Vail names first GM, executive chef at new on-mountain restaurant, The 10th

Vail Mountain officials today announced the appointments of George Bigley and Paul Wade to general manager and executive chef respectively for the resort's new on-mountain full-service restaurant, The 10th, slated to open Dec. 1.

Vail Mountain's chief operating officer and senior vice president Chris Jarnot commented, "We could not be more pleased to have the expertise of both George and Paul at the forefront of The 10th and what will undoubtedly become a phenomenal part of the overall guest experience at Vail. George and Paul each bring a rare combination of destination resort and fine-dining experience as well as the attention to service excellence that is at the heart of Vail's promise to guests.”

George Bigley's experience ranges from managing the world-renowned Charlie Trotter's dining room in Chicago, Ill. and opening Charlie Trotter's in Las Vegas, Nev. to his most recent position on the destination resort side as executive director of food and beverage at Telluride Ski & Golf Resort. Since 2008, he has been responsible for all food and beverage operations for Telluride, including casual on-mountain restaurants, full-service restaurants and the resort's flagship fine-dining restaurant, Allred's, where he was previously general manager. Also during his tenure at Telluride, Bigley spearheaded the collaborative development of Alpino Vino, including everything from the concept creation to the remodel, interior design and operations of the quaint European hütte, ultimately creating what has become a key component in the resort's brand image along with Allred's.

In his new position at The 10th, Bigley will oversee restaurant operations with a keen eye on guest service. “The 10th will give Vail's guests the opportunity for an exceptional dining experience while enjoying their day on the mountain,” said Bigley.

Chef Paul Wade is a California wine country native with a national reputation for his creative, unpretentious approach to American cuisine with an emphasis on hand-crafted, organic, sustainable and small farm food sources. By age 28, Wade had cooked at The Four Seasons Maui, The Peaks in Telluride and the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek. In 2000, Wade joined Montagna Restaurant at the infamous Little Nell Hotel in Aspen, Colo. as founding chef while also overseeing Aspen Mountain's culinary operations. Wade has also served as executive chef and worked on special projects for The Eldorado Hotel in Santa Fe, N.M., The Stone House in Little Compton, R.I., The Cotton House on Mustique Island in the West Indies, Columbia Gorge Hotel in Hood River, Ore. and most recently at The Lodge at Vail, also in Vail, Colo. In addition to numerous awards from magazines and organizations such as Food & Wine, AAA, the Mobile Travel Guide, Conde Nast and DiRōNA, he has appeared as a guest chef in both Australia and Italy, as well as at the James Beard House, where he received three additional awards from the foundation. Wade has worked with culinary luminaries such as Todd English, Nobu Matsuhisa, Jaques Pepin and Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

“I'm ecstatic about building a legacy at The 10th and particularly the opportunity to create a new concept and amenity for such a unique demographic at one of the world's premier ski resorts,” said Wade. While the initial menu for The 10th is still being fine-tuned, Wade describes the concept as “modern alpine cuisine,” inspired by the alpine regions of Europe and the Americas with a focus on Friuli, the Swiss Alps, Catalonia, Andorra and of course the Rocky Mountains.

The more than 13,000 square-foot ski-in, ski-out restaurant will be situated at the base of the Look Ma and Challenge trails in the Mid-Vail area, featuring spectacular views of the Gore Range from the main dining area. Walk-in seating will be available, however the resort anticipates that a number of its peak holiday periods throughout the season will book up quickly and guests are encouraged to make reservations accordingly. Reservations for the 2011-2012 winter season can be made by calling (970) 754-1010.

For more information about Vail Mountain, visit www.vail.com or contact the Mountain Information Center at (970) SKI-VAIL (754-8425).