The Steamboat Food and Wine Festival returns Oct. 2–5 with an expanded mentorship program, new wellness partners in the hospitality industry and first-time venues, all of which will be set against the Yampa Valley’s fall colors.

Organizers said that this year’s event, which is the seventh to be held in Steamboat, continues the festival’s “moveable-feast” approach to hosting tastings and dinners at ranches, farms, restaurants and other locations tied to the area’s culinary culture.

“The vision has always been to invoke curiosity and a journey from a culinary standpoint, a wine standpoint and from a Steamboat standpoint,” said event organizer Nicole Jarman.

This year, she said some of the biggest evolutions are taking place behind the scenes.

The event has formalized its nonprofit status and is also continuing a mentorship program that pairs emerging culinary and wine professionals with veteran chefs and vintners over the course of the weekend.

“We officially have our 501(c)(3) foundation and we’re really leaning into the mentorship program,” said Jarman. “We help young culinary and wine enthusiasts grow by giving them real experiences alongside some incredible talent. We also lean a lot into the mental health aspect of this industry and help them understand how to manage the chaos of restaurants and events.”

The emphasis on mentorship and mental health awareness for hospitality workers builds on momentum that began in previous years.

This year, Jarman said the festival is partnering with the Culinary Hospitality Outreach and Wellness organization (CHOW) to host private sessions for chefs and talent during the weekend.

“We’re really conscious of mental health and trying to figure out how else we can help talk about it and bring it to the forefront so people aren’t afraid to talk,” she said.

Jarman said that feedback from 2024 was a big part of setting the tone for this year’s event, particularly when visiting chefs told her they wanted to carry the dialogue surrounding mental health home.

“We were surprised to hear from chefs in other regions who said, ‘we’re not even talking about this,'” she said. “They wanted to take the information back to their restaurants and communities.”

At the national level, Jarman said the hospitality industry as a whole is reassessing everything from workplace culture to responsible-drinking programs. While she has seen progress, she feels there is still “a long way to go.”

“You can’t be mentally healthy if you’re hungry, tired or burnt out,” she said.

The mentorship track mirrors that approach.

Participants will shadow visiting and local culinary artists in kitchens and at events, meet in small groups for practical talks and step into the festival workflow under the eyes of veterans in the hospitality sector. Jarman said sessions for industry pros cover technical topics along with conversations about pacing and self-care during busy seasons.

“It’s baby steps sometimes,” she said. “Making sure someone packed a snack, got some sleep, found balance. All of those little pieces help.”

Other aspects of past Food and Wine Festivals in Steamboat have not been forgotten including conversations about sourcing, sustainability, transparency surrounding biodynamic farming, seasonal produce and celebrating the magic of eating and drinking in the mountains during the peak colors of autumn.

“I loved last year when chef Matt Vawter, who was named James Beard Best Chef for the Rocky Mountain region in 2024, said he left the festival with new knowledge and inspiration,” said Jarman.

This year, the festival opens with a “Sunset Soiree” reception with martinis, champagne, oysters and caviar in Thunderhead Lodge at Steamboat Resort.

Dinners and tastings will be held over four days at venues showcasing the region’s legacy in food, drink and hospitality. Jarman said she was especially excited about a first-time dinner at Storm Mountain Ranch and one at Elkstone Farm, where the menu will use products grown on-site.

“Their ethos is everything we believe in, using the land and being sustainable and responsible,” she said, adding that the team behind the event is “more conscious than ever” about what goes on the plate and why.

Saturday’s marquee event is the “Grand Tasting Reserve,” which will be hosted on the lawn of the Torian Plum. It serves as a continuation of a tradition that has brought global wines together with visiting chefs in past years.

This year’s final event will come on Sunday at Gravity Haus with a cocktail-hour brunch planned around an “over-the-top” Bloody Mary bar.

“Anything you can think of putting in your Bloody Mary will be available,” Jarman said with a laugh.

The event has also added venues that are not typical restaurant spaces over the years, ranging from galleries to ranches, some of which are paired with activities like gallery walks and fly-fishing to create a deeper connection to unique aspects of life in the Yampa Valley.

For Jarman, one of the most important aspects of the Food and Wine Festival is connection, both on the plate and around the table. This is accomplished with meals being staged in a community format to encourage conversation between chefs, winemakers and guests.

“We’re so lucky that we get to create moments where people sit together and smile,” she said. “As we work on mental health in the industry, we’re also on the other side of the table bringing people together and creating memories.”

For Jarman, a big part of the festival’s legacy is helping local restaurants and retailers bridge the shoulder season between summer and winter. Another is creating an environment where the Yampa Valley’s hospitality community can talk openly about their work, feel supported and have more effective conduits to mental and physical health.

“We’re constantly trying to understand how to support Steamboat Springs and its needs,” she said.

For guests, all of the elements of the festival come together in the form of four days of food, wine and mountain air that celebrate the people who make the valley’s hospitality world run, in venues that show off why the Yampa Valley matters as a culinary destination.

“We get to spend four days creating memorable moments,” Jarman said. “The Steamboat Food and Wine Festival is a celebration of culinary excellence that fosters community engagement and inspires a love for food and wine. It is a place where patrons and talent come to learn, to be inspired — an idea fest of sorts in the food and wine community.”

For more information on the Steamboat Food and Wine Festival, visit SteamboatFoodandWine.com.