Who Owns Hell’S Backbone Grill?

Hell’s Backbone Grill is an award-winning restaurant located in Boulder, Utah near the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The remote restaurant, which opened in 2000, serves Southwestern American cuisine made with fresh, local ingredients in a rustic setting with stunning views of the red rock canyons. With its commitment to sourcing organic produce from their farm and ranch, Hell’s Backbone Grill has become a destination restaurant, drawing visitors from all over the world.

Owners

Hell’s Backbone Grill is co-owned by Jen Castle and Blake Spalding. Jen and Blake opened the restaurant together over 20 years ago in the small town of Boulder, Utah. As stated on the restaurant’s website, Jen and Blake are “chef/owners of Hell’s Backbone Grill & Farm in Boulder, Utah.” They built the business together from the ground up, establishing it as a renowned destination restaurant known for its commitment to sourcing local and sustainable ingredients.

Background

Jen Castle and Blake Spalding, the chef-owners of Hell’s Backbone Grill & Farm, met in the late 1980s while working at a restaurant in Salt Lake City. Jen was the pastry chef while Blake worked as a line cook. They became friends and bonded over their shared love of food and cooking. In the early 1990s, they decided to open their own restaurant in a small town in rural Utah. As Blake recalls, “We loaded up a Subaru with everything we thought we’d need and headed down to Boulder” (https://www.somemeals.com/p/worth-a-special-journey).

Neither Jen nor Blake had any formal culinary training, but they were passionate about using fresh, local ingredients to create delicious meals. Before opening Hell’s Backbone Grill in 1996, Jen worked as a pastry chef at other restaurants in Utah while Blake honed her skills working at a natural foods co-op. Their vision was to open a restaurant in a beautiful, remote area of Utah that would give them the freedom to cook the food they loved. As first-time business owners, it was a leap of faith. As Jen says, “We had stars in our eyes and not a lot of business sense” (https://www.somemeals.com/p/worth-a-special-journey). It was their shared love of food, the local community, and the stunning landscape that inspired them to take the risk to open Hell’s Backbone Grill & Farm.

Inspiration

The owners of Hell’s Backbone Grill, Blake Spalding and Jen Castle, first visited Boulder, Utah in the 1990s and fell in love with the small town’s remote beauty and sense of community (source). Though neither had restaurant experience at the time, they were inspired by the natural bounty of produce grown in Boulder and saw an opportunity to start a farm-to-table restaurant utilizing local ingredients. After extensive renovations on a historic building in town, they opened Hell’s Backbone Grill & Farm in 2000 with a mission of supporting the community, serving fresh local food, and providing a gathering place for residents and visitors alike.

Community

Owners Jen Castle and Blake Spalding have strong ties to the local Boulder, Utah community. The two met in 1986 when Castle moved to Boulder and took a job at Hell’s Backbone Ranch (Hellsbackboneranch.com). At the time, Spalding was the chef at the ranch. The owners fell in love with the small town and made it their home. Even after opening Hell’s Backbone Grill in 2000, Castle and Spalding have stayed actively involved in the local community.

Castle has served on the boards of various local organizations over the years, including the Boulder Community Alliance and Escalante Grand Staircase Partners. She also co-founded Slow Food Utah and previously chaired the Southwest Chapter of the Utah Guides and Outfitters Association. Spalding has focused much of her community involvement on local schools. She helped initiate the Farm-to-School program for the Boulder school district and co-founded the Southwest Youth Garden Institute.

It’s clear the owners care deeply about supporting and giving back to the Boulder community (“Hell’s Backbone Grill thrives through deep rootedness in sustainability and community,” 2022). The restaurant sources many ingredients from local farmers and purveyors. Castle and Spalding also mentor youth interested in culinary careers and work to make fresh, organic food more accessible in the rural area.

Sources:

Hell’s Backbone Grill. (n.d.). Hell’s Backbone Grill & Farm. https://www.hellsbackbonegrill.com/

Slow Food USA. (2022, August 18). Hell’s Backbone Grill thrives through deep rootedness in sustainability and community. https://slowfoodusa.org/hells-backbone-grill-thrives/

Mission

Hell’s Backbone Grill & Farm was founded by owners and chefs Blake Spalding and Jen Castle with the aim to promote and highlight local and sustainable ingredients. According to Spalding and Castle in an interview on PBS, their mission is to “celebrate, support, and elevate America’s food culture and identity through sustainable practices, education, culinary tourism and world class cuisine” (“This Is Utah | Hell’s Backbone Grill | Season 1 | Episode 7 – PBS”).

The restaurant focuses on sourcing ingredients from the farm located on site as well as other local producers in the area. As stated on their website, “The mission of the farm is to grow food that not only tastes delicious, but also respects the land, the animals it feeds and the people who consume it” (https://www.hellsbackbonegrill.com/big-news). Through their establishment, Spalding and Castle hope to promote appreciation for fresh, local cuisine while operating sustainably.

Menu

Hell’s Backbone Grill serves locally sourced, seasonal cuisine with a focus on fresh ingredients. According to their website,
“We feature foods in their simple, natural state, enhanced by creative preparations and artful presentations.”

The owners strive to source ingredients from local farmers, ranchers and food artisans whenever possible. This allows them to showcase the flavors of their region while supporting the local economy. The restaurant works closely with suppliers to obtain meat, cheese, vegetables and herbs at their seasonal peak.

The menu evolves throughout the year based on ingredient availability. In an interview, co-owner Jen Castle explained, “We change our menu about every two weeks to highlight what’s growing at that time.” Popular dishes include elk tenderloin, rainbow trout and heirloom tomatoes when in season.

In addition to daily specials, Hell’s Backbone Grill has a regular menu with starters, salads, sandwiches and entrees. The restaurant also offers an extensive wine list to complement the food.

Recognition

Despite its remote location in the heart of Utah’s red rock country, Hell’s Backbone Grill has received national acclaim and recognition over the years. In 2022 and 2023, Hell’s Backbone Grill was named a semifinalist for the prestigious James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Restaurant, making it the first and only restaurant in Utah to ever receive this honor (Salt Lake Tribune).

Owners and chefs Jen Castle and Blake Spalding have also been featured in national publications like Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Sunset, and more for their locally-sourced cuisine and dedication to community (Hell’s Backbone Grill). Zagat gave the restaurant a food rating of 26, and it has earned rave reviews from diners across the country who make the trek to Boulder, Utah.

The remote location and “finely honed cuisine” have earned Hell’s Backbone Grill recognition as an outstanding destination restaurant drawing praise from both food critics and everyday diners (Wikipedia).

Future Plans

Though Hell’s Backbone Grill has achieved immense success, owners Jen Castle and Blake Spalding continue to have big dreams for the future. According to the Autumn 2022 newsletter on their website, Castle and Spalding plan to renovate and expand the kitchen at Hell’s Backbone Farm. They also hope to add more guest suites, improve infrastructure, and increase food production on the farm. These initiatives will support the restaurant’s mission of serving fresh, local and organic food while also boosting the local economy.

The owners remain dedicated to their community and aim to keep Hell’s Backbone Grill running for years to come. As Castle stated, “We don’t know exactly what the future holds, but we do know this: we’ll continue nurturing the values and practices we hold dear — caring for our staff, sourcing hyper-locally, designing menus that reflect the Boulder-to-Bryce foodshed and this magical red rock country.”

Conclusion

The husband and wife duo, Jen Castle and Blake Spalding, have built Hell’s Backbone Grill into an award-winning fine dining restaurant located in Boulder, Utah. Their passion for the local community as well as sustainable and organic farming has made Hell’s Backbone a destination eatery in an otherwise remote part of the state. By sourcing ingredients from local purveyors and farms, they have helped strengthen the rural economy. Their unique mission and menu have earned them accolades like Best Restaurant in Utah. While remaining committed to their founding principles, they continue looking for new ways to innovate and expand while staying true to their community.

The story of Hell’s Backbone Grill demonstrates how the creativity and care of dedicated owners can transform a small town. Because of Jen and Blake’s tireless efforts, Boulder has become known for its outstanding cuisine featuring fresh, local ingredients. They have created not just a cherished gathering place, but also a source of pride for residents. The owners’ community-focused vision has enabled the restaurant to thrive for over 20 years, making a lasting impact on the town’s economy and culture.