KaTom Outfits Fine-Dining Concept at Big Sky Resort
While Big Sky Resort, located in Big Sky, Mont., is one of the largest ski resorts in North America, the yearlong destination offers far more than skiing and snowboarding. Tourists can also travel to Big Sky for biking, hiking, and sightseeing, and after working up an appetite on the trails, the operation includes more than ten unique food and beverage concepts.
The latest addition to the resort's culinary lineup is M, a fine dining restaurant serving cuisine inspired by mountain cultures around the globe. Tasked with a short timeline in a remote location, KaTom Restaurant Supply acquired and installed equipment for the kitchen, which debuted in Big Sky Resort's Mountain Village in December 2025.
M opened with a residency from the Alinea Group, offering guests a curated experience, which is part of Big Sky Resort's push to grow a following outside of winter sports enthusiasts.
"Our brand has been an innovator beyond skiing for a long time," Yann Benjamin, Big Sky Resort's Vice President of Sales & Marketing told KaTom. "And this also progresses into culinary, events, culture."
While Big Sky Resort features other fine dining concepts, this is the first time it has housed the award-winning hospitality team. The Alinea Group, led by multiple Michelin-star-winning chef Grant Achatz, recently celebrated its 20th anniversary with a tour that included residencies in Japan, New York, and now Big Sky.
Most known for its rugged wilderness, this region isn't necessarily considered a foodie destination, but Big Sky Resort is looking to change that.
"Big Sky is known for its scale, wilderness, and sense of adventure," Benjamin said. "But we're evolving what adventure means. Culinary exploration, culture, and entirely new guest experiences are the new frontier."
Drawing from the surrounding mountain elements, M's menu includes dishes like apple broth infused with spruce tips and topped with toasted pine nuts, as well as sweet concoctions like ponderosa pine log ice cream.
KaTom Lends a Hand
M fills a space formerly dedicated to an Italian concept that closed during the 2020 COVID lockdowns. Resort leadership had considered reopening the Italian restaurant but ultimately decided to seek out a concept more aligned with their new goals.
The inspiration for M eventually came from Chief Strategy Officer for Boyne Resorts, Molly Kircher, who pitched the plan of a new concept with the Alinea Group in late 2024. She wanted to open by the following season, which meant completely redesigning and reequipping the kitchen and dining area.
This gave all parties involved less than a year to finish.
KaTom Strategic Accounts Manager Turner Whaley started working with the resort in the spring of 2025, shortly after planning began. He worked closely with Jasiu Raczynski, Construction Project Manager at Big Sky Resort. Months of collaboration involved setting up a custom Hestan cooking suite, ordering smallwares, and finding the right refrigeration.
KaTom's install team, led by Nick Northern spent several weeks on site, setting up each piece.
Photography by Andrew Belli, courtesy of Big Sky Resort.
"I really appreciate that the field team was able to come in and work with what they had," Raczynski said. "Being able to do that in the field, make those adjustments, get everything here on a ridiculously short timeline out to the middle of nowhere in Montana, I think, speaks volumes."
Because the resort is still operational in the off-season, KaTom's team had to move quickly yet efficiently, adjusting its schedule frequently to ensure guests weren't disturbed during their visit. They moved items from place to place until it was time to set them up.
"It was a Tetris board of scheduling," Benjamin said, "It takes white glove delivery in the furniture world to a whole new level."
Photography by Andrew Belli, courtesy of Big Sky Resort.
The Right Equipment for High-Altitude Dining
Equipping the kitchen in Montana's mountains created several unique challenges. One variable involved refrigeration, which was initially meant to integrate with custom stainless steel cabinets and remote condensers. Due to the regular heavy snow, these condensers would have to be installed between the roof and ceiling grid, rather than on top of the roof as typically done.
Running refrigeration lines from condensers in the roof to each unit would inflate the equipment cost far beyond the project's budget. Additionally, any unit replacements would cost much more time and money.
So Whaley found roll-in refrigeration units that fit the design, saving both upfront and future costs.
Additionally, the custom modular cookline by Hestan required precise planning. It had to fit the already-designated kitchen space while providing ample equipment for M's operation. Whaley worked with Hestan to ensure all specifications and dimensions were accurate and strong enough to accommodate cooking at elevation.
M and the Alinea Group now create a completely new experience for guests at Big Sky Resort that's more than just a place for après-ski, as Benjamin pointed out that several guests have already travelled to Big Sky Resort solely to dine at M, forgoing any skiing adventures.
"Skiing is a very niche market," Benjamin said. "There are about 10 million skiers or snowboarders in the United States who are willing to go to a destination. But how many go dining? Way more than 10 million."
