There’s a new Chef in town at Arapahoe Basin, and he’s brought copious culinary delights for both early morning risers and moonlight diners.

He’s been cooking up tasty and healthy portions for decades, and now he’s serving up those treats to uphill-access skiers, snowboarders and snowshoers at Summit County’s legendary ski area.

Say hello to Chef David Garcia!

Garcia was donning a bristle-broom moustache and Grateful Dead ball cap from the patio of the Black Mountain Lodge the day he talked to The Denver Gazette.

He spoke about cooking, delicious delicacies and how you can sample his creations at the two signature food series Arapahoe Basin offers this season.

“I wanted to bring the Colorado feel of what Colorado has to offer,” Garcia said about food elements he brought to Arapahoe Basin’s menus for Uphill & Chill and Moonlight Dinner Series. “A lot of game meats, local produce, do a lot of trout, stuff like that.”

Both meal series have taken place for several years, with the Uphill & Chill Breakfast starting approximately in 2020 and the Moonlight Dinner Series first happening in 2009.

But Garcia has been cooking in Colorado’s mountain towns and resorts for a lot longer than that.

He spent time first learning from Chef Christopher Rybak at Keystone in 2001, then had stints in kitchens at both Copper Mountain and Steamboat before settling in at Arapahoe Basin most recently.

“I’ve always wanted to work at the Basin, so when I decided to move back up here (to Summit County), this was my first choice of employment,” Garcia said. “I’ve been here since May of 2024.”

Since his inception at the ski area, he’s been able to bring early morning risers some exquisite dishes for the seasons’ Uphill & Chill breakfasts.

“We did duck quiche, we did pork carnitas, enchiladas,” Garcia said. “We always have a different style of potato, different salads and pastries. So the first time (this season) we made churros, and this last time, we made beignets, that was really popular.”

Garcia said the Uphill & Chill breakfasts have been well received by the community of uphill-access skiers and riders too, saying in part “the first one I did was kind of Mexican food, and the last one I did was French.”

“And I haven’t started thinking about the next one (January 31), but it gives opportunity to get away from the normal day to day operations and do some of the culinary creativity stuff.”

“I think that we wanna bring good culinary food to A-Basin and this has been going on for a while, so I think it’s great to be able to do it and showcase not only my talents, but have chef Rybak help out and really get people to know the other side of the Basin, not just skiing.”

Arapahoe Basin has another Uphill & Chill Breakfast scheduled for January.

Uphill & Chill details:

• Friday, Jan. 31 – 7 to 9:30 a.m., Black Mountain Lodge with the menu being released Wednesday, Jan. 1.

There are two time slots for breakfast. Participants can ski as many laps as they want before their time slot. Check-in for the event is at Black Mountain Lodge at your designated time.

• 7:30 a.m.: Group 1 check-in at Black Mountain Lodge for breakfast
• 8:30 a.m.: Group 2 check-in at Black Mountain Lodge for breakfast

As for the Moonlight Dinners, there’s nothing like them around Colorado’s high country at night on the slopes.

Skiing, snowshoeing or riding the chairlift up to Black Mountain Lodge under a full moon is an experience in itself, however, enjoying a world class meal at 11,500 feet with 150 of your new best friends is next level.

And Garcia has old school plans for the season’s first event.

“This New Year’s, I kind of went a little retro,” Garcia said. “I figured everyone else in Summit County is gonna be doing the same things, so I took it back to the 70s and 80s. I got a lot of hors d’oeuvres from that time period. We’re having caviar, truffles, four entrees; we’re doing tomahawk steaks.”

Diner’s can expect wild boar, steel head trout and duck, too.

Because Arapahoe Basin is not a large ski resort, Garcia said his creativity will be able to shine more to diners’ delight because he can focus on the quality of food offered not the quantity.

“I feel the difference between here and other (on-mountain) restaurants is it’s more community and family (rather) than just having so many people,” he said. “I got a smaller staff here where as at Steamboat, I had 50 cooks.”

Garcia said he’s going to try and make more creative dishes in the future as well.

“It definitely gives me more time to be more of a culinary than be a manager.”

Moonlight Dinner Series details:

• Tuesday, Dec. 31, – 7 to 11 p.m., New Year’s Eve Dinner @ Black Mountain Lodge with the theme: Hors d’oeuvres. Dinner spots still available.

• Check-in takes place between 6 and 6:30 p.m. that evening in Guest Services. The 6th Alley Bar & Grill will be open for cocktails before the chairlift turns at 6:45 p.m.
• Snowshoe, skin, or take the lift to Black Mountain Lodge after checking in.
• Celebrate the ball dropping on East Coast time at 10 p.m.
• The evening will come to a close at 11 p.m.
• Price: $200

• Saturday, Feb. 15 – 7 to 10 p.m., @ Black Mountain Lodge with the theme: A night in the Swiss Alps. Dinner goes on sale Jan. 1.

• Reservations are required. This will sell out quickly; our Moonlight Dinners are some of our most popular events.
• Check-in takes place between 6 and 6:30 p.m. that evening in Guest Services. The 6th Alley Bar & Grill will be open for cocktails prior to the chairlift turning at 6:45 p.m.
• Price: $120 

• Saturday, March 15 – 7 to 10 p.m., @ Black Mountain Lodge with the theme: A night in Asia. Dinner goes on sale Feb. 1.

• Reservations are required. This will sell out quickly; our Moonlight Dinners are some of our most popular events.
• Check-in takes place between 6 and 6:30 p.m. that evening in Guest Services. The 6th Alley Bar & Grill will be open for cocktails prior to the chairlift turning at 6:45 p.m.
• Price: $120

• Saturday, April 12 – 7 to 10 p.m., @ Black Mountain Lodge with the theme: Luau. Dinner goes on sale March 1.

• There is no lift access for this event; guests must uphill or snowshoe to Black Mountain Lodge.
• Reservations are required. This will sell out quickly; our Moonlight Dinners are some of our most popular events.
• Check-in takes place between 6 and 6:30 p.m. that evening in Guest Services.
• Price: $120

For more information regarding Arapahoe Basin Ski Area’s food events and tickets, visit their website.