Chef Kevin Bear Trail Lodge Alaska Gourmet

"But I'd like the pie heated, and I don't want the ice cream on top, I want it on the side. And I'd like strawberry instead of vanilla if you have it. If not, then no ice cream, just whipped cream, but only if it's real. If it's out of a can, then nothing."

-Sally Albright, When Harry Met Sally

Since changing my eating habits three years ago I have become Sally Albright, consistently asking chefs to change their dishes to meet my needs.

Before visiting Bear Trail Lodge I wrote an email to owner Nanci Morris Lyon and briefed her on my restrictions. She said that would be no problem, thanked me for letting her know in advance, and told me that she would speak with the Chef.

The results were incredible! The first evening we arrived as appetizers were being served and Chef Kevin Bennett popped out of the kitchen to make sure everyone was satisfied and that the bowls were kept full. He sat on the couch across from me and asked, “What’s for dinner?” WOW, what great personal attention! Each evening we discussed my menu for the next day’s meals.

The Chef’s meals were out of this world, even the way I had them stripped down.

Food is such a large part of everyone’s lives and unless you win Top Chef or your name is Bobby Flay, Wolfgang Puck, Paula Dean or Emeril Lagasse you most likely don’t know much about the chef who prepared your meal.

But I’m nosy. I like to know the stories behind the deliciousness, so I sat down with Chef Kevin to find out what makes him tick.

HPFC: What’s your name and how old are you?

Chef: Kevin Bennett and I am 45 years old.

HPFC: Where are you from?

Chef: I am from upstate New York, from a town called Greene.

HPFC: How did you get started cooking?

Chef: My first job was as a dishwasher in a restaurant in my local town and I went from restaurant to restaurant through high school. Then I went to college for Hotel Restaurant Management and we can continue on and on but that’s how I got started.

HPFC: How did you get hooked up with Bear Trail Lodge?

Chef: I sent a bunch of resumes out starting about three years ago. I found out that Alaska had a summer market for private chef lodge type jobs. This was just one of the random lodges that got back to me and they offered me a spot last year. I turned it down because it was an assistant’s position. This year I was offered the head chef position as the previous chef retired.

HPFC: What are your favorite Alaskan ingredients to cook with?

Chef: I like the halibut and the king salmon. I will keep it to those two.

Chef Kevin Bear Trail Lodge Sockeye Miso

HPFC: What is the biggest challenge cooking in King Salmon, Alaska?

Chef: There’s not a grocery store a mile away that you know can provide what you would be able to get at Target or Sam’s Club.

HPFC: What cuisine do you really like?

Chef: American

HPFC: What is a cuisine that you find challenging?

Chef: Asian

HPFC: What appetizer and main dish at the lodge get rave reviews?

Chef: In the appetizer category, the ahi poke has been popular. The dinner dish would be the Halibut Olympia and then my King Salmon with roasted red pepper sauce (sorry, you didn’t get that this week).

HPFC: Do you have a favorite chef?

Chef: Emeril Lagasse

HPFC: And saving the best question for last, what’s your death row meal?

Chef: Well my favorite food would be chicken wings. So I would have to go with all-you-can-eat chicken wings.

Chef Kevin Bear Trail Lodge chicken wings Alaska New York

Although Chef Kevin spends half the year in Maui, Hawaii (perhaps that’s how he perfected his ahi poke) and the other half in Alaska, apparently you can’t take the upstate New York out of the boy.

By the way, we had chicken wings a few different ways throughout the week for appetizers and I completely get Chef Kevin’s obsession.

Bon appétit and THANK YOU Chef Kevin for keeping me on track, except when it came to your chocolate chip cookies -- darn you!