Oh Jasper, how I love thee!
I’ve always loved Jasper, in any season. In the summer, it’s lush greenery and blue ponds/lakes are enticing, and in the winter the snow and crispness draws me in. This year it was a little browner than I’m used to, but it was beautiful, just the same.
I was fortunate enough to join my husband on one of his jobs this year, and enjoy a night’s stay at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. It’s such a beautiful resort, and offers so many amenities.
The lodge is built along the shore of Beauvert Lake, which has beautiful walking trails, as well as skating in the winter, weather permitting. In the summer, it’s a wonderful place for you and your family to relax and enjoy some sun and play along the beach.
As much as I enjoyed the hotel itself, I have to say that as a food blogger, I was dying for the chance to sink my teeth into some yummy food at one of their restaurants. Prior to heading to Jasper, I emailed the hotel and inquired about their gluten free options for Celiac diners, and asking what their procedures were for handling food in their kitchen. I was fortunate enough to receive an email from their Sous Chef, Jason Ringstad.
We have several procedures in place to ensure safety when handling these items. When preparing allergy food items we ensure a clean work space is used with clean equipment, frying pans, tongs, bowls, knifes ect. We also prepare food fresh to order to limit the chance that other items from the kitchen line that could be a source of cross contamination.
Jason Ringstad, Sous Chef, Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge
I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to receive a detailed email, explaining procedures. Not only was Jason able to answer my questions, but he explained that he was also Celiac, which was so reassuring.
I myself am a celiac and understand the struggle of finding a place to eat that you can trust. All of our main dining venues are well equipped to cater to your needs. Upon arrival to any of the restaurants please inform your server of the allergies. I also recommend you ask to speak to a Chef, we will be able to go over dinning options in further detail suited to what you would like to eat.
Jason Ringstad, Sous Chef, Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge
Needless to say, I was very confident that my needs would be met by the kitchen.
Since my husband was working at the Lodge that night, I wasn’t able to be with him the whole time. So I settled into my room, with my gluten free snacks, and did some reading. Anyone who is Celiac will recognize the need to have safe snacks when travelling. Some cheese, olives, pepperoni, and a drink were accompanied by some fresh fruit and bottled water in my room fridge.
I’ll tell you a little about our room. Since the husband was working at the hotel, they provided a room for him as part of his fee. We had an amazingly comfortable king sized bed, and a nice little area to sit and relax, looking out the window onto the wilderness. We had a little deck with chairs, and it was super cozy and quiet. My favourite part of the room was their tea and coffee drawer though. I know, strange, right? It was so cute! It just felt like such a nice little addition to the already great room.
Once the husband finished entertaining the crowd at one of JPL’s Christmas parties, we headed off to The Emerald Room for some dinner. First off, it’s a beautiful location. There are gorgeous chandeliers, made from natural materials from the area, and the Christmas decorations really added to the decor.
We had a lovely waitress named Angela. She was so knowledgeable, and when I explained that I had Celiac, she knew exactly what it was, and was able to answer all my questions. It was obvious that the Jasper Park Lodge trains their staff very well when it comes to dietary restrictions. She brought out complimentary deep fried chips, and explained that they were fried in a shared fryer, so they were not safe for me. But she then gave me my own bowl of certified gluten free vegetable chips! That small gesture was just so incredible…I was blown away. The little things like that make people who suffer with dietary restrictions so appreciative. So, thank you Angela!
There were quite a few options I could have chosen, from steak to salads, pastas to soups, and even vegetarian and vegan options. I chose to have the Sedanini, which is a pasta tossed with Hen of the Woods (a type of mushroom), puffed wild rice, roasted garlic, grilled onion, and charred pepper puree. The pasta used in mine was of course gluten free. The dish itself is vegan, but I chose to add a grilled chicken breast.
The flavour of this dish was absolutely amazing. My poor husband had to sit through me gushing about it for the whole meal. The pasta was al dente, and that mushroom was unlike any I’ve ever tasted. The fact that this meal was prepared using safe methods just made it taste even better, if that was possible.
The meal was amazing, the service was phenomenal, and I’m so happy to give a thumbs up to the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge for their fabulous food, and their attention to what is required for a Celiac person to have a safe meal. If I had to rate my overall experience, I would definitely be giving it a 10 out of 10. I recommend it to all Celiac Disease sufferers.
Our short trip had to end, but what a great little getaway it was for me. Not only was it wonderful to have a little time to ourselves, but it was great to experience another place that could accommodate my Celiac diet.
Contact Jasper Park Lodge to book your trip today!
Michelle's Gluten Free Kitchen 