Imagine standing on the rugged terrain of an ancient glacial fjord, just as likely to spot a black bear, moose, or wolf as another human soul. The setting is remote. Wild. Unforgiving.
But for chef Kirsten Dixon, this untamed Alaskan backcountry is simply home, sweet home. For 40 years, Dixon and her family have encouraged visitors to embrace the beauty and bounty of their state’s natural landscape.
“I met my husband working at an Anchorage hospital,” she said. “He planned to move deeper into the natural world, so we quit our jobs and bought land on the Yentna River.”
Co-owner and chef Kirsten Dixon prepares wild salmon for a cooking class. (Courtesy of Within the Wild)
It was in their small cabin—a bare-bones abode without running water—that Dixon indulged in her passion for cooking. Initially welcoming only four guests at a time to their humble fishing lodge, Dixon honed her technique with help from her visitors….