Vail Remembers Ambrosia Founder Gottfried Staufer

Aspen —The grass in Oberhehenfeld was soft, but the landing wasn’t. Young Gottfried Staufer lay there, arm broken, staring up at the sky. He had been launched — literally — off the feet of his brother Hermann, who lay flat on his back like a catapult. It was a short flight. It ended in pain. But it started with a dream.

That dream took him across oceans. After hotel school in Gmunden, Austria, Gottfried went to Bermuda. There, in 1963, he met Brigitta. They knew each other for six weeks. She agreed to go back to Bermuda with him. They married. They lived and worked there for a few years. Then, in 1967, they followed two other Staufer brothers, Joe and Hermann - to Vail, Colorado.

Vail was young then. It was becoming a resort town, but it still felt like a frontier. Gottfried worked at the Lodge at Vail, the Lord Gore, and the Vail Village Inn. He learned the trade. He honed his craft. And then, in 1977, he and Brigitta opened Ambrosia.

Ambrosia wasn’t just a restaurant. It was a destination. For twenty years, it hosted the kind of guests you’d see in history books. President Gerald R. Ford dined there. King Hussein of Jordan sat at its tables. Actors like Gregory Peck and Natalie Wood walked through its doors. The Vail Daily noted that the caliber of these guests reflected Gottfried’s fastidiousness as an entrepreneur, his skill as a chef, and his warmth of heart.

But the part everyone skips past is that Gottfried’s kindness wasn’t reserved for celebrities. Vail’s “old-timers” remember him differently. They recall a gracious host. A dedicated craftsman. A beloved member of the community. His genuine care for others, his generosity, and his welcoming spirit made Ambrosia much more than a place to eat. It became a place where people gathered. Where friendships were formed. Where memories were made.

Gottfried Staufer passed away on August 2, 2026. He was born on January 20, 1942, in a small house near Schörfling, Austria, the youngest of six children. He was a genuine and amazing man. His love for his wife and family was inspirational. The way he lived, the way he loved, and the people whose lives he touched were all encompassing of his true and selfless heart.

Now, stand there long enough and you’ll see it. The table where Ford signed the menu. The corner booth where Peck ordered the same dish every time. The kitchen window where Gottfried used to watch the snow fall on the Vail Valley, knowing that inside, the fire was lit, the wine was poured, and the door was open to anyone who needed a place to belong.