BUCK’S T-4 CO-OWNER AND BIG SKY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESIDENT DAVID O’CONNOR NAMED MLHA “LODGING PERSON OF THE YEAR” David O’Connor of Buck’s T-4 was awarded the prestigious “Lodging Person of the Year” Award during the Montana Lodging and Hospitality Association’s annual Awards Banquet on October 25, 2016. Presenting the award to David was Steve Wahrlich, the Chair of MLHA. Steve detailed David’s extensive record of achievements and read portions of a nomination letter that stated, “David spent many years working his way up the Buck’s T-4 ladder to its pinnacle; a managing partner. At Buck’s he works tirelessly to both learn more from the constantly growing world of Montana tourism, and contributing  his knowledge and experiences back to the hospitality and tourism industry selflessly throughout the state of Montana. David’s passion for tourism is immediately evident the moment you sit down with him. His efforts are unmatched in his participation in several organizations; both in our community as well as around the state. He also possesses a relentless desire to learn how to better promote and provide great service to the endless supply of visitors.” David is the current president of the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce and is the former president…

Amuse-bouche refers to an appetizer, and by French translation means, “to entertain the mouth.” It offers a glimpse into what you should expect from a meal. Also it’s free, compliments of the chef.         “Walking in, one red deer mid, one mister, two all day; one ribeye, stepped on; one chicken, naked; one trout reg; one trout with walleye prep, two all day; and all this is on the fly so let’s knock it out.” While the above sentence may read like nonsensical gibberish to most, this is how cooks communicate with each other on a regular basis. Notice the difference in length between the previous paragraph and the following translation: “There is a new ticket printing right now, and it has two red deer steaks total. One is prepared medium, the other one is prepared medium rare. Next is one rib eye prepared well done. After that, one chicken dish prepared with no sauce. And finally, two trout dishes, one prepared normal, and the other prepared with all the accompaniments that would normally go on the walleye dish. And because the ticket is late coming in, we are already behind so let’s try and get it…

Amuse-bouche refers to an appetizer, and by French translation means, “to entertain the mouth.” It offers a glimpse into what you should expect from a meal. Also it’s free, compliments of the chef. For years, maître d’ Ben Chekroun at New York City’s Le Bernardin has reined in new servers with his list of 129 cardinal sins of “Monumentally Magnificent Trivialities.” I have distilled my list down to seven sins that can be devastating to your restaurant. By Scott Mechura, Executive Chef Filthy bathrooms. Years ago, I had an uncle who collected classic cars. He took me under his wing and coached me on, among other things, how the previous owner maintained his vehicle. His indicator was how clean the trunk was. Look at the cleanliness of a restaurant’s bathrooms and you will have a pretty accurate indicator of how they run their restaurant. No salt and pepper shakers on tables. As a chef, tables with no salt and pepper shakers are a sign of arrogance. It says you are impervious to mistakes or criticism. Cold food is cold food, but seasoning is subjective. Maybe your guest would prefer more salt than you chose to initially season the dish with.…

In celebration of summer, Big Sky area restaurants work together for an evening of culinary delight. Over fifteen chefs participate, showcasing the best their individual menus have to offer. This is a great opportunity to experience a cross-section of the many talented individuals in the Big Sky area. Local breweries and California wineries are also invited to attend and showcase their products. The annual event is held outside at Big Sky’s historic Buck’s T-4 Lodge in the Gallatin Canyon. Each restaurant offers 2-4 items in “tasting portions”. Prices vary for each item, with an average of $3. Admission is $5 per person. The hours are from 5:00-9:00 PM. Parking is limited, so carpooling is encouraged. Big Sky Food Festival

        Join us Wednesdays on the Patio this summer for Whiskey Wednesdays. Representatives from Montana’s and the region’s booming distilling industry will be on hand to talk about their operations and sample their creations. Our Full menu will be offered so you can dine al fresco while sipping on some of Montana’s latest additions to the beverage scene.

Apparently lots of people have found their park. Coinciding with the recent marketing campaign “Find Your Park”to promote the 100 year anniversary of the National Park Service, visitation at Yellowstone National Park has jumped nearly 15 percent so far this year. Visitation for the first five months of the year increased 14.65 percent over the same period last year, according to a park press release. Visitation in May increased by 15 percent over last May. All of the park’s five entrances showed an increase in vehicles for the month of May compared to May 2015. The West Entrance recorded the largest increase in May, with 33,927 more vehicles than May 2015. The most striking increase in vehicle traffic this month was with buses. There were 48 percent more buses (594 vehicles) this May compared with May 2015. “While many factors could be at play, park managers point to the National Park Service’s Centennial year, marketing and tourism promotions by the states of Montana and Wyoming, and lower gas prices as influences in the record number of visits to Yellowstone so far this year,” the press release states.

Buck’s Is Now Open The restaurant at Buck’s T-4 Lodge opened for nightly dinner service May 27. Our new summer menu features old favorites, along with some new twists. We’ll soon be offering Patio dining so you can enjoy the beautiful weather while dining outside. This summer we will also be featuring “Whiskey Wednesdays”, where you can meet with representatives from Montana’s booming distilling culture and sample their creations. We are excited to announce a new partnership with SeatMe, an online dinner reservations platform that enables you to make a confirmed dinner reservation with just a few clicks. Reservations can be made at our dining web site. You can always call the restaurant directly at 406-993-5222. Contact Dining Room Manager Jeremiah Dawson and let us know what you think!

Thanks for a great season! While we always offer our full hot breakfast, included in all room rates, to hotel guests, the restaurant at Buck’s T-4 will close for dinner service from April 10-May 26. We’re hard at work developing some cool new items for the summer menu. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for previews and tasting opportunities. For group catering inquiries during this time, please contact Valerie Edwards at 406-581-3330. The office can always be reached at 406-995-4111. See You This Summer!

Chef Scott Mechura with Governor Bullock On the road again with the Buck’s team Buck’s Chef (Scott) and Owner (Chuck) were invited for the second time to Washington D.C. for the Democratic Governor’s Conference, and to help raise awareness for No Kid Hungry and Share Our Strength.  By Chef Scott Mechura A chef’s day to day grind can often get monotonous. We create and prepare great food and experiences, but one of the most important factors to our repertoire is consistency. That consistency can at times get shrouded in boredom. But once in a while, you get to be a part of something that turns all of the minutia upside down. About two weeks ago I attended the DGA conference in Washington DC along with Chuck, one of our owners, and Valerie Edwards, our Director of Sales and Marketing. For Chuck and I, it was a return visit, as we were fortunate enough to be invited back for a second consecutive year. I say fortunate because they only invite 10 chefs from Democratic states, and rarely ever invite a chef a second time. I say fortunate because while this is in fact a democratic event, the platform for this particular event is Share…