What’s cooking at American spas?
Bill Wavrin never tasted a chile pepper he didn’t like. In his kitchen at Miraval, Life in Balance in Tucson, Arizona, chef Wavrin features a new take on classic cuisine. “Our guests are more demanding and expect meals comparable to world-class restaurants, but without excessive amounts of fat or calories.” Since moving to the Arizona resort from Rancho La Puerta in Mexico, Wavrin has sourced the restaurant’s organic vegetables and poultry from small farmers. He’s also hosted guest chefs like Roberto Donna from Washington, D.C. When I visited Donna at Gallileo, his award-winning restaurant, he confessed to learning lots of calorie-cutting tips at Miraval. Perhaps a new generation of Italian chefs will take note. For more information visit miravalresorts.com
California grande dame Golden Door has a new executive chef. After two decades, Michel Stroot hung up his apron last June. How have tastes changed at the Door? “Spa cuisine is much more creative, offering more flavor and variety”, says Belgian-born Stroot. Where does he find inspiration? Asia, North Africa, India, and Mexico. Want recipes? Stroot’s award winning book The Golden Door Cooks Light & Easy (Gibbs-Smith, 2003) is a classic. For more information visit goldendoor.com
Cooking by your blood type, chef Kim Madsen adds a unique option to hearty meals and barbeque at Echo Valley Ranch & Spa in British Columbia, Canada. “When we know a guest’s blood type”, Madsen explains, “special diets are no problem.” Inspired by the popular diet book Eat Right 4 Your Type (Putnam, 1996) by naturopath Peter J. D’Adamo, Madsen adapted her favorite recipes to Echo Valley’s menu. D’Adamo’s secret is to “substitute ingredients that are good for the different blood types.” Examples include using olive oil instead of canola oil or butter and spelt flour instead of wheat for pasta. For more information visit evr.com
Sprouts Cafe is an integral feature of the Spa at Camelback Inn, a JW Marriott Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona. Overlooking the adult-only swimming pool, Sprouts features a vegetarian chili that’s worth hiking Camelback Mountain. Chef David Schneider conceived ‘Fit-Full’ cuisine, replacing oils and other fats with flavorful corn and carrot powders. Citrus sauces, which bring out the natural taste of food, reduce calories, and increase nutrition benefits, are also popu-lar. For more information visit camelbackinn.com
Color-coded cuisine at Loews Coronado Bay Resort & Spa changes daily. Monday is red, Tuesday blue, Wednesday yellow, etc. Conceived by Jeanne Jones, author of Canyon Ranch Cooking (HarperCollins, 1998), each color family of fruits and vegetables offers specific vitamins, fiber, and nutrients. Chef Stephen Cummings grows many of the herbs featured in the cuisine in his garden near the resort’s Sea Spa. Ask him for a tour. For more information visit loewshotels.com
The redrock canyons at Red Mountain Adventure Spa require an extra amount of energy for hikers. But don’t worry, chef Jeff Crosland tailors his menus to meet guests’ exertion levels. PowerFuel with meats, whole grains, and nutrient-rich vegetables promotes lean muscles, Call of the Wild builds endurance with fish and poultry, and Green Cuisine, which features such vegetarian selections as roasted eggplant stuffed with squash and garbanzo beans, aids in weight loss. For more information visit redmountainspa.com
Taking fusion cuisine to a desert-flavored level, Moroccan-born chef Smail Yaakoubi surprises guests at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa near Phoenix, Arizona. Blending French and Asian flavors, his new menu at the Revive Spa Bistro includes hints of ginger, lemongrass, cinnamon, coriander, and cardamom. Completely organic and artfully presented, Yaakoubi puts a new spin on spa cuisine. For more information visit desertridgeresort.com
By Bernard Burt
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