Spruce Root client and Tlingit chef, Khaasda Tláa, Edith Johnson shows off a salmon filet at a wild foods potluck. (Photo by Bethany S. Goodrich)
Indigenous chef Edith Johnson fuses tradition and innovation in Sitka’s culinary landscape
From high-profile kitchens to owning two Sitka businesses, her inspirational story is a testament to her commitment to her community.
Tripp J Crouse / Spruce Root
The culinary arts and food service industry can be tough, taxing people physically, mentally and emotionally. It requires many hours of demanding work, and to succeed, you need a tough skin, as Indigenous chef and Spruce Root client Khaasda Tláa Edith Johnson attests. Edith is deeply dedicated to her craft, community and her staff, and success seems to follow wherever she goes.
Edith earned her culinary arts associate degree from L’Ecole Culinaire in St. Louis, Missouri. During her career, she worked at the exclusive Champions Club, which offered an upscale buffet and full-service bars at the St. Louis Cardinals’ Busch Stadium when they won the baseball World Series in 2011. She later joined the teams serving the Seattle Sounders professional men's soccer team and the Seattle Seahawks football team, who won the Super Bowl in 2014.
“I'd like to say I'm pretty good luck,” Edith said smiling.
Returning to her roots, Edith moved back to Sitka, where she ran a bush plane lodge for fly fishing and later contracted to help open the Sitka Hotel.
“From the Sitka Hotel, I decided I really wanted to start my own business,” she said.
(Photo by Bethany S. Goodrich)
This experience gave her the confidence to know exactly what it takes to open a restaurant, and she built many great contacts during this process. Edith found a space in the central business district of Sitka on Katlian Street, one of the original Tlingit villages. She is also part of the Point House Project, which aims to rebuild a cultural site that once housed the Kiks.ádi clan house along Katlian Street. This area was once home to more than 40 Tlingit clan houses, though only a few remain active today. In early 2024, the National Trust for Historic Preservation recognized the village as one of 11 endangered historic places.
Seven years ago, Edith opened Our Town Catering. She first received one-on-one business coaching from Spruce Root with Alana Peterson.
“I wanted to move my business from my own tax ID number to an LLC,” Edith explained. Alana helped her make this transition and provided solid advice, building a relationship that Edith leaned on for business knowledge.
Spruce Root offers a suite of services, including one-on-one coaching in business and financial wellness, facilitation and lending services for entrepreneurs who may not have access to traditional lending. Programs also include the Sustainable Southeast Partnership, a collective impact network, and Resilience Circles, a year-long cohort building entrepreneurship and wellness skills for Indigenous entrepreneurs.
In 2020, Edith Johnson and her business Our Town Catering collaborated with the Sitka Conservation Society to deliver hundreds of free dinners to households needing food assistance during the pandemic. (Photo by Bethany S. Goodrich)
“Spruce Root helped me a lot, especially with learning financial responsibility,” Edith said. “As a chef, you're not really taught the back end of the business side; it's something you have to learn, and it is one of the more difficult parts of being a chef.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Edith took the opportunity to delve deeper into understanding how to run a business. She participated in Spruce Root workshops on work readiness, soft skills, and the Path to Prosperity Master Class, a three-day workshop for experienced entrepreneurs looking to build resilience and take their business to the next level.
Edith also focused on learning about financial responsibility and building credit.
“My goal during COVID was to eventually buy a house,” she said. With Spruce Root's help, she learned how to build her credit and closed on her home in November 2021.
Meanwhile, Our Town Catering continued to earn recognition, winning the 2018 New Business of the Year award from the Greater Sitka Chamber of Commerce. The business also received the Best Catering award in Best of Alaska Business and a membership spotlight in Alaska Charr Magazine. In 2022, Edith was named one of Alaska's Top Forty Under 40. She and Lexi Fish-Hackett were also honored by the Sitka Local Foods Network for their innovation in using fish heads, bones, and other discarded materials to create fish broth.
Edith partnered with the Sitka Conservation Society, where she serves on the board of directors, to serve hundreds of free seafood dinners to households needing food assistance during the pandemic.
“In the past three years, I've learned a lot to the point where I felt like I could take on more responsibility,” she said.
(Photo by Lee House/Element Agency)
In January 2023, Edith applied for one of Spruce Root’s largest loans to date to help finalize the purchase of Ludvig’s Bistro, a popular Sitka eatery known for its Mediterranean fusion cuisine. In 2022, it was nominated for a Travel & Hospitality Award.
“This was my first time ever getting a business loan,” Edith said. “It was stressful at times, but Michael (Ching) from Spruce Root was unbelievable at guiding me through the entire process. Having a team in your corner like Spruce Root, I just can't even fathom doing it any other way,” she said.
She finalized the purchase of Ludvig’s Bistro in August 2023, working directly with CDFI Director Michael Ching.
“Edith is a true testament to the entrepreneurial drive and determination we see in our Alaska Native communities,” Michael said. “She's creating jobs, supporting local suppliers and strengthening our economy. This is exactly the kind of impact we strive for at Spruce Root, and it shows just how powerful it is to invest in Indigenous entrepreneurs like Edith.”
Edith’s businesses have grown in reputation for quality and service. Our Town Catering offers an abundant selection, including Korean meat skewers and seared scallops with sweet corn puree, for local clients at events and meetings. Ludvig’s bills itself as a rustic Mediterranean restaurant, with items like paella and cioppino on the menu.
Edith emphasizes the importance of showcasing local ingredients. “Using local ingredients makes me feel connected. It’s not just about the persona; it’s about using the people who can harvest them for me and showcasing their talents,” she said. Edith feels deeply connected when she serves food that has been foraged from Sitka. “It brings me a lot of joy to serve these foods to people who may have never tried them before,” she said.
Edith credits her staff for the success of both businesses. “I think the integrity that I've held as a high value has attracted the right type of employees for me,” she said. “I couldn't do it without the team that I have.”
(Photo by Bethany S. Goodrich)
Edith also has a reputation for hiring employees who might not have opportunities elsewhere. “I have a soft spot for people who need second chances. I struggled a lot out of high school and had people in my corner who believed in me,” she said. Although it comes with struggles and heartache, Edith finds it rewarding to help people who want to do better for themselves. “It's not even about the employment at that point; it's about the person.”
Currently, Edith is participating in Spruce Root’s Resilience Circles program, made up of a cohort of Alaska Native entrepreneurs from Southeast Alaska. Resilience Circles is a trauma-informed, culturally responsive program to enhance the well-being and success of growing Native-led organizations and businesses.
“It is such an honor to have Edith as one of the hard-working indigenous entrepreneurs in this year-one cohort,” Resilience Circles Director Lisa Nelson said. “She brings so much unique experience and perspective to the group. She is a wonderful example of the positive impact of Spruce Root programming on those driven to seek the support and resources available. I can’t wait to see what will happen next in our shared journey.”
This yearlong cohort features nine Southeast Alaska Native entrepreneurs and its goal is to strengthen the capacities of Alaska Native enterprises for ecosystem guardianship, long-term economic resilience, comprehensive well-being and community mental health.
“I'm super proud to be a part of this first-year pilot program,” she said. Edith feels a strong connection to working through her own traumas and becoming a better person and boss. “As entrepreneurs, we feel like we have to be strong all the time. This program provides a safe space to let our emotions be seen rather than hide them.”
Edith’s passion for her craft and her dedication to her community and staff have led to her success. Her story is a testament to the resilience and hard work required to thrive in the culinary arts and food service industry.
With the support of organizations like Spruce Root and a strong team by her side, Edith continues to make a significant impact in her community while staying true to her values and heritage.
Find out more about Spruce Root’s business support and lending services at www.spruceroot.org.