Executive Chef

Meet Executive Chef Erik Slater

Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge's Mainland Man

As executive chef for the 180-room Seward Windsong Lodge in Seward, Alaska, Erik Slater oversees food and beverage operations for the Resurrection Roadhouse Restaurant and the Goliath Bar & Grill, all catering functions, and facilitates the culinary cuisine for Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge—preparing pastries, ordering fine Alaska seafood and coordinating delivery to the remote island lodge. 

Slater's love of cooking came from his mother, who began honing his skills as soon as he could reach the range top. By the time he was 18, Erik Slater was a cook at the Elk Café in Spokane, Washington. A couple of years later, he worked at a small Italian café, learning old family recipes and techniques from the owners.

He later moved to the Mars Hotel as sous chef, before leaving Washington for Anchorage, Alaska, to work as head chef of Sorellas. He then moved to Napa Valley where he did fresh sheet menus paired with Napa Valley wines at the Dutch Treat Café. Slater took some time off to travel through Thailand, learning the authentic details of Thai cooking, returning to Alaska to work at a small Asian fusion restaurant in Juneau.

In 2000, Slater moved to Seward where he was head chef at Ray's Waterfront Restaurant and a partner in Seward's Railway Cantina, before joining Seward Windsong Lodge in 2004, as executive chef. He serves on the board of the Alaska Culinary Academy.

Since we are a seasonal facility, Slater and his family winter in various parts of Mexico and the western United States, seeking out new and interesting ideas to incorporate into his menus.

In 2011, Executive Chef Slater was honored to be selected by Alaska Governor Parnell to represent the state in the Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans.

Meet Chef de Cuisine Bryan Eddy

Bryan Eddy grew up in a small town in western Wisconsin and learned to love the outdoors at a young age, especially hunting and fishing. 

Bryan started cooking at the Stillwaters in Madison, Wisconsin, shortly after graduating from high school. Then, after spending a few years in management roles as assistant banquet and events manager at a Madison hotel and bar manger at an the upscale seafood restaurant, Ocean Grill, he decided to develop his passion for cooking.

Bryan moved to Portland, Oregon, and studied at the Oregon Culinary Institute. Upon his graduation in 2010, he began working at Iorio, a family run Italian restaurant for two years before accepting a sous chef position at Wafu,  a restaurant using Japanese technique with pacific north west ingredients. After traveling to Alaska several years ago, Bryan is looking forward to cultivating his love for the outdoors with his culinary expertise as the Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge island chef.