Beak’s unique name has multiple meanings
for owner Renée Trafton. It reflects the restaurant’s octopus logo she had in tow before its opening in 2017, and it has a deeper meaning that pays homage to the core of the restaurant’s philosophy.
“I didn’t realize it at first, but Beak is also
Be AK, Be Alaska. Like, eat it!” Renée said.
Part of Renée’s mission, she says, is to “give people a sense of place, a sense of the Southeast Alaskan lifestyle.” One way she achieves her goal is by serving as many locally sourced ingredients as possible
to showcase the hearty and unique flavors
of the region.
“I try to buy local because we have really great seafood here, it keeps shipping costs lower, and I like to work within the limits you have,” said Renée. “We’re on a remote island, but if you look deeply, you can find a lot
of really interesting products that aren’t
on traditional menus.”
The Beak menu includes a halibut burger and chili-cornmeal encrusted rockfish tacos that show off the rich flavor of fresh, locally caught seafood. She also gets creative with other cuts of fish, perhaps her experience as fish butcher in a Michelin-starred New York City seafood restaurant informs her choice. Whatever the reason, she doesn’t let quality food go to waste.
The salmon bellies and collars that she uses, though often thrown out by fishermen, she describes as “really delicious, fatty and rich, really underutilized piece[s].” Other local delicacies include black cod tips, the tender meat under the fish’s jaw, and salmon skin. Renée prepares the crispy thin skin like a potato chip and serves it with habanero honey and arugula.
Beak was inspired by the abundance of local seafood arriving on Sitka docks, but fish
is not the only choice on the menu. Reindeer sausage from an Anchorage-based company, salads, hummus and a vegan barley soup round out the menu. Seasonal treats like berry scones with locally picked wild blueberries and huckleberries are also available.
Having worked in multiple luxury establishments, Renée became aware of
what set the award winners apart, namely, quality and attention to detail.
“Because my background is in fine dining,
I take a lot of care and thought in my food.
I start with raw ingredients like potatoes
or carrots. It’s more the technique that transforms the food that makes it special,” Renée said.
When she imagined Beak, not only did
Renée plan on using thoughtfully prepared local flavors and foods, but she also hoped to create a business that would provide a service to Sitka, the community she fell in love with. She chooses to stay open in the slower winter months and offers her dining room as a comfortable community gathering place for game nights, live music and discussions.
Beak Restaurant
Just before Renée Trafton opened her restaurant in 2017, she had an octopus logo and a few ideas for a name. When she considered what and how Alaskan octopuses eat, she arrived at the name that would stick: Beak.
“I didn’t realize it at first, but Beak is also Be AK, Be Alaska. Like, eat it!” Renée said.
Her restaurant’s name turned out to be the perfect description of her endeavors in the historic Cable House building, which houses Beak and the local public radio station at the end of Lincoln Street. Part of Renée’s mission she says, is to “give people a sense of place, a sense of the Southeast Alaskan lifestyle.” One way she achieves her goal is by serving as many locally-sourced ingredients as possible to showcase the hearty and unique flavors of the region.
“I try to buy local because we have really great seafood here, it keeps shipping costs lower, and I like to work within the limits you have,” said Renée. “We’re on a remote island, but if you look deeply, you can really find a lot of really interesting products that aren’t on traditional menus.”
The Beak menu includes a halibut burger and chili-cornmeal encrusted rockfish tacos that show off the rich flavor of fresh, locally-caught seafood. She also gets creative with other cuts of fish. Perhaps her experience as fish butcher in a Michelin-starred New York City seafood restaurant informs her choice. Whatever the reason, she doesn’t let quality food go to waste.
She describes the salmon bellies and collars that often get thrown out by fishermen, but which she uses, as “really delicious, fatty and rich, a really underutilized piece.” Other local delicacies include black cod tips, the tender meat under the fish’s jaw, and also salmon skin. Renée pre-pares the crispy thin skin like a potato chip and serves it with habanero honey and arugula.
Beak was inspired by the abundance of local seafood arriving on Sitka docks, but fish is not the only choice on the menu. Reindeer sausage from an Anchorage-based company, salads, hum-mus and a vegan barley soup round out the menu. Seasonal treats like berry scones with local-ly-picked wild blueberries and huckleberries are also available.
Having worked in the NYC restaurant scene in multiple luxury establishments, Renée became aware of what set the award winners apart, namely, quality and attention to detail.
“Because my background is in fine dining, I take a lot of care and thought in my food. I start with raw ingredients like potatoes or carrots. It’s more the technique that transforms the food that makes it special,” Renée said.
Making the change from NYC to Sitka wasn’t scary, Renée said, because of her background. She said food jobs transfer well and if she was cooking in some capacity she knew she would be happy. Her initial jobs in Sitka, working as a cook at Mt. Edgecumbe High School, then the Public Safety Training Academy, were enjoyable for different reasons, but when the previous restaurant in the Cable House became available for sale, Renee decided to take the chance.
“It was the right time to take that leap,” she said. “Owning a restaurant was always a distant dream, but in New York City, it didn’t seem financially possible.”
When she imagined Beak, not only did Renée plan on using thoughtfully prepared local flavors and foods, she hoped to create a business that would provide a service to Sitka, the community she fell in love with. She chooses to stay open in the slower winter months and offers her dining room as a comfortable community gathering place for game nights, live music, and discussions.
She also decided to establish a gratuity-free policy, a Sitka first.
“It’s my chance to make an impact on the world,” she said, when describing how she pays her employees a higher hourly wage and sets honest prices that reflect the final total. “It’s really im-portant to me to provide sustainable jobs to people in Sitka. I think people need to be paid a fair wage, a dependable wage, so they’re compensated for good work. We’re all a team. We’re all working together in the restaurant. Having pay disparity, I don’t think it’s fair.”
Renée hopes community members and visitors alike will relax and enjoy the whole experience of dining at Beak.
“We’re really friendly and personable and we’re really proud of our food,” she said. “We want to give you something nourishing and delicious because when you eat a really good meal, you feel great. We can provide that experience in a comfortable setting where you feel taken care of and nourished.”
Visit Beak year-round for the flavors of Southeast Alaska in an inviting and warm community space. Check the restaurant’s Facebook page for the latest hours and events: https://www.facebook.com/Beak-Restaurant-483122325364665/
Eating Alaska
Painted octopus tentacles stretch across a windowed wall in Beak restaurant, a sea-to-table eatery situated in downtown Sitka. With a view of O’Connell Bridge and the surrounding ocean, patrons can enjoy a cup of salmon chowder or honey miso black cod tips from Beak’s eclectic wooden top tables.
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