The Alinea Group Heads to the Mountains For A Culinary Residency in the Heart of Big Sky

Photo Credit: FettleOne of the world’s most boundary-pushing restaurant group is heading somewhere unexpected: Montana.

This winter, in celebration of its 20th anniversary, The Alinea Group will bring its signature brand of culinary innovation to the American West, unveiling M by The Alinea Group — a four-month alpine residency at Big Sky Resort. It’s not just a milestone. It’s a bold new expression of what dining can look like when one of the most influential voices in food collides with raw, untamed nature.

Photo Credit: The Alinea Group

Since opening in 2005, The Alinea Group has never played it safe. Led by chef Grant Achatz, the three-Michelin-starred institution has redefined modern dining through storytelling, experimentation, and emotion — earning a permanent spot in the cultural conversation around food as art. The Montana residency joins an exclusive lineup of global tour stops that includes Tokyo, Beverly Hills, and Brooklyn — each chosen for its singular energy and sense of place.

Big Sky offers something else entirely: elemental beauty and a frontier spirit that mirrors Alinea’s own obsession with discovery.

Photo Credit: Jonathan Stone for Big Sky Resort

“True luxury is finding the extraordinary in remote places — where a meal isn’t just served, it’s discovered,” said Chef Achatz. “That’s what we’re building here in Big Sky: something rare, fleeting, and deeply connected to nature.”

Set against the backdrop of snow-dusted peaks and starlit skies, M by The Alinea Group will offer a seasonal menu rooted in place and precision. Expect dishes that marry European technique with Montana’s wild rhythm — ingredients foraged, sourced, or grown with intention, presented in ways that provoke emotion and memory. It’s cuisine as reflection: of time, of terrain, of the ephemeral beauty that defines both winter and wonder.

Photo Credit: Stephanie Lau

The experience doesn’t stop at the plate. Designed by award-winning studio Fettle, the space is as intentional as the menu: think natural materials, refined finishes, and interiors that evoke the thrill of discovering something luxurious in the middle of nowhere. This isn’t just a restaurant — it’s a multisensory moment built into the mountain.

The collaboration is also a love letter to Big Sky Resort’s own legacy of pushing boundaries. For nearly five decades, the Kircher family’s Boyne Resorts has transformed what was once considered a far-fetched idea into one of America’s most iconic mountain destinations. Vision has always been part of the DNA here — and now, with Alinea as a partner, the resort enters its next chapter with purpose and flair.

Opening for a limited four-month engagement during the 2025/2026 winter season, M by The Alinea Group will offer guests a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience fine dining through a new lens — one where snow, stone, and sky are part of the plate. It’s not just the next chapter for Big Sky; it’s a vision of where the future of mountain hospitality — and culinary storytelling — is headed.

Photo Credit: Fettle