For many Southern Utah diners, Black Sage is more than a restaurant, it's a destination. The drive along scenic Dalton Wash Road out of Virgin is just part of the experience, trading the bustle of day-to-day life for quiet desert vistas, towering mesas, and the anticipation of an unforgettable meal.
At the heart of that culinary adventure is Executive Chef Charles Parcell, whose thoughtful approach to cooking has helped define Black Sage's reputation as one of the region's most distinctive dining experiences.
For Parcell, farm-to-table is a responsibility, not just a catch phrase or trend. Working closely with local ranchers, farmers, and producers, he allows the ingredients to shape each menu. The best ingredients don't need to be reinvented, and their story can come through on the plate.
That philosophy extends to the restaurant’s whole-animal program, where every cut is thoughtfully utilized, reducing waste while inspiring constant creativity. "When you commit to cooking this way," Chef Charles explains, "the menu writes itself. Every season gives you something new to discover."
The result is a dining experience that feels both elevated and approachable, blending Italian, Appalachian, and Southwestern influences into dishes that are familiar, surprising, and unmistakably rooted in Southern Utah.
Whether it's an anniversary, a birthday, or simply an excuse to escape for an evening beneath the desert sky, Black Sage offers the rare feeling of getting away without traveling very far from home at all. On the following page, Chef Charles shares one of his favorite seasonal recipes. Consider it a glimpse into the philosophy that makes every visit to Black Sage a little different from the last.
His spirit of curiosity extends to the flavors he loved as a child. Chef Charles wasn't much of an egg fan growing up, unless those eggs were pickled. His affection for that bright, tangy flavor never faded, and today, pickling remains one of the ways he likes to transform familiar ingredients into something unexpected.
For this recipe, Chef turns his attention to a favorite fruit, strawberries. At Black Sage, these pickled strawberries occasionally find their way onto the pretzel board, but their possibilities extend well beyond it. Try them alongside fish, chicken, or pork; tucked into a salad or onto a charcuterie board; paired with cheese; or even stirred into a cocktail or mocktail. Wherever a pickle — or a strawberry — might belong, these offer a delicious reason to rethink the possibilities.
As Chef says with a laugh, “I’ll pickle anything if it holds still long enough.”
Pickled Strawberries
Ingredients
1 lb. strawberries, tops removed and cut into quarters
½–¾ cup sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
1 oz champagne vinegar
2 tsp mustard seeds
6 black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
2 bay leaves
1 tsp crushed red pepper
2–3 sage leaves
Method:
Toss the strawberries with the sugar and kosher salt. Set aside for 2 hours to macerate.
Mix the remaining ingredients together.
After 2 hours, reserve 1½ cup of the strawberry liquid.
Add the reserved strawberry liquid to the vinegar mixture and combine.
Pour the pickling liquid over the strawberries.
Refrigerate overnight before using.
Pickled strawberries will keep refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.
At Black Sage, Chef Charles Parcell brings a refined touch to the comfort foods and familiar flavors that have always inspired him. His cooking is rooted in his Appalachian upbringing, seasonal ingredients, and a whole-animal philosophy that lets the ingredients, and the seasons, shape the menu.