, Dan is also the Wine Director of the fabulously deep and prestigious offerings at Soupçon. For this event, Dan pours incredible and rare French wines paired in perfect harmony with Chef Jason’s cuisine. Afterward, guests have the unique opportunity to round out their own personal cellars with the wines featured at this dinner by ordering through Elevated Winesource.

LOCATION

The Fairway Park Town Homes are among the newest constructions in Skyland. With an open floor plan encompassing living and dining areas in a single great room, combined with a center island of quartz countertops, it is perfect for grand entertaining. The expansive vaulted ceilings mirror the expansive views on any one of the three large outdoor living areas with vistas from Whetstone Mountain, to Red Lady and up to Paradise Divide. The clean and modern color scheme of slate blues and white leave room for pops of the iconic West – from animal skin rugs to prints and paintings of buffalo, fox and horses. Close to the Upper Loop, links on the Robert Trent Jones Championship Golf Course, and just around the corner from the Club at Crested Butte, this is the perfect mountain adventure basecamp.