When Thomas Salamunovich opened Larkspur Restaurant 15 years ago at Golden Peak, it was the first ski-in, ski-out, slope-side fine dining restaurant in Vail, and it set a new standard at the resort.
Continuing this spirit of innovation, Salamunovich is shaking up Vail’s dining scene once again.
In a bold move, Salamunovich and his spouse Nancy Sweeney have decided to discontinue nightly á la carte dinner service and reinvent their idea of fine dining, focusing on customized gatherings and private celebrations. By focusing on the most intriguing, profitable and consistent areas of their business—private events, winter lunches, après ski and the Larkspur Market—Larkspur will be at the forefront of creative and memorable fine dining experiences.
“Simply put, we want to keep it fresh. Larkspur will continue to be open for lunch and après ski in the winter,” Salamunovich emphasized. “It is time to tear it down to start back up with a renewed energy for what we do best.”
Salamunovich and Larkspur team will be working to re-write the rulebook, concentrating on culinary experiences that generate a signature joy and excitement. The restaurant will reopen with both a renewed vision and a newly remodeled dining room as well.
“Larkspur has been a labor of love for all of us for more than 15 years,” he said. “It is time to showcase our strengths and capitalize on the amenities that our guests expect and appreciate. We will continue the high level of service at lunch and après and will focus on creating customized culinary experiences as we have done for many years, without the constraint of nightly service.”
Salamunovich is composing a chef’s consortium for Larkspur. It will bring together successful like-minded professionals from the Vail Valley, Denver, Boulder, New York and California. The list of invitees includes chefs, restaurateurs, health and wellness professionals, wine experts and other peers in the hospitality industry.
“We will work together to create culinary events and unforgettable dining experiences that will be open to the public,” Salamunovich said.
The events will be inspired by Thomas’s passions: artisanal products, culinary techniques, hospitality, health, nutrition, and fitness. Events will include “cellar” dinners, featured guest chefs, harvest lunches, educational seminars and culinary workshops.
In addition to the offerings located in and around the Golden Peak Lodge, Larkspur is adding a catering component to the business. This new venture will allow Larkspur’s team limitless opportunities to create off-premise events.
“We are very excited about the opportunities this change will bring for Thomas, Nancy and the entire Larkspur team. I think the community will enjoy being able to book events at Larkspur year round and have Thomas cater private off-site events,” said Chris Jarnot, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Vail Mountain. “Personally, I can’t wait to see what he dreams up in terms of guest-chef experiences and other concepts that we’ll all get to enjoy.”
“It’s exciting to be nervous about the limitless possibilities,” said Salamunovich. “We are thrilled to begin a new chapter in Larkspur’s history.”