Standing on the deck of his restaurant literally just steps from the Super Bee lift, David Luthi remembers that as a kid racing on skis at Little Switzerland in Slinger, Wisconsin, his dream was to own a restaurant at the base of a ski area. Thirty years and several thousand odd restaurant jobs later, from dish dogging to dinner sleigh rides, Luthi is sure that he has arrived. You can't get much closer to lift-side than his Double Diamond Restaurant in Copper's East Village.
The Double Diamond is a true family-owned restaurant is a rarity at most big ski areas in the West. Like its owner, the restaurant has humble roots. The place started as base operations for the U.S. Nationals competition in the mid 1980s, where coaches and downhill skiers watched the action on Rosie's Run from the big glass windows one of the best views at Copper.
David and his wife, Shari, bring their personal touches to the Double Diamond in unique ways. A dental hygienist by day, Shari enjoys working the "front of the house" at night, where she meets people from everywhere and chats with the locals. Shari grew up in Pueblo, a Colorado native. David purchased the restaurant in 1995, after holding a variety of Copper and Vail Valley food and beverage positions. He managed every aspect of restaurant operations until meeting Shari in 1998 thus becoming a team.