Colorado chef and restaurateur Kelly Liken, a James Beard Award nominee, Top Chef alum, and Food Network Iron Chef competitor, announced Harvest By Kelly Liken, her newest restaurant concept slated to open in June in the heart of Vail Valley. Harvest by Kelly Liken is a community centric, neighborhood restaurant focusing on approachable seasonal American cuisine that embraces a Rocky Mountain essence, along with an inventive cocktail and beverage program.
Sample dishes include: Smoked Rocky Mountain Trout with frisee, crisp potatoes, kalamata olives, haricot vert, hard cooked egg, and sherry-balsamic vinaigrette; Leg of Lamb slow cooked “saag” marinated lamb with chickpea mash, sautéed spinach, pickled fresno chili, and carrot salad; and Heirloom Tomatoes & Watermelon with fresh mint, pickled red onions, arugula, and feta.
“I wanted to create an approachable and inclusive community concept that really focuses on seasonal, Colorado cuisine,” says Liken. “While Harvest still offers the elevated service and refined hospitality that Restaurant Kelly Liken was known for, this is my version of home cooking, a gathering spot for the Vail Valley community that is affordable and creative without pretense.”
A religious commitment to working with local farmers, artisans, and purveyors, Liken meticulously curates the ever-changing menu, infusing hyper-local ingredients as well as cultivating dynamic collaborations with Colorado’s community of revered farmers. Neighboring Beaver Creek in Edwards, Colorado and situated adjacent to the new state-of-the-art Sonnenalp Club, health conscious and nourishing dishes are ever present throughout the menu.
The beverage program at Harvest by Kelly Liken is overseen by her husband and restaurant partner Rick Colomitz. Colomitz crafted a beverage program with a heavy emphasis on Colorado-centric beer, cocktails, and coffee, sourcing from the Vail Valley, as well as from Aspen, Boulder, and Denver. The concept also boasts a unique but affordable wine program that showcases local Colorado wineries, as well as emphasizes small production, family-owned wineries from throughout the world.
In addition to the restaurant, an all-day coffee bar and grab and go market, The Pantry, churns out fresh smoothies and juices, freshly-baked goods, sandwiches, granolas, salads, and other “to go” treats, as well as a rotating selection of coffee from local Colorado’s roasters.
Harvest by Kelly Liken features a newly designed open air space with South facing views of Arrowhead Mountain (a subset of Beaver Creek Mountain) that gives guests a spectacular view of the Valley in all seasons. Oz Architecture, based in Denver, collaborated closely with Liken in order to capture the feeling of a “Martha Stewart elevated farmhouse.” The interior of the restaurant features blue painted mill work, dark wood floors, sleek marble countertops, and custom barn wood community tables. Located under a 30 foot vaulted wood paneled ceiling sits the bar, which seats 22 at the bar and 32 for dining in the bar and lounge area. The focal point of the traditional dining room, which seats 65, is a wood paneled fireplace on the south wall, in addition to floor to ceiling windows that offer sweeping views of the Sonnenalp Golf Course. The terrace dining experience offers traditional seating, along with cozy and inviting furnishings, for up to 200.
