This week we look at Park City's First Butcher shop, local chefs to spice up your home dining and a weekend getaway option to Utah's least visited National Park.

Ted Scheffler shares in the Winter/Spring 2021 issue of Park City Magazine about Park City's First Butcher Shop. It turns out not everything about 2020 was bad. Park City carnivores got a gift toward the end of the calendar year with the opening of Chop Shop (chopshopparkcity.com) in the Newpark Town Center, making it Park City’s first full-service butcher shop yet so much more.

In addition to serving the highest-quality cuts of beef, pork, lamb, and poultry—including both common cuts of meat and harder-to-find ones—Chop Shop features a wood-fired pizza oven and will serve custom artisan pizzas to eat in or take out. The butchery’s market also offers burgers and sausages—such as merguez lamb sausage—made in-house, as well as charcuterie, pâtés, sandwiches, and grab-and-go items. Plus, Chop Shop provides customer services such as spatchcocking a chicken or butterflying a veal breast, if requested.

The butchery’s commitment to quality extends to working with ranchers who have adopted humane raising protocols, including those developed under the guidance of renowned animal welfare expert Temple Grandin. With the roster of local farmers, producers, and ranchers Chop Shop works with, including Ballerina Farms in Kamas, Wasatch Wagyu in Coalville, and Gold Creek Farms in Woodland, tourists visiting from out of state as well as Park City locals can literally get a taste of Utah at Chop Shop.

Looking to get away for the weekend - these are Utah's Least Visited National Park Offers Incredible Views from Travel Awaits. When people think about exploring the grandeur of Utah, Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks immediately come to mind. But there is a lesser-known jewel in the southeast corner of the state.

Canyonlands National Park is a gorgeous landscape made up of desert, mountains, canyons, and rivers. Of the state’s five national parks, it is the least visited, with 2019 seeing fewer than 750,000 visitors throughout the entire year. This guarantees visitors a quiet vacation, free of crowds, as they enjoy everything the park has to offer. The park is situated in southeast Utah, just outside of Moab, which features a variety of campgrounds and hotels. Canyonlands is open 24 hours a day, stretches more than 500 square miles, and is divided into four districts: Island in the Sky, The Needles, and The Maze, and the park’s rivers. Because of how spread out the districts are, most visitors do not jump around and explore more than one per day. The park’s entrance fee covers a full week of access to the park, encouraging multiple days of visiting.

Island in the Sky is the district most accessible from Moab, and therefore the most recommended for those only popping in for a short visit. One of those other districts, The Needles, is named after colorful, striped spires of sandstone that dominate the area. This area has hiking trails and campsites for overnight trips, as well as 50 miles of expert-level backcountry roads. The third district is The Maze, a trail-heavy landscape and the least accessible district of the park. In addition to the hiking, climbing, and camping, Canyonlands has amazing boating opportunities, everything from private river trips to guided boat tours.

Tired of staying in? Private chefs can help spice things up. Vanessa Conabee shares how to Enlist a Local Chef to Help with Dinner in the latest issue of Park City Magazine. Private chefs in Park City offer a range of services, from dropping off dinner to taking over the kitchen to prepare a signature meal for you and a handful of your favorite guests. For special occasions and intimate parties, these local artists work their magic to create experiences that exceed expectations, providing a touch of luxury and drama to savor for years to come.

Rebekah's Kitchen - Local catering queen Rebekah Abrams recently opened a brand-new kitchen facility, rolling out a Monday meal delivery program specializing in organic and locally sourced ingredients (choice of seven entrées, including gluten-free options). Additional services range from pre-stocking kitchens with gourmet entrées and snacks to in-house cheffing for entertaining guests and extended family—think Sunday morning brunch, après-ski themed dinners, and decadent and delicious celebrations.

World Kitchen Private Chef Services - Longtime locals and visitors who remember the extravagant array of meats and cheeses and the exquisite beauty of the produce at Chef David Berkowitz’s gourmet food store Campagne and over-the-top dinners at Montagne Kitchen understand the extensive knowledge and passion Chef David (also a cheesemonger and forager) brings to the table. Equally comfortable creating nine-course Italian or Asian plated dinners and themed menus centered around après-ski or cassoulet, Chef David also offers sushi and ramen bars and omakase dinners in tandem with local legend Chef Mikey.

Savoury Kitchen - Chef Joseph Saladyga of Savoury Kitchen, now in his third decade working in the restaurant and catering industry, takes pride in crafting meals centered on the guest experience. Savoury Kitchen offers a range of services from drop-and-go meals to in-home cheffing to seven-course plated dinners with wine pairings.

Auntie Em’s - If you haven’t sampled Emily Burney’s famous pies and cookies at the Park Silly Market, you’re in for a treat—warm, buttery, flaky goodness in every bite. Pick up Auntie Em’s pies and treats at their new home in The Market in Snow Creek, or order online.