Thomas Salamunovich and his spouse Nancy Sweeney, founders and owners of Larkspur, have recently decided to discontinue nightly á la carte dinner service and reinvent their idea of fine dining, focusing on customized gatherings and private celebrations.
“Simply put, we want to keep it fresh. Larkspur will continue to be open for lunch and après ski in the winter,” said Salamunovich. “It is time to tear it down to start back up with a renewed energy for what we do best.”
Salamunovich and Larkspur’s team will be working to re-write the rulebook, concentrating on culinary experiences that generate a signature joy and excitement. The restaurant will reopen with both a renewed vision and a newly remodeled dining room as well.
“Larkspur has been a labor of love for all of us for more than 15 years,” Salamunovich said. “It is time to showcase our strengths and capitalize on the amenities that our guests expect and appreciate. We will continue the high level of service at lunch and après and will focus on creating customized culinary experiences as we have done for many years, without the constraint of nightly service.”
Salamunovich is composing a chef’s consortium for Larkspur. It will bring together successful, like-minded professionals from the Vail Valley, Denver, Boulder, New York and California. The list of invitees includes chefs, restaurateurs, health and wellness professionals, wine experts and other peers in the hospitality industry.
“We are very excited about the opportunities this change will bring for Thomas, Nancy and the entire Larkspur team. I think the community will enjoy being able to book events at Larkspur year round and have Thomas cater private off-site events,” said Chris Jarnot, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Vail Mountain. “Personally, I can’t wait to see what he dreams up in terms of guest-chef experiences and other concepts that we’ll all get to enjoy.”
In addition to the offerings located in and around the Golden Peak Lodge, Larkspur is adding a catering component to the business. This new venture will allow Larkspur’s team limitless opportunities to create off-premise events.
