Renowned chef, disc jockey and author Christian Stevenson, known as DJ BBQ, and his esteemed film crew recently found themselves getting ‘lost’ in Glenwood Springs. Stevenson hosts the budding Destination America TV series “Lost In with DJ BBQ,” where he and his crew travel to towns all over the U.S. highlighting hidden gems such as restaurants, entertainment venues and more.
Other towns he and his crew have gotten lost in for the first season include: St. Petersburg, Florida, Camden, South Carolina, Macon, Georgia and Fargo, North Dakota.
The season finale is set in historic Glenwood Springs, and premiered on Dec. 14, 2023. It follows Stevenson and his team who visited some of its main attractions and restaurants, such as the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, Glenwood Hot Springs Resort, Defiance Rafting, Bair Ranch Western Adventure with Glenwood Adventure Company and Smoke Modern Barbeque. Additionally, a section of the episode is dedicated to the history and legend of John Henry “Doc” Holliday.
The episode is titled “Land of Water” and is high-energy and captivating with Stevenson’s elevated sense of curiosity, and a hint of nostalgia, keeping viewers hooked. It was shot during the series’ debut on Destination America in September.
After graduating from The University of Maryland in 1990, Stevenson flew out to Colorado and landed a job at KZ radio in Avon. He worked a myriad of radio jobs in both the Vail Valley and Summit County. He explained that Glenwood Springs was a wonderful place for him to get away from the hustle and bustle of the entertainment world at the time.
“I spent so much time in Glenwood Springs in the ‘90s. I lived in Vail from 1990 to 1996, and Glenwood was a wonderful journey to take and hit the hot springs. Since then, it has changed a lot, especially the food scene,” Stevenson told The Sopris Sun. “There’s so much going on there, man, it is incredible. [During filming] I said to myself, ‘I want to come back and live in Glenwood Springs, I want to retire in Glenwood Springs.’”
The opportunity to film in Glenwood Springs came about when the production team called the city’s tourism department — somewhat last-minute — which welcomed them with open arms.
He and the crew experienced the mouth-watering prime rib and mac’n’cheese of Smoke Modern Barbeque. Stevenson liked it so much, he returned there after filming. A soak at the Glenwood Hot Springs and a whitewater rafting adventure with Defiance, each highlighted the treasured natural waters of Colorado.
The TV host shared that the most exhilarating experience was at the Glenwood Springs Adventure Park, where he and the crew went caving and jumped on both the rollercoaster and cliff swing.
“I just dived in everywhere I could, even though it felt claustrophobic and scary at times,” he said. “Despite that, it was an exhilarating caving adventure. Then, there was that rollercoaster. Holy crap! That was one of the craziest things, next to that swing. When it flies over and you’re just looking straight down that cliff wall. Wow! You guys have some crazy stuff in Glenwood.”
Stevenson naturally incorporates humor into the dialogue with guests on the show. The banter and chemistry between him and the operators of each location did not come off as forced or scripted. He credits the inspiration for the show to the late chef and traveling documentarian Anthony Bourdain, who passed in 2018.
“His shoes are impossible to fill, but I think ‘Lost In’ does a pretty good job of creating content similar to what he was known for, which I think is lacking a bit. Media revolves around going to the more off-the-beaten-path places; getting to meet the people, trying the food, the booze, the adventure, the music and getting into the underbelly,” concluded Stevenson.
Stevenson is hoping for an approval of a second season of “Lost In” and said that if that should happen, he would be open to exploring more places in the Valley. At this time, the episodes exploring Greenville, South Carolina and Macon, Georgia are available to watch for free on the show’s official Youtube Channel.