Stories from the Trails: A Plant-Forward Connection to Place at The Juniper Bistro

Food is more than a dining experience at the Juniper Hotel & Bistro – it's  a connection to landscape.

Perched above the town of Banff in Banff National Park, the restaurant offers sweeping views of mountains and forests. But for the Juniper’s team, the landscape isn’t just something to admire; it’s something to protect and be inspired by.

This perspective is guided by Lead Tourism for Good: the vision for tourism in Banff and Lake Louise and the Nature Positive and Climate Action Trail to Tomorrow, a shared commitment across the destination ensuring tourism actively contributes to protecting the natural capital that makes this place so special.

At the Juniper, the team had a simple idea: what’s on the menu should reflect and respect what exists beyond it.

“How we came to realize that this was important came from looking outside at the landscape,” says Kristine Godescheit, Hotel and Bistro Manager. “What do we see? We see a lots of green, lots of vegetation, and animals somewhere in between.”

From that observation, a clear direction emerged: translate the landscape into a dining experience and plant-forward menu that feels grounded in place and is good for the environment.

A shift toward plant-forward dining

Led by Chef Sergio Garcia, the kitchen has embraced a more balanced approach that puts vegetables, fruits, and grains at the center of the plate while opening new creative possibilities.

“We’re doing more of what we like to call ‘plant-forward’ dishes,” he says. “I feel like in life we need a balance.”

This menu is not about substitution but about celebration. Ingredients are showcased for what they are, highlighting their natural flavour, texture, and versatility.

It also reflects a broader environmental responsibility. Research from the University of Oxford highlights that shifting toward more plant-based foods is one of the most effective ways individuals can reduce their climate impact, noting that changes in what we eat and how food is produced play a key role in addressing climate change.

At The Juniper Bistro, that global perspective translates into local action.

“We live, operate, and play in a national park. It only makes sense for us to care deeply about the environment,” Kristine adds. “And plant-based food is one way we can do that.”

Creativity through simplicity

As well as the positive environmental impact, working with plant-based ingredients challenges the kitchen at the Juniper to think differently.

For Chef Sergio, each dish starts not in the kitchen, but outside.

“In Alberta, the seasons guide everything,” he says. “From the morels and early greens of spring to the berries, herbs, and asparagus of summer, followed by squash, mushrooms, and apples in fall, and finally the preserved flavours of winter.”

In the kitchen, his menu comes to life through techniques like roasting, fermentation, curing, and pickling, methods that build depth and complexity while staying true to the ingredient.

“Ultimately, my goal is to create plant-forward dishes that feel connected to the land, are shaped by the seasons, and better for the environment.”

This is what it means to walk the Nature Positive and Climate Action Trail to Tomorrow.

In a place that welcomes millions of visitors from around the world each year, The Juniper sees both an opportunity and a responsibility to contribute positively, reducing environmental impact where possible.

And it doesn’t stop with the menu. The Juniper is part of Arctos & Bird Property Management; a collection of properties rooted in place and community that integrates these values into its everyday operations.

“We’re just getting started,” says Kristine.

We asked Kristine and Chef Sergio, “What does ‘Lead Tourism for Good’ mean to you?” 

Lead Tourism for Good means connection to place. It’s caring for where you are and making decisions that consider the environment and the place that you’ve come to experience. At The Juniper, we want guests to feel that connection. Not just through what they see, but through the food, the storytelling, and the experience as a whole.