Blue Sky’s new Exec. Chef Jason Franey inspires winter menu by ‘living off and in harmony with the land’

Photo: Jason Franey

WANSHIP, Utah— Yuta restaurant in The Lodge at Blue Sky, Auberge Resorts Collection, recently announced the addition of Jason Franey as the new Executive Chef. With three James Beard Award nominations and over 30 years of experience in fine dining, guests are in great culinary hands when dining at Yuta.

“My passion and drive are firmly based on my life experiences and perspectives,” Franey stated. “Being a Chef is not about cooking for yourself or searching for your identity; it’s about what makes sense for the guests, respecting the land, being humble in making the dish for the guest, and creating an experience that is unforgettable. My approach for the restaurant is a Contemporary American style, where I’ll take classic dishes and revamp them. I’m a big fan of whole roasted pigs, which could be a unique, interactive experience for guests.”

Dishes at Yuta will continue to be inspired by the reverence for the land established by The Lodge at Blue Sky. In addition, Chef Franey will continue cultivating relationships between local farmers and purveyors to create outstanding dishes that are thoughtful of the seasons and the ingredients.

“I’m inspired by the vastness of the Wasatch Mountain Range and the many cultural influences that have both passed through and settled in the area,” Franey said. “I’m also working closely with Lynsey Gammon, the property’s Director of Farming, who employs regenerative methods at the onsite Gracie’s Farm. We will develop menu concepts to showcase the farm’s abundant harvest of greens, garlic, tomatoes, root vegetables, honey, herbs, and much more. Our first menu will debut this winter, focusing on fermentation and other techniques that preserve the farm’s summer harvest while highlighting its winter production. The goal is that the menu will represent this idea of living off, and in harmony with, the land while spotlighting local and sustainable produce and proteins.”

At just 25 years old, under the mentorship of James Beard Award-winning chef Daniel Humm, Franey became Executive Sous Chef at Eleven Madison Park. After several years at Eleven Madison Park, he moved to Canlis in Seattle, Wash., where he was the Executive Chef. His time there brought such accolades as being named Best New Chef by Food and Wine Magazine in 2011. Most recently, Franey served as the Culinary Director for the Aspen Hospitality Group

“I spent my childhood in Austin, Texas but fell in love with cooking in West Palm Beach, Florida,” Franey said. “I’ve spent over two decades in the restaurant business and have three James Beard Award nominations. As a teenager, I worked in every kitchen that would hire me and never turned down a position, whether it was dishwashing, bussing tables, pantry work, or tossing pizza dough.”