After taking a hiatus in 2023 to explore new culinary adventures, Chef Ernesto Rocha has returned to the kitchen at Black Rock Mountain Resort’s Overlook Restaurant with fresh inspiration for hotel guests and Park City area locals. Rocha has spent more than two decades in the Park City restaurant industry, where he climbed the ranks from dishwasher to Black Rock’s executive chef, gathering diverse experiences along the way.
“Back in the day, I had the opportunity to work with a lot of good chefs before the internet and technology,” he said. “Chefs would do everything from scratch.” He was 19 when he moved to Park City, and whenever he would hear about a new restaurant or a buzzy chef, he would work his way into the kitchen. “I asked so many questions and just tried to help and absorb. I found such good people on my journey.”
Park City has grown significantly since Rocha started in the industry, which he sees as a motivator to push himself. “You have to step up your game and be smart and come up
with good ideas and good prices so people feel attracted to come to your restaurants,” he said.
At Black Rock, Rocha’s menus are built intentionally to give people a reason to come
more multiple times a week (or day!) if they want to. “I’m lucky to have an awesome pizza oven to do pizzas,” he says. “And I wanted to cover all aspects—good pasts, steaks, seafood, and a variety of salads and appetizers so people can go to the bar or the restaurant.” Rocha and Black Rock also keep the local crowd in mind by offering things like live music and daily special dishes that complement the seasons.
Breakthrough Summer in the Hamptons
Between the opening of Black Rock in 2021, and crafting his latest menus, Rocha took a hiatus in 2023 to pursue a new opportunity. He was offered a position as a private chef for a family spending the summer in the Hamptons, New York. Confident in his well-trained and reliable staff at Black Rock, Rocha accepted the offer and relocated to the Hamptons for the season.
The job presented an intriguing challenge. Each day, he would wake up and not know how many guests he might be serving and what dietary restrictions he needed to accommodate. The dynamic environment was a stark contrast to the consistency of restaurant life, but the experience proved to be incredibly rewarding.
“They have some of the best food,” he recalled. “The freshness of the berries, the corn—it’s incredible. I’d visit the fish markets and discover the unique offerings of the
East Coast. I even learned how to make a lobster roll the right way.” The role introduced him to new produce, seafood and a different culinary culture, and it also gave him the
opportunity to connect with many renowned chefs.
Looking Ahead in Park City
When he returned to Black Rock, “I came back with a lot of fresh ideas and knowledge,”
Rocha said. “My customer service increased a lot. When you’re a personal chef, you have to interact with the guests in the house and talk about food.”
Rocha takes pride in thinking through his menus and really listening to his clientele when making decisions. Some of his favorite fall menu items are the beet salad—with a “really light dressing that’s sweet and matched properly with the lettuce”—as well as the chicken carbonara with house made pasta. The New York-style pizzas are always popular and he’s also very proud of the burger: “It has tri tip, tenderloin, components of three different meats that make it juicy and tender. The fries are homemade, which is time consuming, but we try to do at least 90-percent from scratch.”
Ultimately, Rocha looks forward to getting new people and return customers into the restaurant. “I want people to know I’m here and for them to give us a chance to serve them. We care about what we do. If chefs before my time disappointed you, give me a chance to fix that because we believe in ourselves. We have good wine, good company and we bring the energy.”