Relais & Châteaux Chef Swap with Aspen's The Little Nell at Magee Homestead

All around the world, Relais & Châteaux properties and their restaurants strive for the same goal: to offer thrilling, memorable meals. Through farm-fresh ingredients and honed techniques, chefs create gourmet cuisine at the peak of its perfection. Properties honored to be a part of Relais & Châteaux are the expression of culinary arts blending cultures and flavors in perfect harmony with an idyllic setting. For this year’s Relais & Châteaux chef swap, Magee Homestead’s Chef Jack Mahoney collaborates with The Little Nell’s Chef Matt Zubrod.

MEET MAGEE HOMESTEAD EXECUTIVE CHEF JACK MAHONEY

Chef Jack Mahoney found his passion for cuisine through sharing meals with his family in St. Louis, Missouri. Great food and company make memories that last a lifetime, and moments he knew he wanted to help create for others. Beginning his career working in restaurants at the age of 16, Chef Mahoney built a foundation of knowledge and skills that lead to over 14 years of experience in positions as chef de partie, sous chef, and executive sous chef. In 2022, he accepted the position of Executive Chef at Magee Homestead where he currently oversees the culinary experiences and dining outlets. The cuisine at Magee Homestead is both pasture-to-plate and seed-to-table, featuring ranch-raised Wagyu beef, Medicine Bow Creamery cheeses, greenhouse produce, and Brush Creek Distillery spirits. Utilizing these products helps to educate, enhance, and inspire the exceptional experiences that our culinary team delivers to guests at every meal. Our concept in cuisine focuses on fresh and seasonal flavors that are sourced locally to invite vibrant memories of meals shared together.

MEET THE LITTLE NELL CULINARY DIRECTOR MATT ZUBROD

“Matt’s style of cooking encompasses a variety of flavors informed by Alpine and coastal influences from his time working in the Rocky Mountains and by the Pacific Ocean,” said The Little Nell’s General Manager, Jonathan Fillman. Matt Zubrod joined The Little Nell in Aspen, Colorado, in April 2015, as Executive Chef. In 2019, he was promoted to Culinary Director of The Little Nell, overseeing all culinary operations for the hotel’s restaurants, private Aspen Mountain Club, banquets, and in-room dining.

Matt began his career with The Ritz-Carlton, initially working in Aspen, Naples and Boston before moving on to the historic Hotel del Coronado in San Diego as Executive Sous-Chef. In 1999, he took over The Vail Cascade Resort as
Executive Chef and opened The Ritz-Carlton, Aspen Highlands as Executive Chef in 2001. As a departure from the corporate world, he branched out into the independent restaurant scene to open Dish Aspen as Executive Chef and
Managing Partner. He next moved to Hawaii where he opened Monette’s at Mauna Kea Resort, which he ran for several years. A short stopover in California at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa brought Matt, his wife, Denise, and their children,
Bode and Finn, back to the mainland. In 2013, they returned to Aspen where he served as Executive Chef at BB’s Kitchen until joining The Little Nell. He also has a daughter named Christina.