*This is a sponsored post on behalf of Camp Chef. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Over the summer I shared a few simple camping recipes — a 3-ingredient dessert called Woof ’Ems, easy Hot Ham & Pineapple Campfire Sandwiches, and a tasty tin-foil Southwestern Chicken Dinner. While I often cook these recipes at home on my grill, late June brought an invitation from Camp Chef to join a blogger retreat in mid-August. I jumped at the chance and went on what turned out to be a truly memorable outdoor cooking experience. If you enjoy kitchen gear, imagine those tools designed for the outdoors — versatile, rugged, and fun to use.
The Location: Conestoga Ranch, Garden City (Bear Lake), Utah
I was able to bring my husband, and this was our first trip alone together since becoming parents seven years ago. We stayed at Conestoga Ranch near Bear Lake, Utah — a glamping resort that blends comfortable amenities with the outdoors. I’ll admit I prefer a flushing toilet and a shower when I camp, and Conestoga Ranch delivers. The canvas tents sleep up to eight people with a king bed, bunk sets, and extra twin beds, and even the wagons accommodate groups while providing access to bathrooms and showers in the barn.
Each unit includes essentials like a sink, shower, toilet, electricity, and Wi‑Fi. The tents and wagons have name plaques so you can find your spot easily. The grounds include a playground, volleyball, soccer field, lawn games, ping-pong, air hockey, rentable bikes, and more, plus an on-site restaurant for those who’d rather not cook. Campsites come with complimentary firewood and s’mores kits, making evenings around the fire effortless and fun.
Conestoga Ranch sits on a hillside with stunning views: bright blue lake water by day and a brilliant starry sky at night. It’s a comfortable, scenic place to enjoy nature without sacrificing conveniences.
The Bloggers – Meet Erica, Mel, Natasha, and me!
There were four bloggers at the retreat: Erica (FavFamilyRecipes), Mel (MelsKitchenCafe), Natasha (NatashasKitchen), and me. Getting together with fellow food bloggers is such a treat — we connect over recipes, gear, and the shared rhythm of creating content. These women drove several hours to join the retreat, and I’m fortunate to live only about an hour from Conestoga Ranch, which means I’ll likely return soon.
The Host: Camp Chef
Camp Chef hosted the retreat and treated us like family. Between exploring the grounds and cooking together, the weekend felt like a culinary camping cruise. Before this trip I thought outdoor cooking was limited or complicated, but Camp Chef’s equipment showed me how easy it can be to prepare a wide range of dishes outdoors.
Camp Chef offers more than stoves. For traditional coal-style cooking, they provide Dutch ovens, briquette starters, and sturdy camp tables. We used 3/4-quart mini Dutch ovens on a camp table to bake individual apple and strawberry crisps.
The Sherpa Table & Organizer makes staging and prepping food quick and neat, while the compact Mesa Aluminum Camp Table is sturdy and ideal for meal prep at camp. Camp Chef also supplies cutting boards, knives, hot mitts, and pie irons — all useful for an efficient campsite kitchen.
The Pro90x Deluxe Three-Burner Stove, shown as a production sample at the retreat, is a versatile option with the ability to use burners or add a flat top for pancakes and other skillet-style cooking. Pie irons — available in single and dual square sizes — are perfect for quick sandwiches, bread pockets, and personal pizzas.
The Deluxe Outdoor Oven combines a camp stove and oven, making baked goods like cinnamon rolls possible at camp — I tried them at the retreat. The Flat Top Grill is ideal for patios and campsites alike; we made pancakes, French toast, Philly cheesesteaks, and more on one large, easy-to-use surface. A quick tip: mix cinnamon and nutmeg with a little water to form a paste before adding to egg and milk for French toast so the spices distribute evenly.
The SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill was a standout and a favorite for slow-smoking meats. Its digital thermometer and consistent temperature control let you set it and check as needed. We enjoyed a beautifully smoked tri-tip and learned about an optional sear box that reaches very high temperatures for perfect grill marks and that charred flavor many seek.
Finally, the Italia Artisan Pizza Oven impressed with fast, high-heat cooking that produces an exceptionally crispy crust. We had a pizza lesson from the resort’s pizza chef and sampled creative pies that highlighted how well this oven performs.
Camp Chef makes high-quality gear that expands what’s possible outdoors. Whether you’re a weekend camper or a home cook who wants to take meals outside, these products simplify preparation and elevate results. The retreat showed me you can confidently cook almost anything outdoors with the right tools—no special tricks required, just good equipment and a bit of creativity.
