Boulder Biking & BBQ Chef Jason Rogers at the St. Julien Hotel & Spa leads guests on Rocky Mountain adventure tours—and rewards them with a gourmet meal. By Margaret Rose Caro
Chef Jason Rogers, executive chef at St. Julien Hotel & Spa in Boulder, Colorado, combines his athletic and culinary interests in a package designed for outdoor enthusiasts.
Boulder, Colorado, home of the University of Colorado (located about 25 miles from Denver), is one of the country’s most athletic cities. And with more than 200 miles of hiking and biking trails, Jason Rogers, executive chef of the St. Julien Hotel & Spa and an avid single-track biker, is in his element. About a year ago, he pitched an idea to put his twist on what the hotel offers. Subsequently, “Boulder Biking & BBQ,” a package for adventure junkies who also love food, was launched.
Chef Rogers, born and raised in suburban Chicago with many trails nearby, has been riding his entire life. He didn’t even own a car until he was 28. While in Iowa City studying physical therapy, he was riding his bike home from an internship one day, and the light went on: he wanted to pursue a culinary career.
“I had cooked in restaurants since I was a kid,” says Chef Rogers. “At the time, I was working at the New Pioneer Co-op, a member-owned grocery store specializing in natural, locally grown food.” Deciding to take action, he moved back to Chicago and landed a job as a pastry chef at the Whitehall Hotel. After moving up to line cook, he went on to become chef de cuisine at the Vail Cascade Resort & Spa, work with Todd English in Aspen, serve as executive sous chef at St. Regis in Washington, D.C., and become executive chef at Borgata Casino in Atlantic City.
But the mountains were calling, and in 2005 he moved to Boulder and became executive chef and culinary director at the 221-room St. Julien Hotel & Spa, a position and place that bring all of his talents together. “Boulder is a mountain biking town, kind of like Berkeley but more laid back,” says Chef Rogers.
Boulder Biking and BBQ, a one-day package including mountain bike and gear rental, a chef-led bike ride, a 50-minute post-biking massage at the hotel spa, and a gourmet dinner, costs $250 per person (double occupancy). Every trip is custom designed around skill level and food preferences.
Trips vary in size from one couple up to 10 participants and occur in the afternoon or evening, depending on the weather and skills. They are popular for bachelor parties, holistic or athletic businesses, families, or for team-building activities.
“The first thing I do is assess a guest’s fitness and skill level,” says Chef Rogers. “Mountain biking in Colorado is no joke, and participants must be in decent shape.”
PERSONALIZED MENUS
After guests show up and their skill level is determined, they are fitted at University Bicycles. A handful of different types of trails allows for diverse experiences, where these adventure enthusiasts ride, take pictures, eat house-made granola to maintain energy, and talk about food in preparation for the upcoming dinner.
“To make it a personalized dining experience, I try to extract something from each guest about preferences. One man loved Italian food, so we talked about my experience studying Italian cuisine in Tuscany. For an appetizer that evening, I made fresh chicken liver pâté served with a Super Tuscan [wine],” Chef Rogers says.
Drinks are waiting when guests return from the two-to five-hour ride and prepare for their spa treatment. These may include Margaritas, beer, wine, or something non-alcoholic. “We talk about it beforehand,” says Chef Rogers. “Boulder is known as ‘the Napa of Beer,’ and a lot of unique beers come out of Boulder County. Plus, we have an organic garden, so we may serve Mojitos made with our fresh mint.”
The menu changes with each trip but always includes barbeque, which can be braised or smoked the day before. Typical menus also offer ceviche; a couple of slaws, like jalapeńo, broccoli, or green chili; and quesadillas. Served family style, the cuisine emphasizes its Southwestern, high-desert locale. Guests have several options for dining, including the Terrace Patio with a view of the Rocky mountains, Jill’s restaurant, or the hotel’s great room lobby, with the Terrace Patio being the most popular.
Chef Rogers says Boulder is becoming a destination, a place where some guests would enjoy biking 20 minutes into the mountains—to a ski slope. For those, the Boulder Biking and BBQ package may be just a warm-up.
