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“Ski” can almost be classified as a cuisine in itself. Whether you’re at Deer Valley in Utah – try one of Goldener Hirsch’s snow picnics – or at Le Fitz Roy in Val Thorens, the menus are usually a mix of hearty Alpine classics. Indulge yourself in the wooden dining rooms with sheepskin blankets and snow haircuts. “Fondue, raclette and tartiflette are the stars – ideal for cold weather,” says Jimmy Garcia, a London-based caterer who started cooking at home across Europe. At the time he favored La Folie Douce and Le Rond Point near Méribel for low-fuss meals. (The latter has a slide down to the halls – not something I would recommend.)
When most slope-side restaurants look more or less the same, distinguishing the good from the bad can be a challenge. “If the menu reads like the dishes should be eaten high in the mountains, with local ingredients, you’re usually on to a winner,” says Joshua Overington, co-owner of Mýse, a Michelin-starred restaurant in North Yorkshire. ; he met his wife and business partner during a ski season in the Alps. At the Refuge de la Traye in Les Allues, France, for example, the soft-boiled eggs served with bacon and Savoyard mushrooms are from the hotel’s hen house. At La Table de L’Alpaga in Megève, “plants drive the menu” and often come from L’Alpaga’s kitchen garden. The Overingtons themselves love “Le 1789 in Val d’Isère for a good steak cooked over an open fireplace.”
ABOUT FT Travel editor Tom Robbins, “the best mountain restaurants are those isolated from the blur of lifts and ski runs.” His favorite is Refugi Montgarri “on the edge of Spain’s chi-chi Baqueira Beret ski area”. Ski there off-piste – “expect some bushwhacking” – or catch a lift on a skido. “The food is rustic and wonderful: you start with cold beer, olives, bacon and skillet, then big ribs of beef are cooked over the fire,” says Robbins.
Likewise, FT Globetrotter deputy editor Niki Blasina likes long, alfresco lunches almost more than skiing. In Les Gets in France – “a smaller, more family-friendly resort” – she recommends La Croix Blanche for Savoyard specialties that are “high in calories and cheese, ham and potato-centric”. In Zermatt, Switzerland, her favorites are Adler Hitta for goulash soup and spaetzli (pasta made with ham, leeks and cheese), and Chez Vrony for homemade sausages, cured meats and cheeses.
Many resorts have dedicated teams for bookings and recommendations: Le Collectionist, a group of luxury rental villas, has staff on the ground in all the major ski destinations across Europe. According to Megève and Chamonix director of operations Jérôme Teigné, the group’s clientele – a mix of finance and business professionals, models, actors and footballers – “don’t mind the price too much – they see their days as a moment to delighted in the excellent mountain. food.” Among his top recommendations are Kaito, a Japanese restaurant in Megève, and the Val Thorens gastropub La Fruitière. The latter serves oysters and rib roast at the top of the Plein Sud chair lift.
And if you’re looking for Michelin stars, Courchevel – the highest of any European ski resort – has 14 of them. The jewel in the crown is Le 1947 à Cheval Blanc, a three-star restaurant run by Yannick Alléno, who also runs Alléno Paris, L’Abysse and Pavyllon. When he’s not preparing 12-course truffle and caviar dinners, Alléno is a keen skier. He recommends nearby Sylvestre, La Saulire or La Cave des Creux for those who can’t snag one of his five tables. Now you’ll also find Loulou, the Parisian restaurant chain – a tribute to Yves Saint Laurent’s muse, Loulou de la Falaise – that’s known for its opulent decor and fresh, “family-style” cooking. If you’re happy to spend €75 on a truffle pizza, this is probably the place to do it.
