Cuisine

Crestone Mountain Zen Center is well known for its gourmet vegetarian cuisine. The kitchen is led by CMZC Assistant Abbot Koyo Dan Welch, whose experience as a professional chef stretches back to the 1970s.

As a student at the San Francisco Zen Center, Dan worked closely with founding chef Deborah Madison to start the Greens Restaurant and went on to serve as the Tenzo (Head Cook) for two years at SFZC’s Green Gulch Farm. Later he did a stint making pizzas at Chez Panisse, regularly named one of the finest restaurants in the country, and served as co-chef for the American Academy in Rome. While living in Santa Fe, New Mexico before moving to CMZC in 1997, Dan helped Mark Miller, a Chez Panisse alumnus, open the Coyote Cafe as well as helping David Tanis, another Chez Panisse alumnus, open Cafe Escalera. For many years he also operated a pizza catering business in the area.

During the Guest Season at CMZC we serve three meals a day, which guests can eat in our beautiful dining room or while enjoying the expansive views from our lawn. We use primarily organic ingredients, and in season a good portion of the produce comes from our garden. Special dietary needs can be met upon request.