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2023 Year in Review - Food & Beverage

The Grill on the Gore team participated in all four 2023 Taste of Vail events.Sales for 2023 events were comparable to 2022, which was impressive considering that 2022 saw many extra events that had been previously postposed due to COVID-19.

In addition to the high sales, we received a lot of positive feedback highlighting our excellent customer service and the quality of our food at our events, which served as a great indicator of the elevated experience we are providing for our guests.

In 2023, we continued to see an increase in local and community events in our banquet space. Additionally, the Dobson F&B team continued to host large events (Project Funway, Hispanic dances, MMA fight, Vail Yeti games) and will keep doing so throughout 2024.

The year was not without its challenges - we dealt with lack of staffing, specifically in the kitchen. We worked hard to solve this issue with a number of strategies including working with local temp agencies, utilizing international students here on J1 visas and adding more part-time employees to fill the holes in our schedules.

Finally, we were able to hire a full-time, year-round sous chef (Jonah DiDomenico) which has been a huge support for our executive chef John Zavoral.

With the opening of the golf course delayed in the summer of 2023 due to weather and construction, the opening of the Grill on the Gore restaurant, Starter Haus and beverage cart were also delayed. Luckily, once the season kicked off we were very busy and were able to make up some of the lost revenue from the late start to the season.
 

Two chefs preparing food at a brisket-themed outdoor event, with a sign reading "Sometimes, You Just Have to Brisket."
The Grill on the Gore team participated in all four 2023 Taste of Vail events.
A bustling indoor gathering with people conversing and seated at tables, under a wooden beamed ceiling with hanging lights.
The restaurant teamed back up with the Vail Nordic Center to provide service during and after local town series and high school races. 
The image displays the text "Zero Waste" in green, incorporating a leaf design within the letters.
The sustainability program we began at Dobson during our Vail Yeti events was a huge success. Led by Andrea Sanchez, this program is compliant with zero-waste standards and, by the end of the 2023-24 season, diverted 89.51% of waste (2.2 tons in total) from the landfill.
Outdoor dining patio at "Grill on the Gore" with people seated under umbrellas, greenery in the foreground, and a mountain backdrop.
In the kitchen, we saved approximately $900 by growing our own herbs in the garden. A few of the herbs we grew included thyme, mint, oregano, sage and chives - all of which are perennials.
Two chefs preparing food at a brisket-themed outdoor event, with a sign reading "Sometimes, You Just Have to Brisket."
A bustling indoor gathering with people conversing and seated at tables, under a wooden beamed ceiling with hanging lights.
The image displays the text "Zero Waste" in green, incorporating a leaf design within the letters.
Outdoor dining patio at "Grill on the Gore" with people seated under umbrellas, greenery in the foreground, and a mountain backdrop.


MORE NUMBERS AND FACTS:

  • We hosted a total of 80 events in 2023
  • We hosted 45 weddings, with 28 ceremonies taking place on the Wedding Island
  • A wine discount program was implemented for the Ladies Golf League on Wednesdays, which was received well by the league members
  • In the summer of 2023, we added High Noon canned seltzers to the Starter Haus and beverage cart - and sold more than 1,600 cans
  • Ford Park concessions opened back up in the summer of 2023 for the first time since 2019; we were open for a total of 21 days, supporting some of the large lacrosse, soccer and volleyball tournaments
Logo of "Vail Recreation District 2023 Year in Review" with trees and mountain graphics.