Chef Gives Alaskans New Taste : Aleutian: Dave Wood wears his white hat at the Grand Aleutian, a swank new hotel catering to a fledging tourist trade. The prestigious Escoffier medal for classical French is among his credits.

If you’re in Dutch Harbor and you’re looking for artful meals in trendy sidewalk cafes, you made a wrong turn a couple of thousand miles ago.

For one thing, there are no sidewalks, and those little outdoor tables with umbrellas wouldn’t stand much chance against the blasting Aleutian winds. And for most of the Carhartt-clad fishermen who drive the local economy, the preferred cuisine is burgers and brown bottles.

But those who appreciate fancy eating don’t have to do without here. There is another side to Dutch Harbor dining: lobster strudel with a lemon grass glaze. Corn-wrapped marinated halibut with a tomato chipotle coulis. Spiced and broiled loin of caribou. Won ton king crab ravioli.

“If people have a dining experience here, I want it to compare favorably to San Francisco, Seattle or L.A., not just Anchorage or Fairbanks,” said chef Dave Wood, who’s behind these nouvelle creations.

Wood may seem a fish out of water in Dutch Harbor, 800 miles southwest of Anchorage. But to think that is to overlook changes under way here--changes in keeping with the American tradition of pursuing money first, then respectability.

The city of Unalaska, of which Dutch Harbor is a part, has gotten rich off the bounty of the Bering Sea--tons of crab, pollock and cod keep five major processing plants bustling most of the year. The city of 4,300 has for several years been America’s busiest fishing port.

In recent years, however, the burghers of Unalaska have turned their eye toward luxuries most Americans take for granted. A community center with exercise rooms and an indoor track is being built, hiking and mountain biking trails are in the works and--gasp!--some streets will soon be paved.

And the Grand Aleutian, a swank new hotel catering to a fledging tourist trade, has risen amid Dutch Harbor’s industrial clamor. Which brings the story back to Dave Wood.

Wood, 43, is the Grand Aleutian’s executive chef, having been lured away in 1993 from an upscale hotel in Salt Lake City, where he won the prestigious Escoffier medal for classical French cooking, among other prizes.

Why does an obviously ambitious young chef hang his tall white hat at the remotest fringe of a state synonymous with remote?

“I think Alaska is the Last Frontier in food, as well as in a lot of things, and it’s just starting to get recognized,” he said. “Right now it’s wide-open.”

Along with tourists and other passers-through, Wood has built up a loyal following among locals.

“The cuisine is excellent and the ambience is very nice--you don’t feel like you’re in Dutch Harbor,” said Bev Reid, a bank manager. “Things were kind of rough and tough before.”

Kirsten Dixon, well-known Alaska chef and cookbook author, said she’s happy to see top-notch chefs making their way north.

“And as our confidence grows and our cuisine grows from steak and potatoes to more of an Alaska cuisine, more chefs will come up,” said Dixon, co-owner of a small, hard-to-reach river lodge, where the menu includes moose, caribou, game and fish.

Dixon knows the obstacles to setting up shop well off the beaten path, and is free with advice for Wood:

“The first step is to start feeding people and get them talking about your food,” she said. “Be persistent, keep the quality up and keep plugging away at it.”

Wood said his cuisine is steadily evolving as his staff thinks up new ways to combine foods.