Chef | The Last Best Blog

August 21, 2016June 30, 2023

Where to Achieve Amazing Baking and Horseback Riding Skills in One Weekend

What do horseback riding, fly-fishing, ATV rides, pizza, cookies and pies have in common? We have the simple answer: Upper Crust at the Resort at Paws Up. Spend October 7th-10th getting your hands doughy during this one-of-a-kind kitchen adventure in Montana, which offers more than flour and sugar—glamping®, spa treatments, cattle drives and live music are also on the menu.

Join us this year to learn new skills in the kitchen as well as participate in outdoor activities on our 37,000-acre ranch, including fly-fishing, ATV tours, hiking, mountain biking, equestrian lessons, sporting clays, repelling, archery, go-karts and more.

The Resort also welcomes back the “pie whisperer” herself, Kate McDermott, along with Portland’s Ken Forkish and Chicago’s Mindy Segal for Upper Crust, a culinary weekend of sophisticated cookie, pie and pizza baking. During both events, guests will have the opportunity to get up-close and personal with world-class chefs, bakers and winemakers as well as work up an appetite on adventures and excursions in the breathtaking Montana wilderness.

By day, you’ll be creating works of edible art from fresh local ingredients. And by night, you’ll be dining on the cuisine of Paws Up’s Executive Chef, Ben Jones, masterfully executed and paired with exquisite wines.

Afterwards, you’ll retire to the unparalleled comforts of your very own luxury vacation home.

Upper Crust Event Highlights

Friday, October 7, 2016

Welcome reception

Dinner featuring Executive Chef Ben Jones

Fire and Fondue in Tank

Saturday, October 8, 2016

Culinary workshops including kolachke and rugelach cookies,

American apple pie and pizza making a variety of wilderness adventures

Live entertainment in Tank

Sunday, October 9, 2016

Culinary workshops including thumbprint cookies, sweet cherry pie and pizza making

A variety of wilderness adventures

Live entertainment in Tank

Upper Crust is the perfect treat for anyone who’s passionate about homemade, just-out-of-the-oven desserts and pizzas and outdoor bucket-list adventure. Find out more here.

August 17, 2016June 30, 2023

The Oscars of the Food World Come to The Resort at Paws Up

For foodies and wine lovers, Montana Master Chefs is the event of a lifetime-and world-class cuisine and exquisite vino are just the beginning. Get up close and personal with a group of James Beard Award winners, finalists and nominees.

This bucket-list weekend at The Resort at Paws Up is served with an extra helping of breathtaking scenery, exhilarating outdoor adventure and pure relaxation. It’s all happening on September 29th—October 2, 2016.

We’re not sure what is the most fun part of this weekend. Watching the chefs face off in a fun cook-off challenge, sipping fine wine from renowned vintners, burning calories on a variety of wilderness adventures, or relaxing in luxurious accommodations.

It’s also a beautiful time of year for glamping®!

All these ingredients combine to make Montana Master Chefs a winning weekend full of new, unique adventures.

Like a rock-and-roll supergroup, the chefs are coming in from all over the country. There’s Chef Ashley Christensen, winner for Best Chef: Southeast; Chef Matt Jennings, nominated four times for Best Chef: Northeast; Chef Jamie Malone, semifinalist for Rising Star Chef of the Year and Best Chef: Midwest; Chef Steven Satterfield, semifinalist for Best New Restaurant and finalist for Best Chef: Southeast three years in a row and Chef Mindy Segal, nominated five times and winner of Outstanding Pastry Chef. These illustrious chefs will be working alongside Paws Up’s own culinary artist, Executive Chef Ben Jones, whose talent and inexhaustible knowledge of local culinary resources were on display when he headlined at the James Beard House in New York earlier this year. And just imagine what they’ll do for the Top Chef-style challenge.

Wait. There’s More:

Featured Wineries are:

Grgich Hills Estate, founded in Napa by Mike Grgich, was a winning vintner of the historic Paris Wine Tasting of 1976. The impressive wines of Grgich have been featured at White House State Dinners from Reagan to Obama. Violet Grgrich, Mike’s daughter, will be a featured guest of MMC.

Merry Edwards Winery was founded by Merry Edwards, winner of the James Beard Award for Best Wine, Beer or Spirits Professional in the United States. Merry’s husband and partner Ken Coopersmith will be joining us to share his wine expertise and passion.

Rombauer Vineyards was founded by a great nephew of Irma Rombauer, author of the Joy of Cooking. Wine Spectator magazine said, “Rombauer defines the California Chardonnay style that so many adore.” Paws Up is pleased to welcome Koerner “KR” Rombauer III as a featured MMC guest.

Our featured Distillery is Montgomery Distillery, and guests will enjoy music by Musician, Joshua Davis, Ali Solomon and Jon Floridis. Find out more here.

July 13, 2016July 13, 2016

What’s Cooking This Fall at The Resort at Paws Up

Summertime has been amazing in Montana, but it’s going by way too fast. Soon we will have beautiful fall foliage and cooler temperatures. If you’re looking for an autumn getaway, fall is an amazing time to visit The Resort at Paws Up with our sunny days, crisp nights and a variety of five-star culinary weekends. Paws Up has invited acclaimed chefs recognized by the James Beard Foundation to work their magic at Montana Master Chefs: James Beard All-Stars. From haute cuisine to iconic classics, guests will enjoy all the world-class dining and libations that these acclaimed chefs and guest vintners have to offer in a setting like no other on September 29–October 2, 2016.

The Resort also welcomes back the “pie whisperer” herself, Kate McDermott, along with Portland’s Ken Forkish and Chicago’s Mindy Segal for Upper Crust, a culinary weekend of sophisticated cookie, pie and pizza baking (see below for more details). During both events, guests will have the opportunity to get up-close and personal with world-class chefs, bakers and winemakers as well as work up an appetite on adventures and excursions in the breathtaking Montana wilderness.

Here’s the Scoop:

Montana Master Chefs weekend will be held September 29–October 2, 2016.

As part of the weekend event, guests can partake in a myriad of wilderness adventures like horseback riding or fly-fishing and will enjoy one-on-one interaction with some of the finest chefs, distillers and winemakers in the United States. Montana Master Chefs 2016 will feature cooking demonstrations and multicourse dinners prepared by world-class chefs, including Chef Ashley Christensen of Poole’s and AC Restaurants, Chef Matt Jennings of Townsman, Chef Jamie Malone of Brut, Chef Steven Satterfield of Miller Union, Chef Mindy Segal of Mindy’s Hot Chocolate and Paws Up’s own Chef Ben Jones. The chefs will also compete in a lighthearted Master Chef Cook-Off Challenge.

We’ll be offering parings with Montgomery Distillery as the featured distiller and the incredible vintners Grgich Hills Estate, Merry Edwards Winery and Rombauer Vineyards to provide tastings and pairings throughout the weekend.

Guests will also enjoy live nightly private concerts by Joshua Davis, a folk/roots artist who finished third on Season 8 of NBC’s The Voice; John Floridis, a talented guitarist, singer-songwriter and composer and Ali Solomon, a captivating singer and cover artist.

Upper Crust is an all-inclusive weekend that will be held October 7–10, 2016.

This three-day event on the ranch will be held over Columbus Day weekend for baking enthusiasts for a weekend of luxury, adventure, gourmet food and wine and, most importantly, expert insight into all things dough. The weekend will feature hands-on instruction in a series of cooking and baking workshops. Don’t miss out!

When guests are not baking or enjoying their creations, they can choose from a variety of wilderness adventures: float down the Blackfoot River, spend half a day fly-fishing or explore the Paws Up land by horseback, on an ATV tour or on a guided naturalist hike. Each night, Paws Up’s Executive Chef Ben Jones will serve locally inspired dinner menus for a weekend of unforgettable meals.