At The Lodge at Blue Sky, Auberge Resorts Collection, a dining venue set high in the mountains fuses open-fire cooking and nature, a true “wild kitchen.”

The dinners held Wednesdays through Sundays until late September feature a nightly seating for 24 guests in a open-air setting accessible only by 4×4 vehicles, in-house cars or a guided hike.

WildKitchen, which was developed by filmmaker Guy Ritchie, made its U.S. debut at Blue Sky in 2024. The concept centers on the WildTent, a retractable canvas and hardwood structure, and the WildTable, a multi-functional cooking station that allows chefs to grill, smoke, roast, boil and fry over open flame.

This summer the resort will host a guest chef series, where the communal dinner setting pairs diners with experts from across the country. And it’s also a chance for chefs to experience summertime in the Wasatch Back.

“The best part to me is the close personal interaction with your dining guests,” said Kim Canteenwalla, chef at Honey Salt in Las Vegas. “It’s much more personal than a regular open-kitchen restaurant.”

Guest chefs visiting for the WildKitchen summer dinner series said the venue is a fun chance to engage directly with diners. Credit: Photo courtesy of The Lodge at Blue Sky, Auberge Resorts Collection

Canteenwalla said working outdoors can be challenging, depending on wind, rain or heat but joked it’s all “Mother Nature at its best.” Getting to incorporate local and regional produce, especially products from Blue Sky’s Gracie’s Farm, he said, is a huge asset.

His philosophy in cooking centers around sourcing high-quality goods, he said.

“Allow food in its simplest form to speak for itself,” Canteenwalla said. “Preparation of food in an outdoor setting should speak to the surrounding area and elements. Grilling, roasting, searing, smoking, purées and curing should be allowed to come into play.”

Seth Adams, executive chef and owner of Riverhorse on Main in Park City, was also invited to guest for a dinner, closing out the series with nights on Sept. 26 and 27. As a locally based chef, he said he was surprised to be included in the lineup.

“They called and said they wanted to feature a local chef,” Adams said. “They usually bring in out-of-town people, so I feel like it was a huge honor to get invited up there.”

Adams said accessing ingredients from Gracie’s Farm is one of the best parts for these WildKitchen dinners.

“By that time, their greenhouse is going off, so I’ll be able to pick whatever I want from there, which is super cool,” he said.

Though he’s not traveling far, Adams said participating in guest dinners like these is an opportunity to get more inspiration to bring home to Riverhorse on Main.

“Kitchens can get somewhat repetitive, and we don’t change the menu every day at Riverhorse, so it’s always nice to be able to do fun stuff,” he said. “A lot of times, when I do events like this, it actually sparks new menu items because we get to play with things.”

The rugged, mountainside venue of WildKitchen gives chefs an opportunity to experiment with unique methods. Credit: Photo courtesy of The Lodge at Blue Sky, Auberge Resorts Collection

He said he will finalize his menu closer to the event, but diners can expect a playful meal centered around what he does best: “upscale, eclectic American cuisine and uncomplicated, seasonal dishes.”

“I do things super last minute sometimes, so I’ll wait until we get close to it and start trying to figure out what we’re going to do,” he said. “I get to take a couple of my sous chefs and go make a night out of it.”

Canteenwalla’s dinners are scheduled for Aug. 22 and 23, and other participating chefs includ Ryan DePersio of Battello in Jersey City, New Jersey on Aug. 8 and 9; Dan Kluger of Loring Place in New York City on Aug. 15 and 16; and Crista Luedtke of boon eat + drink in Guerneville, California, on Sept. 13 and 14.

Guest Chef Series events are $250 per adult and $125 per child under 12. Wine pairings are available for an additional $95, or $75 for non-alcoholic options.

For the normal WildKitchen series, with the hotel’s Executive Chef Guillermo Tellez at the helm, prices start at $150 per adult and from $75 per child.

Tellez said the WildTable’s open-fire design makes for fun challenges and opportunities and is a unique interpretation of fine dining.

“In ‘fine dining,’ there are four pillars — ambiance, service, food and wine. These can be performed in any environment. Everything is about the delivery of the experience, and everything must make sense and feel welcoming,” he said.

The Lodge at Blue Sky Executive Chef Guillermo Tellez leads the usual WildKitchen dinners during the summer, which he sees as an opportunity to connect the outdoors and fine dining. Credit: Photo courtesy of The Lodge at Blue Sky, Auberge Resorts Collection

He said the guest interaction at WildKitchen is central to the format, and in some cases there are hands-on activities for dinners with the in-table grill.

“We take this opportunity to connect with the guest, sharing our personal stories and showcasing the culinary process,” he said. “It is very informative to see visually the ingredients we use, the story behind them — that makes the meal that much more meaningful.”

The ethos that motivates WildKitchen, of fresh and live cooking, is something Tellez has also prioritized as a chef.

“I look at this as a framework for making food choices that will be in sync with the values and goals that I believe in: This includes my cooking style and approach to sustainability, the use of ingredients that are fresh from the farm and my motivation for choosing certain foods,” he said. “Thinking about how I can deliver an experience that guests will remember.”

Reservations for the WildKitchen dinners can be made through the Lodge at Blue Sky website: aubergeresorts.com/bluesky/dine/wildkitchen.

WildKitchen dinners are set in a remote part of the 3,500-acre Blue Sky Ranch in Wanship. Credit: Photo courtesy of The Lodge at Blue Sky, Auberge Resorts Collection