S2:Ep5. Jodie Rogers: From Turkey Chili to Gooey Warm Cookies

Last Chair: The Ski Utah Podcast

Imagine feeding thousands of skiers at a dozen locations across five mountains every day? That's the life of Jodie Rogers. An Australian skier who found Utah over 20 years ago, Rogers brings a jovial spirit to her role as director of food and beverage for Deer Valley Resort - staying on top of food trends, and making sure there's enough turkey chili at every lodge.

As skiers, it's easy to take lunch for granted. But at a resort that has historically been acclaimed as a leader in food and hospitality, Rogers leads a team that innovates how to bring culinary art to the slopes every day - breakfast, lunch and dinner.

From morning oatmeal and coffee at the Deer Valley Grocery ~ Café to the taco station at Silver Lake Lodge, gooey chocolate chip cookies, and melting Swiss raclette cheese in a stone fireplace at Fireside Dining, Rogers is at the epicenter of on-mountain cuisine.

How did she get from Australia to Deer Valley? What does it take to transform snow-covered, on-mountain lodges two or three times a day? Listen to Jodie Rogers as she takes you inside food and beverage on the mountain at Deer Valley Resort.

CHATTING WITH JODIE ROGERS

Childhood memory of skiing?
We drove six hours to the ski resort. I think I was seven years old at the time. We got in the back of this truck. So two families, about ten people. We put all the mattresses in the back with all the ski gear, everything we possibly could. Pillows, blankets, heaters, dogs, I think we had in there as well. And we drove the six hours to Perrisher in New South Wales. And that was my first experience of skiing in Australia.

COVID
None of us have lived this, so it's still so real to me. Everything about this is surreal, but it is also exciting. This team here has done the safest thing in educating themselves and setting up the protocols. The ultimate goal is to get everyone back in the healthy, fresh, crisp air that we have. We have been creative and we've had to really change everything in food and beverage.

What made the difference for you coming to Deer Valley?
My love of culinary and teaching, is what it came to when I walked into the kitchen here. I felt very much at home here. Deer Valley employees that have been here a long time - it's home, it's their family. That just always resonated with me. I loved to cook. I love to teach cooking. There were plenty of people here that wanted to learn and I felt respected and loved.

What inspires you about hospitality?
Food just tells a story. You can get so creative with it. It just excites me in a way that I can look and feel what that particular product wants to be. And then I can also take what I learned from the people around me.

Listen in to Ski Utah's Last Chair episode with Jodie Rogers to learn more:

• Suggestions on the best grab-and-go items to tuck into your pocket for a chairlift picnic.
• Her favorite ski run at Deer Valley.
• Why St. Provo Girl is her favorite Utah craft beer.
• And how many gallons of turkey chili Deer Valley produces every day!
• Her COVID-management tips for visitors to Utah.

Tune in to Last Chair: The Ski Utah Podcast presented by High West Distillery on your favorite podcast platform. Subscribe to get first access to every episode.