When Ski Resort Food Gets Serious: Highland Nachos at Highlands Alehouse
“This is usually where you come and get the frozen chicken tenders,” Guy Fieri observed about typical ski resort fare. “No frozen here,” came the reply. “Frozen’s out there, fresh is in here.”
That exchange perfectly captures what’s happening at Highlands Alehouse in Aspen, Colorado. Located at the base of the mountain with the lift right there, this year-round spot has defied the curse of ski resort dining—six restaurants failed in this location over 12 years before owner Kevin Joseph took over.
The Secret Weapon in the Kitchen
Joseph’s gamble on elevating the slopeside menu paid off thanks to chef Miguel Esquivel Guillermo, who hails from Monterey, Mexico. As Guy put it at the end of his visit: “I don’t know what’s more impressive, the highland ski resort or the fact that a chef from Monterey, Mexico is blowing it up in here.”
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The customers notice too. Kevin and Miguel hear it all day: “Wow, the food’s actually amazing. You’re a ski resort and it’s good food.”
The Highland Nachos with Carnitas
Guy dove into what regulars specifically bring people to try—the Highland Nachos with Carnitas. These aren’t your standard pile-everything-on-top nachos. The technique here is deliberate layering, and it starts with proper carnitas.
Chef Miguel begins with bone-in pork butt—”bone is the flavor”—which he breaks down and salts before cooking in a combination of lard and bacon fat until it reaches a beautiful golden brown color. Then comes an unexpected twist: fresh oranges get squeezed into the pot, with the fruit itself left in. Garlic goes in next, followed by water, and the whole thing roasts in the oven for three hours with stirring every 20 to 30 minutes. The result? Meat that just falls apart.
The cheese sauce is essentially a fondue, built on a roux of salted butter and all-purpose flour with warmed milk. The cheese blend is sharp cheddar and asadero—which Miguel describes as “pretty close to Monterey Jack.”
For the guacamole, it’s fresh avocados daily with seedless jalapeños, onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. Simple, but made fresh.
The Two-Layer Technique
The real innovation is the build. Chef Miguel constructs two complete layers of nachos, ensuring—as he explained—”every chip has got to have” toppings. The oven runs at six to seven hundred degrees for the melt. On top goes pico de gallo, fresh guacamole, pickled jalapeños, and crema.
Guy’s verdict was enthusiastic: “It’s not just the first layer. You get down into the bottom and it gets better and better.” He praised the moist carnitas and called the pickled veggies “money.” His final assessment? “This is probably one of the best nacho presentations I’ve seen.”
He also made a clever observation, comparing the dish to a Massive Sausage Sandwich in spirit: “These are a deconstructed taquito. That’s got the crunch, it’s got the ingredients, exactly.” And the good news about indulging? “When you’re eating this, you’re gonna go work it off on the mountain.”
Tips from the Kitchen
A few techniques worth noting from Chef Miguel’s approach:
- Use bone-in pork for carnitas—the bone adds flavor
- Cook in a mix of lard and bacon fat for depth
- Add whole oranges (squeezed and left in) for brightness
- Warm your milk before adding it to the roux for cheese sauce
- Build nachos in two layers so every chip gets loaded
Much like the careful technique behind Homemade Herbed Spaetzle | Big Bite, the Highland Nachos prove that taking extra steps makes a real difference in the final dish.
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