Utah Stories turns to two of the state's top chefs for holiday cooking wisdom, including the Grand America's Christian Ojeda, whose brining and spatchcocking method promises a standout Christmas turkey.
December 18, 2025
For many Utah families, a Christmas turkey is the centerpiece that anchors the holidays, but it wasn’t always the dominant bird. Wild turkeys are native to North America, and after European explorers encountered them in the 1500s, they took the birds back home. By the late 16th century, these New World birds began appearing on Christmas tables in England.
Although more expensive than the traditional goose, their large size made them an attractive option for festive meals. The bird’s status further surged in part thanks to Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, where Ebenezer Scrooge sends “the prize turkey” to the Cratchit family. That literary moment of generosity helped solidify the turkey’s place in culinary holiday history.
Today, as Utahns begin preparing for their Christmas feast, two Utah chefs, Jeffrey Sanich, executive chef at Brighton Resort, and Christian Ojeda, executive chef at The Grand America, offer insight into why turkey remains an enduring holiday icon, and how they prepare it to thrill everyone around the table.