Alpine Cuisine meets Canadian Hospitality

Hidden Gem: The Lodge at Bow Lake

The privilege of telling the culinary stories of the region has given Savour the opportunity to visit awe-inspiring places, eat amazing food and meet exceptional people. Our stay at the incredible Lodge at Bow Lake is no exception. We dined with an Olympic decathlete, a photographer for Canadian Geographic, an equestrian horse tra a fixture in the national park since its construction by Scottish explorer Jimmy Simpson in 1922. Over the last three years, Millar has used his extensive expertise and experience to recruit a crack team of hospitality professionals, renovate the rooms (they’re gorgeous, comfortable and feature Canadian-made products) and common spaces, add quality staff housing and hire a seasoned lodge chef to take on the culinary program.

A native of Nelson, B.C., Chef Chris Parnell is a graduate of SAIT’s famed culinary arts program and has built a career on creating fine dining experiences in rustic settings. He worked with Millar as a cook at Lake O’Hara for five years and then became head chef at Talus Backcountry Lodge. When he got the call in 2022 to design the culinary program at the Lodge at Bow Lake, he jumped at the chance to work with his old colleague.

“I love lodge life and I was excited about the opportunity here,” he says. “We wanted to create a culinary program t   hat fit the philosophy of being as local and as sustainable as possible.” Drawing from alpine cuisine around the world (think schnitzel from the Swiss Alps or barbecue from the Andes), the program is aimed at bringing people together before and after a day of exploring the Rockies. Breakfast is served daily at 8 a.m. with warm and cold options. We loved the quiche, the buttery, crispy crust of which still makes our mouth water.

The team sends you off on your adventure with a packed lunch (which you order at breakfast) in an adorable lunch bag. A hearty sandwich, fruit and something sweet and house-made makes for the perfect pick-me-up on a hike (we recommend the nearby Helen Lake hike.)

Dinner is served daily at 6:30 p.m., long-table style and is different every day. We enjoyed a hearty pork schnitzel one night and a tender prime rib the next, all paired with B.C. wines and accompanied by delicious sides and beautiful desserts.

The lodge is open June through October for the summer and February through April for the winter. Whether you’re an ice-plunge and cross-country ski type or a nap and a book by the fire kind of person, it’s a spectacular visit any time of year.

The Lodge at Bow Lake Icefields Pkwy, Lake Louise | 403.522.0148 | lodgeatbowlake.com