Internationally recognized destination spa, The Lodge at Woodloch offers innovative five-star spa cuisine from award-winning chef, Mark Timms, placing emphasis on flavor and real-life choices. From naturally raised meats and fish to vegetarian dishes, The Lodge at Woodloch’s approach to spa cuisine marries the best food with enlightened healthy techniques, creating a new kind of spa cuisine, one that is both satisfying and nutritious. As a result, guests will discover an unexpected approach to cuisine that celebrates the fine art of dining.

 

Seemingly perched among the trees, guests of The Lodge at Woodloch dine at the elegant Tree restaurant and bar. Flavorful and inventive, Tree’s menu is created daily by a team of gourmet chefs, led by executive chef Mark Timms, using fresh, local ingredients, including just picked items from the resort’s own herb gardens. From its cathedral windows to the Frette linens, Tree evokes a sense of informal elegance and serves as the social hub for guests, inviting them to take a break for coffee or tea by fire or meet for cocktails or imported ale at the bar.

 

An innovative chef with more than 18 years of experience in fine dining, Chef Mark Timms has received numerous awards and recognitions including a nomination for “Vermont Chef of the Year” in 2008, “2007 Atlanta Iron Chef,” “Four Diamond AAA Award”, “Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2002 & 2003,” “International Award of Excellence 2003” for Tristan Restaurant as one of “America’s Top 10 New Restaurants of the 21^st Century” and has been featured in magazines and television nationwide.   

 

“Our cuisine emphasizes organics, locally grown produce, portion size, and "super foods" like spinach, sweet potatoes, berries, melons, salmon, whole grains and soy, with a little chocolate now and then,” says Chef Timms. “The key is moderation, balance, awareness and enjoyment! At the end of the day, if there is no joy in it, it isn't really "healthy" in the full sense of the word.”  

 

The Lodge at Woodloch also offers chef-hosted dinners, wine tastings, special seasonal events (including holiday celebrations and old-fashioned barbeques) as well as learning how to recreate dishes for fine dining at home while continuing on the path of healthy eating. The award-winning cooking classes in the Chef’s Kitchen featuring state-of-the-art Viking appliances and equipment, including an overhead plasma screen that displays the chef’s demonstrations for close-up review, are always sold out. Guests can learn a variety of signature spa cuisine recipes such as filet of beef with savory onions, roasted lobster with basil risotto and vegetable Pot Au Feu with herbs in an airy phyllo crust. The Lodge’s expert culinary team will also share new cooking techniques, surprising ingredient alternatives, elegant and fun presentations ideas and information on nutrition and weight loss.

 

Unlike other destination spas, The Lodge omits calories or fat content from its menus. “Counting calories hasn’t worked for most people, and it diminishes the quality of the dining experience.  We’ve created a realistic approach to healthy eating that is sustainable for the rest of our lives, including a slightly higher fat content, based on healthy fats like olive oil. We hope our guests will take home a greater consciousness about nutritious ingredients and portion size, and become more aware of that first moment of feeling full—which most of us disregard—and learn to eat less,” say owner and culinary visionary Ginny Lopis.

 

Owners and trusted wellness experts, John and Ginny Lopis give complete focus to their guests needs, inviting them to share special dietary requests, restrictions and weight loss goals prior to arrival so that they may create a customized menu. John and Ginny also offer personal one-on-one “awakening” sessions to help guests fully embrace The Lodge at Woodloch’s overall philosophy of Awakening and understand how to apply this unique concept to health and cuisine.

 

With its debut in June 2006, The Lodge at Woodloch is one of the finest full-service luxury destination spas in the U.S., offering complete spa programs, treatments, outdoor adventure activities, golf, classes and packages in a pristine mountain retreat environment. Located on 75 wooded acres with a private lake in the Lake Region of Northeast Pennsylvania, The Lodge provides an oasis for personal awakening and renewal just 2 ½ hours outside of New York City. The exclusive property, which features 58 luxury accommodations, a 40,000-square-foot spa and more, is owned and operated by John and Ginny Lopis of JGL, Inc., internationally recognized spa design and operations experts. Additional information and reservations are available toll-free at 1-866-953-8500 or on the Web site at www.thelodgeatwoodloch.com. 

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