Fine dining · Island Lake Lodge
Tamarack
Dining Room
“to eat as local as possible.”Lara Korpan, on supporting local food
Edify · 2012
The person behind the plate
Meet
Lara Korpan.
Alberta roots. Mountain inspiration.
A kitchen with a sense of place.
Lara’s path to Island Lake began in Alberta: growing up in Vegreville, studying culinary arts at NAIT, and cooking at Jack’s Grill in Edmonton. An early profile captured a conviction that still feels at home here—supporting local food and the people who make it.
Today, she leads Island Lake’s kitchen, creating seasonal menus with her team around regional producers, carefully chosen ingredients and the flavours of the surrounding landscape.
That connection comes into focus through the lodge’s foraging dinners, where Lara introduces ingredients from the Elk Valley and the stories behind each course. The forest beyond the windows becomes part of the conversation at the table.
Her story: the early chef profile · the 2024 foraging dinner
Reserve your evening
A table in the mountains.
Seasonal update · September 20, 2026
The operations calendar currently lists Tamarack and summer lodge services as closed for the season. Check the calendar for reopening information.
Public summer dining
Sunday & Monday 5–9 p.m.
Reservations strongly recommended. Seasonal opening and private-event closures apply.
Winter dining is exclusively for our cat skiing guests. Explore Winter Dining.
Hours & seasonal accessA table people remember
In good company.
Recent coverage and a little of the dining history that came before.
Summer dining · 2026
“a culinary adventure rooted in the place, the people, and the season.”
From the archive · 2015
“Island Lake Lodge’s culinary rep and posh digs are matched only by its skiing.”
Ski Canada
From the archive · 2017
“there’s nothing quite like a feast in the forest.”
Toque & CanoeProduced in collaboration with Island Lake.
The wine library
Find your next
favourite bottle.
The cellar reaches from British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley to California and Europe. Explore a producer you haven’t tried, return to an old favourite, or let our team find a pairing for the evening.
Prefer a cocktail? Regional spirits and seasonal flavours carry the same sense of place from the kitchen to the glass.
Plan your evening
A special place.
Select evenings.
Tamarack is a seasonal dining room, with limited public access. In winter, it is reserved exclusively for our private ski guests. For much of the rest of the year, private events and lodge buyouts also close the dining room to the public.
Please reserve before travelling up. Check the operations calendar for access, and OpenTable for available dining dates.
Hours & reservations
- Public summer dinner
- Sunday & Monday
5–9 p.m. - Tuesday–Saturday
- Closed to public dining
- Winter
- Exclusive to private ski guests
No public reservations - Private events & seasonal closures
- No public dining, including on otherwise scheduled opening days
Summer hours apply only during the operating season. Available dates are confirmed through OpenTable.
Make a ReservationQuestions or dietary requests?
Call 1-888-422-8754
The journey is part of the evening
Find us above Fernie.
Tamarack Dining Room is inside Tamarack Lodge at Island Lake, reached via the Island Lake access road. Parking is available at the lodge when road access and services are open.
Tell our team about allergies, dietary requirements, or accessibility needs when reserving.
Explore Island Lake