Chef Makoto Okuwa brings his fresh take on sushi to the Colorado Rockies

Japanese chef Makoto Okuwa has blazed a trail around the US and Latin America, and now his small sushi empire has moved to the Colorado piste.

Makoto Vail opened in February in the resort town’s Grand Hyatt Hotel, a low-rise ski-in, ski-out four-star on the banks of Gore Creek. The design, by international practice HBA, is a wabi-sabi take on the elegant woody atmosphere of the hotel’s common areas, with a natural palette drawn from the mountain landscape.

Shoji screens and wood-slat white oak dividers are complemented with gunmetal accents and smooth stone. Beyond the long tiled sushi bar are two focal points: the open kitchen and an installation in paper and string by local artist Jacob Hashimoto. A terrace overlooking the side of Vail Mountain is temperature-controlled for year-round use.

A native of Nagoya, Japan, Makoto apprenticed from the age of 15 with a master chef, eventually developing a distinctive style that marries traditional fresh and raw edomae-sushi with innovative sauces, local produce, citrus and modern presentation.

Guests get plenty of hearty après-ski cooked options, including wagyu beef cooked five ways, set off by wasabi, sesame and smoked pepper.

makotovail.com