Naturally, the remote setting of the lodge is a cause for logistical challenges for attaining fresh produce. However, our chefs and kitchen workers take a lot of pride in serving the best quality food available despite our spectacular wilderness location. Most folks who visit Tikchik already know about the exceptional salmon meals and shore lunches. Just as Mother Earth provides us with beautiful fish, Tikchik has also embraced the fertility of its soil. That is why the lodge has invested in a large greenhouse set to help provide fresh herbs and greens for our guests.
Tikchik always has fresh herbs growing including dill, basil, thyme, rosemary, sage, chives, tarragon, and cilantro to name a few. Last year, Ursula (our Sous Chef and head Baker) had a rotational crop of baby lettuce mix, spinach, and arugula growing all season long. It takes about three weeks from planting to picking, but the timing on the rotation allows our lodge to have fresh greens every week!
This is an example of the extraordinary effort that our kitchen staff puts toward the quality of dining at TNL. The organic nature of Alaska and Bristol Bay is infectious. It may sound cliché, but a day on the water has a way of bringing us closer to the elements; nature. There is something very organic about fishing, and we try to exhibit that in our food and our service.
