OLYMPIC VALLEY, Calif. – Although Six Peaks Grille at Everline Resort and Spa doesn’t have a Michelin star yet, it exceeds all 5 restaurant rating criteria.

The criteria are quality of products, mastery of flavor and cooking techniques, the chef’s personality represented in the dining experience, harmony of the flavors, and consistency between inspectors’ visits.

No doubt Michelin’s inspectors will be making anonymous reservations soon if they haven’t already.

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The secret to its success can be found in the kitchen, specifically Chris Watkins. He is the new Chef de Cuisine of the upscale restaurant at the Destination by Hyatt property.

Chef Watkins was hired away from Stella restaurant in Truckee. On Google reviews, Stella describes him as “Fresh. Vibrant. Innovative … With a conceptual nod to California, farm-to-table, and international flavors, Chef Chris Watkin’s dishes are soulful, with pure ingredients and locally sourced.”

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That’s exactly what Chef Watkins’ recipe is at Six Peaks Grille. He recently curated a new seasonal menu that’s being devoured by patrons as evidenced in OpenTable’s skyrocketing ratings.

Six Peaks Grille is rated 4.7 stars by 273 OpenTable diners who have eaten at this restaurant. That is up from 3.5 stars when Chef Watkins started about 3 months ago.

“I am thrilled to be back at Everline and to be working with the incredible culinary team and to be driving unforgettable dining experiences in our gorgeous Olympic Valley setting,” said Chef Watkins. “I’m excited to debut a new and refreshed menu showcasing local flavors paired with innovative creations that showcase our North Lake Tahoe location. My goal is to further build the restaurant’s reputation as having a friendly and welcoming atmosphere featuring amazing culinary opportunities.”

Six Peaks Grille’s updated menu features new starters including scallop ceviche with salmon roe, lobster bisque with crème fraiche, and roasted beet salad with burrata.

I recommend roasted beets that are deep red and golden yellow with their natural sweetness caramelized and concentrated. Cut into wedges, the beets are circled by creamy clouds of fresh burrata that provide a luxurious texture and mild flavor. Topped with a mix of crisp, slightly bitter greens like curly endive and radicchio, the salad is dressed simply with fruity lemon olive oil and flaky sea salt. A chiffonade of fresh basil leaves and possibly delicate micro greens add a final accent of freshness and color. Drizzled with aged balsamic vinegar, this salad celebrates contrasts: sweet and savory, creamy and crunchy, earthy and tangy. It’s a sensory delight that’s both healthy and decadent, rustic and elegant.

The new entrées include a filet mignon from Durham Ranch, a grilled double-bone pork chop from Niman Ranch, Piedmontese grass-fed ribeye, and a Madeira-braised lamb gnocchi served with Hon Shimeji mushrooms.

Carly Stone with the restaurant’s food and beverage operations brought the gnocchi out.

“This will be the meal of your life,” Stone said. “Chef Watkins is a magician with food. He’s phenomenal!”

Stone said she used to be a vegetarian until she tried Chef Watkin’s ribs.

“I’m not a vegetarian anymore,” she said with a smile.

I loved the Madeira braised lamb gnocchi. (I will have the ribs next time.) It is a comforting dish featuring tender lamb braised in aromatic Madeira wine, paired with pillowy gnocchi. Sweet Nantes carrots and nutty Hon Shimeji mushrooms add depth, while creamy ricotta brings luxury and tang. Calabrian chili contributes a subtle heat and Italian flair to this harmonious blend of flavors and textures.

Chef Watkins also brought out a 14-ounce grass-fed ribeye that showcases Piedmontese cattle’s rich flavor and tender texture. Raised on lush pastures in Lone Creek, Neb., these cattle are known for their naturally lean and well-marbled meat. The ribeye is expertly cut and aged to perfection, resulting in a juicy, flavorful steak with a delicate balance of fat and lean meat. Plus, there were four sauces, port demi-glace, chimichurri, herb garlic butter, and Bearnaise. It was delicious!

Chef Watkins paired it with creamed rainbow chard with goat cheese, creating a vibrant, savory dish. Tender, colorful chard leaves are sautéed and simmered in a rich, creamy sauce. Tangy, crumbled goat cheese adds a delightful contrast to the earthy greens. This is a favorite of mine.

Scott Hillock, who also worked with Chef Watkins at Stella, brought out the first dessert.

“It’s a blast to work in an upscale real high-quality ingredient kitchen,” Hillock said. “Chef Watkin’s high-quality flavor profile in his dishes is equal to his sense of humor and silliness in the kitchen.”

The chocolate lava s’mores cake was a heavenly fusion of campfire classics and decadent dessert. Moist chocolate cake envelops a molten chocolate center with a crisp graham cracker crust on a generous scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream. It is displayed on a layer of gooey, golden-toasted marshmallows painted on the plate. Each bite was a symphony of rich, sweet, and nostalgic flavors.

For dessert No. 2, I had the olive oil cake. It is a moist delicacy elevated by spun sugar art. The tartness of fresh huckleberries perfectly complements the rich, velvety smoothness of cream cheese ice cream. It is a truly unforgettable dessert experience.

“I have cooking freedom at Six Peaks Grille that inspires me,” Chef Watkins said. “I love being at Everline. If you love what you do, you don’t have to work a day in your life.”

Chef Watkins wants the same for his team.

“We’re all friends,” Chef Watkins said. “It’s just a fun time to chat with everybody and ensure we’re all on the same page.”

Hillock described Chef Watkins as inclusive.

“As a family man, he treats everyone respectfully,” Hillock said. “And we have a lot of fun.”

Six Peaks Grille has a feast for your eyes and your palate.

Its dining room has panoramic views of the majestic six peaks of Olympic Valley and the meadows below through its floor-to-ceiling windows.

Chef Watkins planted flower boxes with herbs, edible flowers, and vegetables on the deck to incorporate into the menu.

Fresh and local are essential for Chef Watkins. He sources his meat from multiple purveyors including Allen Brothers, which comes from the middle-northern states where the land and climate are ideal for growing and feeding the best beef you can buy.

Chef Watkins orders New York steak from Flannery Beef Butcher Shop. The Piedmontese steak comes from Lone Creek, Neb. The scallops are from Kanaloa Seafood Market in Santa Barbara, Calif.

“Most of my fish I search out different purveyors,” Chef Watkins said. “So I have multiple outlets for getting the best product available. I use Honolulu Fish Company and an East Coast supplier seafoods.com.”

Chef Watkins uses fruit and vegetables from Tahoe Food Hub, which works with diversified family farms, ranches, and specialty food producers within 150 miles of North Lake Tahoe. The farmers use regenerative agricultural methods, good husbandry, pasture-finished practices, and sourcing local ingredients for specialty products.

Chef Watkins attended Le Cordon Bleu in Portland, Ore., and graduated with a 4.0 GPA and awards for achievement and perfect attendance.

Afterward, he moved to San Francisco where he worked as a line cook at popular restaurants including Jardiniere, Aqua, and multi-year Michelin star Coi, followed by a year abroad working at another Michelin star venue, Hotel Zermatterhoff in Zermatt, Switzerland.

After his time abroad, Chef Watkins moved to North Lake Tahoe where he was in lead chef positions at Everline, then known as Resort at Squaw Creek, as well as The Ritz Carlton, Lake Tahoe.