{"id":26736,"date":"2014-07-05T11:02:19","date_gmt":"2014-07-05T18:02:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/goodlifevancouver.com\/?p=26736"},"modified":"2026-09-30T16:18:23","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T23:18:23","slug":"skyhigh-a-dinner-with-altitude-hosted-by-the-bearfoot-bistro-and-the-whistler-blackcomb-foundation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goodlifevancouver.com\/staging\/2138\/skyhigh-a-dinner-with-altitude-hosted-by-the-bearfoot-bistro-and-the-whistler-blackcomb-foundation\/","title":{"rendered":"SKYHIGH \u2013 A Dinner With Altitude hosted by the Bearfoot Bistro and the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Bearfoot<\/a>On Saturday June 28, the mountains of Whistler and Blackcomb played host to an extraordinary event believed to be the first of its kind in the world, when SKYHIGH \u2013 A Dinner With Altitude<\/em> took place on the Peak2Peak Gondola as it travelled between the mountains.<\/p>\n

In a logistical tour-de-force, the Bearfoot Bistro, under the culinary direction of Executive Chef Melissa Craig, served a six-course fine-dining menu to 248 guests seated across 25 gondolas as they journeyed 436 metres above ground for 4.4 kilometres between Whistler and Blackcomb mountains.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe key to this event was all in the planning,\u201d noted Craig, Executive Chef of the Bearfoot Bistro. \u201cWe had to be organized down to the second, with everything from bread service through to dessert.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two kitchens were set up on either side of the Peak2Peak, with hot food served on the Whistler side, and cold on Blackcomb, as the gondolas passed through each terminal.<\/p>\n

Staff had only one minute and 20 seconds from the time the gondola doors opened to clear the previous course and serve up to 10 guests with food and wine, before the doors closed again.<\/p>\n

As the final gondola was served one course, the first gondola re-entered the terminal, giving the kitchen staff less than two minutes to regroup and begin plating the next dish.<\/p>\n

A total of 16 service staff interacted with each gondola as it passed through the terminal, making sure guests received the level of service and hospitality they would expect from Bearfoot Bistro, Whistler\u2019s premiere fine-dining restaurant. \u00a0\"Bearfoot<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWe knew what we were trying to pull off was something more like a Formula One pit stop than a traditional dining event,\u201d said Bearfoot Bistro General Manager Kerren Bottay. \u201cOn the day, the team worked under immense pressure to hit exact timings and deliver an incredible, flawless experience for our guests. We could not have imagined such a successful execution of our plan.\u201d<\/p>\n

Guests travelled between Whistler and Blackcomb mountains a total of six times, with each leg taking 18 minutes.<\/p>\n

A 36 minute bathroom break was given between courses four and five, with a palate cleanser served atop Whistler Mountain.<\/p>\n

Guests paid $7500 for a gondola that seated up to 10 people in a fundraiser for The Whistler Blackcomb Foundation. Wines for the event were donated by individual wineries.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was wicked,\u201d said Bearfoot Bistro founder Andr\u00e9 Saint-Jacques. \u201cFor sure there is always stress when you strive for perfection, but the team was so prepared, Melissa was so calm, we couldn\u2019t have hoped for a better execution.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy only worry was that guests would not be on time and miss their gondolas,\u201d Saint-Jacques added. \u201cBut they respected all of the guidelines, and there wasn\u2019t a single hitch. In fact, we had one couple get engaged while on the gondola.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although originally conceived as a one-off, the event was so successful that Saint-Jacques began fielding requests for gondolas for next year almost as soon as the event ended.<\/p>\n

\"Bearfoot<\/p>\n

\u201cDining at 436 metres, suspended over Fitzsimmons Creek with spectacular views of glaciers, mountains and the Whistler Valley at sunset was remarkable,\u201d said Dave Brownlie, President and CEO of Whistler Blackcomb and President of The Whistler Blackcomb Foundation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe meticulous execution of the countless details by both Whistler Blackcomb and Bearfoot Bistro staff was nothing short of impressive,\u201d Brownlie said. \u201cWorking with the Bearfoot Bistro to create a truly unique experience with the first ever dining event on our record breaking Peak2Peak Gondola exceeded all our expectations.<\/p>\n

About The Whistler Blackcomb Foundation:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Whistler Blackcomb Foundation has raised over $8.2 million since 1992 for Registered Sea to Sky Charities making it the largest fundraising organization in the area. Its mandate is to provide financial support to non-profit organizations whose activities provide benefit to residents of the Sea to Sky Corridor in the areas of health, human services, education, recreation, arts & culture and the environment. Special emphasis is placed on children, youth and family. For more information on The Whistler Blackcomb Foundation, visit whistlerblackcombfoundation.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

About the Bearfoot Bistro: \u2028<\/strong><\/p>\n

No visit to Whistler is complete without an evening at the Bearfoot Bistro, the resort\u2019s premier fine dining restaurant. Enjoy a spectacular meal created by award-winning Executive Chef Melissa Craig, try your hand at sabering a bottle of Champagne in the 20,000-bottle wine cellar, or visit the Belvedere Ice Room, the coldest vodka tasting room in the world.\u2028Take a seat at the pewter bar in the Champagne Lounge with its spectacular rail of ice designed to hold and keep your glass of Champagne perfectly chilled, or enjoy a full bar, oyster and dinner service outdoors on the Bearfoot Bistro\u2019s patio.\u2028\u2028Bearfoot Bistro founder Andr\u00e9 Saint-Jacques believes beautiful food and great wine shared with friends and family is always a celebration. For more information on the Bearfoot Bistro, visit bearfootbistro.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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About Whistler Blackcomb:<\/p>\n

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Whistler Blackcomb, the official alpine skiing venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, is situated in the Resort Municipality of Whistler located in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia 125 kilometres (78 miles) from Vancouver, British Columbia. North America\u2019s premier four season mountain resort, Whistler and Blackcomb are two side-by-side mountains which combined offer over 200 marked runs, 8,171 acres of terrain, 16 alpine bowls, three glaciers, receives on average over 1,174 centimetres (462 inches) \u00a0of snow annually, and one of the longest ski seasons in North America. In the summer, Whistler Blackcomb offers a variety of activities, including hiking and biking trails, the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, and sightseeing on the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola.\u00a0 For more info on Whistler Blackcomb, visit whistlerblackcomb.com<\/a><\/p>\n

About the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Spanning the distance between Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains, the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola is a 4.4 kilometre \/ 2.7 mile, eleven-minute journey now recognized globally as a tourism icon of epic proportions. By connecting the high alpine terrain of both mountains, the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola has changed the way skiers, snowboarders and sightseers experience Whistler Blackcomb. In addition to being the number one landmark in Canada according to TripAdvisor.com<\/a>, the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola also holds three world records, including:<\/p>\n