Chef Daya Myers-Hurt
Queer chef Daya Myers-Hurt makes Pagosa Springs a must-visit destination this fall
STEVEN LINDSEY | Contributing writer
StevenCraigLindsey@gmail.com
Ready for the mother of all relaxing vacations? Then you need to add the Springs Resort in Pagosa Springs, Colo., to the top of your wellness wanderlust wish list.
I was invited to the quaint little mountain town in June to spend a few days with other travel journalists to soak up the scenery while soaking in tubs fed by the Mother Spring, the world’s deepest geothermal water source. It was easily one of the most tranquil trips I’ve had in years.
Still, as much as I enjoyed spending all day draped in a plush robe between plunges in hot tubs of varying temperatures, any time of day I desired, my post-Pagosa dreams were fueled instead by a different mother altogether.
Her name is Daya Myers-Hurt. Not only is she a wife and mom, she’s a superstar chef whose restaurants made Galveston a dining destination before her professional journey led her to this small Rocky Mountain town in southwest Colorado.
My group dined at Myers-Hurt’s Wild Finch restaurant, the newest addition to the Springs Resort amenity portfolio. Not only did we have one of the best dinners of my life (and that’s not hyperbole), we also enjoyed a second night of her culinary genius, which was the ultimate privilege.
This isn’t the first time I’ve wanted to return to a travel destination solely because of a superb meal. Yet it’s by far the most compelling because of the built-in benefit of everything the Springs Resort has to offer: 24-hour access to 52 hot springs-fed pools, a full-service spa and super-comfy accommodations that all work in harmony to deliver incredibly restful sleep each night.
“The resort and leadership here are just very open to humans having a human experience,” Myer-Hurt says. “It wasn’t even a question about whether or not it was going to be OK [to be a queer person]. They’re obviously very open if they have an executive chef who’s pretty out and proud.”
Myers-Hurt’s wife and kids come to visit whenever they can, recently for the town’s second-ever Pagosa Pride celebration at Town Park.
“I think Pagosa itself kind of has that pioneer spirit, that sort of thinking that as long as you can take care of your own stuff, we don’t really care about other people’s business,” she says.
“We also benefit from the fact that we do have the springs here, so we have people from all over the country and all over the world here all the time. So, whereas the town itself might not feel super diverse in some ways, the Mother Spring has a history of tribes coming together and bonding over the communal aspect of it, leaving their differences aside.”
During my stay, I encountered a few other gay men strolling the property, which is always an immediate source of comfort when traveling. LGBTQ+ people visit the Springs Resort throughout the year because of the allure of the hot springs, the ability to go off the grid for a few days, should one desire, and the chance to connect with nature.
“The town itself is just, I mean, it is just beautiful,” Myers-Hurt says. “I’m not an outdoorsy person, but Colorado makes you that.”
As a chef, Myers-Hurt relies on the seasonal ingredients at her disposal, creating an ever-changing menu.
“I’m super mindful, and everything’s about human connection. You only really become super mindful of something if you’ve had it impact you in some way,” she said.
“So, I have really close friends who are celiac. When I met my wife, she was a macrobiotic vegan, which was a nightmare,” she laughs. “I’ve seen people apologize when they start ordering from a menu, and I don’t want guests to ever have to say they’re sorry because of legitimate food restrictions.
“Me, I’ll eat anything. I’m an omnivore, and I’ll try anything at least once,” the chef added.
“That’s a very different type of going out to eat.”
Unlike nearly every other restaurant I’ve ever dined at, Myers-Hurt’s menu truly has something for everyone. Because of her careful choice of ingredients, most everything on the menu is gluten-free. Vegetarian, vegan and dairy-free options round out the choices, each dish carefully and thoughtfully composed so that every guest gets a genuine chef-driven dining experience.
Over two nights, I tried nearly everything on the menu. I flip-flopped between vegan options, from a shockingly creamy vegan risotto loaded with local mushrooms and a hearty grilled cabbage wedge, to carnivorous delights like roasted duck and chicken-fried elk. A new addition to the menu also showcases Myers-Hunt’s equally delicious sense of humor: Mom’s Clams.
“I’ll be making fall changes pretty soon,” Myers-Hurt says. “I’m still getting used to the ingredients here, and my vendors and what’s available because we’re pretty isolated.”
Her love for her new Pagosa Springs home has turned the chef into a de facto brand ambassador for the town and the resort itself.
“Obviously, the water is the most important reason to come. There is a healing that happens whether or not you want it to,” she said. “You can engage in all the — quote-unquote — hippie stuff if you want to, or you can just have cocktails and soak with your friends.
“Pagosa itself is just kind of magic and special for me. I guess I could equate it with, back in the day, catching eyes with that woman across the bar. You know, it just gives you that kind of special feeling.”
Myers-Hurt admits to being an anti-hug, no-contact person most of her life. But now that she’s embraced the magic of the springs, things have changed.
“I am probably the huggiest person you will meet now. It just feels natural to do that,” she says. “I’ve fallen in love with Pagosa, and I think everyone else would fall in love with Pagosa and the springs.”
To book your own Pagosa Springs experience and dine on Chef Myers-Hunt’s food, visit PagosaHotSprings.com.
