Vacations In The Last Frontier - Alaska Lodge Adventures!
For the last eleven seasons, I cooked up a storm for the guests of the Driftwood Lodge in SE Alaska, right next to the mouth of the Bering glacier.
This is my story.
Gourmet Food - In A Remote Alaska Lodge?
It's possible - with a lot of extra effort.
No roads or boats lead to the Driftwood Lodge, and the next town is Cordova, 85 air miles away.The groceries get flown in from Anchorage. Our "delivery truck" is the famous "work horse" of Alaska - the DC-3. This incredible machine has big tires and can land on the sandy beach, close to the lodge.

One year, when I hitched a ride to the lodge on the jump seat, the pilots told me that this plane had flown on D-Day in the Normandy, over 60 years ago. The rest of their on-flight conversation revolved around the many currently not working things on the plane, until I asked them to tell me if the landing gear was functioning alright. They laughed and offered me a cigar...("This is a smoking plane, bud!")
A DC-3 Approaches Our Lodge...
Close encounter of the loud kind!
In the foreground, see our own small plane, a Cessna 206.
DC-3 buzzing our lodge
A DC-3 is "buzzing" our lodge in SE Alaska. See more fun Alaska lodge clips and stories at http://www.squidoo.com/chefkeem





curated content from YouTube
A Commercial Lodge Kitchen In Brown Bear Country, Alaska
Almost everything had to be flown out there into the wilderness...





The logs for the lodge came from the huge deposits of driftwood on the beach. Everything else had to be flown in with either our small plane or the DC-3. I have a walk-in cooler, ranges, chest freezer and walk-in deep freeze, stainless steel tables and sinks, a dish sanitizing machine and a number of small kitchen appliances - just like in a regular restaurant kitchen. Cool, huh?
Announcement!
This lens is an overview of my annual culinary adventures in Alaska. In the following weeks, I will create a large number of lenses on specific related topics such as my Alaska lodge kitchen recipes, cooking methods, bear and moose hunting, salmon fishing, stories about our guests, my antics, and much more.
I will feature these lenses in modules below as I complete them.
Please check the module "Alaska 2008" further down for updates.
Thank you for your interest!
October 2008
A Typical Day At The Driftwood Lodge In SE Alaska
Somehow, it's all about food...
Images From The 2008 Season At The Driftwood Lodge
To whet your appetite for more detailed lenses...
Would You Like To Be Our Guest At The Lodge?
Here are some relevant links...
- Alaska Expedition Company
- Homepage of the lodge owners - Charles and Jody Allen.
- Cabelas Outfitters
- Find all the gear for fishing and hunting at Cabelas. Some of their top managers have been our guests several times.
A Once-In-A-Lifetime Dream Vacation - Fly Fishing In Alaska!
If you really want to "get away" from it all...
So many people have seen my pictures and listened to my stories. They all say, "I wanna go!" How about you?
Our space at the lodge is limited, of course. We have many regular guest who come every year. Please book as early as possible!
My prediction:
chefkeem, at 8pm on October 3, 2008 predicts:
The Driftwood Lodge will be fully booked in 2009 and we'll have to turn away late-comers!
Reader predictions:
Fetching predictions now... please stand by
mulberry, at 6pm on November 4, 2008 predicts:
I think you're right! With food that looks like that how can it not book up immediately!
adez7, at 1pm on October 9, 2008 predicts:
They had, and will have in the future one of the greatest Chefs in the world!
hesika, at 12pm on October 5, 2008 predicts:
The Driftwood Lodge will be fully booked until 2020 :-) That's why you have to build some more houses there in 2010...
Fetching predictions now... please stand byYou'll Need Warm Clothing In Alaska!
Look what Amazon has to offer...
Columbia Sportswear Women's Benton Springs Fleece
Amazon Price: (as of 12/01/2009) ![]()
List Price: $45.00
Used Price:
Columbia Sportswear Men's Steens Mountain Fleece
Amazon Price: (as of 12/01/2009) ![]()
List Price: $45.00
Used Price:
Columbia Sportswear Women's Sapphire Sky Fleece Vest
Amazon Price: (as of 12/01/2009) ![]()
List Price: $36.00
Used Price:
Duofold Women's Mid-Weight Two-Layer Thermal #627A
Amazon Price: (as of 12/01/2009) ![]()
List Price: $14.99
Used Price:
Knives Of Alaska - The Best!
Charles Allen field-tested and designed these knives
What Are Your Thoughts About An Alaska Lodge Vacation?
Have you been there? Would you like to go?
Bears Love Alaska!
Do you love bears?
The bears I've met...
A few clips showing brown bears as they come around our lodge in Alaska. They are attracted by the scents from Chef Keem's kitchen, but they also like the wild strawberries on the surrounding grounds.





curated content from YouTube
More Great Knives Of Alaska
Designed for specific tasks during hunting or fishing
Knives Of Alaska Combo Set With Rubber Handle Md: 035FG
Amazon Price: $116.26 (as of 12/01/2009) ![]()
List Price: $122.05
Used Price:
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Knives of Alaska Brown Bear Skinner Suregrip Cleaver
Amazon Price: $146.99 (as of 12/01/2009) ![]()
List Price:
Used Price:
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Columbia River Knife and Tool's 2770 Wrangell Range Fixed Blade Utility Hunting Knife
Amazon Price: $92.92 (as of 12/01/2009) ![]()
List Price: $149.99
Used Price:
Usually ships in 24 hours
Knives Of Alaska D2 Steel Scout Folding Knife With Black SureGrip Handle Md: 181FG
Amazon Price: $98.66 (as of 12/01/2009) ![]()
List Price: $102.95
Used Price:
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
My Previous Alaska Lenses...
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Culinary Arts Alaska With Chef Keem - Fishing, Cooking, Salmon, Bear!
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Alaska cooking jobs - dream jobs! Ihave a lot of cooking fun, but I'm also fly fishing, bear chasing, adventure hunting, beach combing, and picking wild strawberries. I entertain my guests with my chef's comedy routines, and I develop recipes for wil...
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Coho - Silver Salmon
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Facts and info about the Silver Salmon, also called Coho. Read about fly fishing this great fighter in Alaska, how to cook salmon, how to make sashimi, wild vs. farm raised, gourmet condiments, recipes for wild duck, and more... Hi. I'm Chef Keem. M...
My 2008 Alaska Lenses...
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Bear Hunting With Sarah Palin
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Graphic images from a bear hunt, Sarah Palin on a bear rug, resources and links about Sarah Palin's position on bear, moose, wolve, and other big game hunting in Alaska. Even an interview with turkey killing in the background! All this and more in th...
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How To Make Sourdough Bread
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With my Alaska lodge recipe, it's easy to make a great loaf of fresh sourdough bread. I'll give you richly-illustrated step-by-step instructions of my proven method, which allows for many variations on a tasty loaf. White, whole wheat, rye, focaccia,...
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Alaska Brown Bears
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Here are my bear pictures from 11 seasons as the Executive Chef of the Driftwood Lodge, in remote SE Alaska. Stories of sometimes too close encounters with brown bears, including the night when I peed on a bear! Grizzlies live in the interior - brown...
More From The 2008 Season...
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Best Potato Casserole In The Universe!
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Leftover recipes don't have to be boring. I'll show you how to add a gourmet "touch" to this deliciously-rich potato casserole worth saving leftovers for. Step-by-step instructions and pictures of my special potato vegetable casserole shall make this...
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The Best Ribeye Steak Recipe!
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Pepper steak, Steak au poivre, Rib-eye with black pepper - Chef Andre Rochat shows you how to prepare a perfect steak dinner with bourbon cream sauce and potatoes au gratin. Step-by-step cooking instructions with a wealth of detailed recipe pictures...
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Wild Duck Recipe
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"I never had wild duck this good!" I've heard it so many times. This is the best wild duck recipe, according to the well-traveled duck hunters at my Alaska lodge. The method is quick, easy, and successful - if you do it right. If you overcook duck, i...
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Coastal Pictures Of Alaska
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I took many coastal pictures, during my 11 seasons as the Executive Chef of the Driftwood Lodge in SE Alaska. Most of them show the breath-taking scenery when nobody else was around - just me, my ATV and my camera. The coastal area near the mouth of...
Alaska Lodges In The News
- Feedmysearch needs your opinion, help and advice
- Dear feedmysearch user, Feedmysearch would require some serious server upgrade and a bit of developm...
Some Of My Other Squidoo Lenses...
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Squid Angel Blessings by Chef Keem
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With a Squid Angel Blessing your lenses will get a boost for your lens rank, which might improve your earnings and lead to more traffic and recognition. Not bad, huh? But what does it take to receive a Squid Angel Blessing? In general, our group of...
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Black Forest Cake Recipe, Cuckoo Clocks and Foods
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Black Forest Cake, nutcrackers and other wonderful things comprise some of my earliest memories. I learned to read on Grimm's Fairytales, and gingerbread made always for inspired thoughts of being in the Black Forest; Hansel and Gretel, a...
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Chef Keem :: My Lensography
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My world looks different through my squid eyes: clearer, more thought-out, better researched, better understood. Make no bones about it - I love Squidoo, and it was love at first sight. On January 29th, 2008 I discovered a completely new opportunity...
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Wolpertinger - Bavarian Jackalope?
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Fun facts about a Bavarian "hero": The famed and fabled horned rabbit/squirrel or whatever animal - the Wolpertinger. In Germany, especially in the Southern Free State of Bavaria, they're called "Wolpertingers". Just like their American counterpart...
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The Funniest Squidoo Lensmasters
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Squidoo lensmasters work hard to provide remarkable, original content in beautifully designed lenses. This lens features the lighter side of it all - the funny stuff! Funny videos, funny stories, jokes, and pictures. Funny quotes, funny animals, game...
Your Spare Change Helps To Protect Our Wildlife
Please donate directly here!
Any Questions? Comments?
Please leave me a note!
And please don't forget to rate this lens on top of the page.
Thanks so much for stopping by.
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Reply
- EverythingMouse EverythingMouse Mar 19, 2009 @ 6:56 pm
- I was inspired by all your adventures in Alaska and actually booked to go there. Well sort of. I admit - it is on a cruise but it is a start for me! Blessings to you Chef
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Reply
- OhMe OhMe Feb 22, 2009 @ 3:28 pm
- Checking out some more of your lenses actually looking for a stripped bass recipe for a chef friend of mine. This lodge looks great but too cold for me.
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Reply
- BlackroseBugg BlackroseBugg Jan 28, 2009 @ 8:49 am
- I just moved to Oregon after 5 years on the Kuskokwim River. The pics reminded me of just how much sky there is in Alaska. Not ready to go back yet, still thawing out, but maybe...someday... thanks for a great lens!
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- DebMartin DebMartin Dec 4, 2008 @ 9:03 am
- Wow! I love your lodge. I'm looking forward to some moose recipes. I'm headed to your Culinary Arts Alaska lens next. We got two bull moose this year and I've only got so many ways to cook it. Suggestions appreciated. Great Lens, Chef Keem!
Love, d
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- mulberry mulberry Nov 4, 2008 @ 6:23 pm
- Sounds like a great adventure and food looks insanely delicious!
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- charlino charlino Oct 23, 2008 @ 12:58 pm
- Bear hugs and 5* for this beautiful lens.
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- kiwisoutback kiwisoutback Oct 10, 2008 @ 5:01 pm
- Great work! I'm looking forward to the next Alaska lens. Incredible story, seems like a lot of fun! The pictures alone tell a million words.
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Reply
- StephenC StephenC Oct 7, 2008 @ 5:25 pm
- Enjoyed your lens. Nice going.
Sarah Palin Facts and Trivia
StephenC
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- JaguarJulie JaguarJulie Oct 6, 2008 @ 9:32 am
- Ah, a fabulouso lens with remarkably delightful pictures! This lens makes a perfect invitation to those of us -- like me -- who would love to have such an adventure. Another of your terrific lenses!
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- awelldressedbullet awelldressedbullet Oct 5, 2008 @ 4:52 pm
- Just squidelicious! I knew it would be an awesome lens before I got here! I can hardly wait for the series. What gorgeous pictures, this lens totally rocks! Squidhugs from Kathy
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by chefkeem


Hi, I am Chef Keem, sentenced to Squidoo-for-life.
Born and raised in Munich, Germany. First career in pop music as A&R Director, record arranger an... (more)































