The Black Bear
The Black Bear
Currently recruiting for the season from May 13th, 2026 to September 16th, 2026.
community . adventure . connection . love . wellness . balance . authenticity . good vibes . eat + be nurtured . SCRATCH KITCHEN ::: CRAFT COFFEE ::: FRESH PASTRIES
Black Bear is located 1/2 mile north of the entrance to Denali National Park, in interior Alaska.
- Location
- Alaska
- Season
- Summer
- Staff size
- 20-30
- Housing
- Whether included in the compensation package or provided at a cost, housing is provided for staff.
- Housing details
- We have two housing areas: Carlo and Healy. All housing is private, tucked into the forest and very Alaskan: rustic and quiet. All housing options have their own kitchen areas, but are dry: no running water, with showers and laundry nearby.
- Family housing available
- No
- Single occupancy housing available
- Yes
- Pet friendly
- Yes
- Meals
- Some meals / discounts
- Cell phone service
- Some, ask for details
- Internet access
- Good
About The Black Bear
The Black Bear has been a woman-owned, local, independent, small business in the heart of Denali since its conception in 1997. For over 25 years, Black Bear has been the living room of Denali. It's the place to linger, indulge, people watch, meet friends and make new ones. Our dynamic staff cultivates the magnetic vibe that breeds our beloved community.
Our season runs mid-May through mid-September, when everyone takes dream vacations to The Wilderness. Black Bear is a casual counter-service restaurant, serving brunch and dinner as well as local coffee, beer, and wine. Sourcing proteins and produce locally, supporting local farmers and bringing the highest quality products to the table are core values. Our brunch menu is set with a sustainable, high volume, scratch fare, peppered with specials. And we spur collective creativity with a rotating, team-built dinner menu, and features the bounty harvested from local farms. We have an in-house bakery, featuring rustic pastries, both conventional and alternative (vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, no refined sugar). We bake all of our own menu breads. Most of what we offer is available gluten-free. And we have excellent options for vegans and those eating clean. We are the go-to spot for people wanting food crafted from scratch.
As for coffee, we are THE coffee house in Denali. In fact, Black Bear was chosen as 'BEST COFFEE SHOP IN ALASKA' by Food Network as well as one of the "TOP 25 COFFEE HOUSES IN THE US" by Trips to Discover magazine. Our coffee was voted 'BEST COFFEE IN ALASKA' by Food and Wine magazine. We source locally roasted coffees from Steam Dot Coffee Co. in Anchorage, and are stoked to offer many directly traded coffees with real stories from farmers and co-ops all over the world. We also serve smoothies, shakes, tea, local kombucha, Alaskan beers, and wine.
To say we are busy is an understatement. Once the season gets rolling, we have a line out the door most days. That means that we need people who know how to work and love the thrill of being slammed and riding the wave of the energy that it brings.
We are known for our customer service. Check out our reviews on Trip Advisor and Yelp: awesome, happy staff... delicious food and pastries... genuine vibes... great service.
The Employee Experience
Something happens to you when you work at the Black Bear. People start smiling at you because they remember your face from their favorite place. You make friends with all the cool kids who want to go on adventures with you. Random people want to know your life story. You actually want to hang out with your co-workers while you are not working. And your mind is totally blown by the amazing beauty that surrounds you. You will never be the same again.
Denali is pretty magical, in general. It's this epic little island of wilderness. Everyone is nestled together in the middle of nowhere. It's not that easy to leave, so it lends to a feeling of being quite isolated from “civilization”. That said, it's a very lively place. There is amazing energy coursing through this land of the midnight sun, throughout the summer months. And not just energy from the sun. It's the people. The unique thing about being in a new place with so many new people is the possibility. Adventures abound. Relationships blossom. Experiences transcend. There are fewer barriers between people so the opportunity for connection is ripe. And it's a beautiful thing. That's Denali in general. The Black Bear is unique because it fosters this specifically. The connection is important to us.
As for the Black Bear experience... you will work hard, and enjoy your job for the most part. You will probably like most of the people you work with. We aim to hire culturally like-minded people who mesh well as a team. Everyone is in it together. At Black Bear, we really strive to create an ethical, healthy work environment and try to do away with the old systems of toxic restaurant culture. It can be a very intense work environment, but respect and communication is emphasized from the top down. We believe in and support diversity, equity and inclusion for everyone.
Black Bear has two owners: Becki Klauss and Adam Stout. Adam is 100% behind the scenes, as king of finance, accounting, logistics, and innovation. He resides in Oklahoma full time. Becki has been the face of Black Bear for over 20 years: very engaged and all hands-on. She is there nearly every day, filling many roles: GM, HR, lead trainer, mama bear, customer service guru... She will often be seen running food, helping customers, attempting mental health triage, and lending an extra hand. There is a definite community among staff. It's an exciting place to be a part of.
Learn more about Becki in this Shoutout Colorado article.
Read Edible Alaska's feature on our biscuits + gravy.
Or listen to the Denali 360 Podcast with Becki Klauss and Sarah Beth Tanner
Ideal Candidate
The Black Bear is essentially a close-knit community of seasonal staff, coming together in a 4-month spurt of collective energy to fuel the gears of a true mom and pop shop in the middle of remote, wild beauty.
You will be expected to jump in, learn fast and pick it up as you go. You will work as fast as you can some days, and be expected to keep busy when it is slow. You will be expected to bring your best self to the team and adapt to being a hard-working professional in the midst of an adult summer camp. We require that those in all positions have respectful communication skills, are able to be on one’s feet all day in a very fast-paced environment, and work under extreme pressure. One must be able to take direction and continuing professional critique and grow with it.
It is important for the team in the work space, and even more so to the shared home spaces to have stable, emotionally regulated and kind humans to live and work among. Every summer brings a lot of growth in ways you would not always expect. You will learn a lot about yourself. And in this emergent collective of growing together, there is always conflict: interpersonal as well as within the self. Just know to expect that. And there is always community to support, as well as mental health resources.
The Alaska season is only four months long, therefore we seek those who can learn fast, process quickly and dive in. At this time, we are not set up to offer any assistance with visas for international applicants.
All hires must stay the duration of the season (about May 20- September 10). And you must have solid work history. Applicable, current references are required. We want people who are fun to work with, have a good sense of humor, and who actually enjoy cultivating the Black Bear vibe together in their work. All responsible folks who care and work hard will be rewarded with compassion, respect, kindness and the joy of being a part of something that people truly love. Our employees can stand behind the integrity of what Black Bear puts out. We seek individuals who share our values of ethics, authenticity, humanity, service, and craft. Students of life who share a sense of adventure, and desire collective cultivation of community, are who we want to hire.
Room and Board
We have a relatively new, beautiful housing compound that was just completed in 2023 for Black Bear, in an area called Carlo, about 14 miles south of Black Bear. Our cabins are just a couple of acres off the main highway, and within walking distance of Carlo Creek Lodge, Panorama Pizza Pub and Creekside Café. It’s on a property adjacent to the Nenana River with incredible mountain views all around. It is truly one of the most beautiful spots in the area. These newly constructed, double occupancy cabins all have new twin mattresses, closets, electricity and propane heat. There is a shower house with showers and sinks, and cookshack building, with a full kitchen, electricity and running water as well as the most beautiful double outhouse you've ever seen. We have starlink on site for wifi. With only very spotty AT+T cell signal at Carlo, wifi calling is necessary.
There are also a few additional cabins and yurts available in the tiny town of Healy, just 9 miles north of Black Bear, off the beaten path and tucked in the forest. They are very near the local grocery store, and 49th State Brewing Co. These are also privately owned structures that have been secured through a lease with Black Bear as well.
ALL of our housing is private, tucked into the forest, and very Alaska. This means they are all simple, rustic and DRY - no running water. If you live at Camp Carlo, there are showers for resident use only. If you are in Healy, there are laundry and shower facilities in town. There are three campgrounds in the general area for laundry and showers.
We highly recommend having your own vehicle in Denali, if possible. If you do not have your own transportation to and from work, Black Bear has arranged a shuttle to help accommodate rideshare. This is an additional cost.
We deduct rent from paychecks and pay our landlords directly. All housing for our staff has been secured through private renters with leases through Black Bear. A deposit of $300 is required for all housing, and deducted from the first paycheck(s). Shared cleaning duties for housing, cookshack, bathhouse and vehicles are required for all of those living on property.
Employee Perks
Aside from the bonus of being at the epicenter of the scene in Denali, there are several perks to working at Black Bear:
It’s THE daytime hotspot… like, the living room of Denali. Everyone hangs out there. You get to know people. And you have your finger on the pulse of adventure. It’s easy to find people to hike with, know what local music is happening, and meet every kind of person on earth. Really.
You get comps and discounts on many local tours.
Employee discounts (50% off) at Black Bear (on the best food in Denali). Free coffee while you work. MMMmmm.
Mountain views everywhere you look…
Hiking around every turn…
The biggest perk of all, is community. If it weren’t for the people, Denali would just be another pretty place. It’s chock full of really incredible souls: travelers, artists, creatives… It’s the place to meet the people who will change your life… and they pretty much all hang out at The Black Bear.
Black Bear also hosts a rockin' open mic every week.
Getting Here and Getting Around
The bottom line is you don’t NEED a car - but, you’ll wish you had one. Truly.
Black Bear does not offer assistance in getting to Denali. If you fly in, there are shuttle services and the Alaska Railroad to take you to Denali, either from Anchorage or Fairbanks. Anchorage is 230 miles south, and often cheaper to fly into. Fairbanks is 130 miles north. Price it out: alaskashuttle.com or akrr.com. Discounts are given for employees traveling to Denali by rail.
The National Park itself runs free and fee based shuttles into the park and several other hotels and restaurants run free and fee based shuttles in the Denali area. So, even if you don't have a car, and you want to explore, you can find a shuttle to take you deep into the wilderness, or just to karaoke night, and several places in between.
Several people bike to work. You can find an affordable bike in Anchorage or Fairbanks. Check Craigslist!
As aforementioned, we have arranged a shuttle from an outside company to accommodate ride share to and from work for those living at Carlo who do not have their own vehicles. Healy housing is only for those with their own vehicles. Black Bear has one vehicle that we use for ride share so that Carlo residents can run grocery and laundry errands. These are not for recreational personal use, and do require a valid license, signing in and out, and gas contributions.
Thinking about driving up??
PROS: freedom!, stopping at Liard Hot Springs, not having to rely on rideshare, getting in some car camping, road trips all over AK, that sweet new ‘I DROVE THE ALCAN’ bumper sticker, car naps
CONS: wear and tear on that ole beast, gas money to AK (find a road trip buddy), pretty much that’s it...
For Fun
So many things to do...
The hard part is slowing down and maintaining some self-care and grounding in the midst of it all.
Check out denaliadventure.com for all of the fun activities going on in Denali. Many local employees get comps and discounts.
It's an active community. Lots of adventures. Nightlife. Live music. Open mic. Karaoke! OR, you can find a quiet mountain top to chill out on. All free.
If you are not an outdoorsy type, don't come. Just kidding. There are things for geeks too: local D&D nights, dive bars, dinner theatre, marathons, midnight sun golf, adopt a local sled dog to walk every day...
Current Job Openings
Must be able to easily follow recipes, create recipes, manage time, delegate and manage others
Must have experience in kitchen management
Must be tidy, organized, prone to cleanliness, and enjoy leading a team and being a strong support
Must have professional communication and enjoy working in collaboration with a leadership team
Must have experience enjoying great customer service, and able to communicate very effectively and respectfully. Our baristas are also our greeters, cashiers and food runners. We pride ourselves on outstanding customer service and seek outgoing, vibrant souls who love helping people. Advanced training is provided. Experience with a POS: bonus.
Must be able to work under extreme pressure, have a sense of urgency and communicate respectfully with a team
Must be helpful, friendly, positive, and genuinely love customer service
Must have professional experience as a barista in a leadership training position
Must be organized, be a natural leader, be self-motivated and have a meticulous attention to detail
Must be able to work under extreme pressure, have a sense of urgency and communicate respectfully with a team
Must be helpful, friendly, positive, and genuinely love customer service
Must have professional experience of at least one year crafting specialty coffee in a fast-paced environment
Must be able to easily follow recipes and manage time
Must have solid knife skills and experience working a fast-paced line
Must be tidy, organized, prone to cleanliness, and enjoy supporting a team
Must be able to easily follow recipes and manage time
Must be tidy, organized, prone to cleanliness, and self-motivated
Must be able to work under pressure
Must be able to work well under extreme pressure, have a sense of urgency and communicate respectfully with a team
Must be helpful, friendly, positive, and genuinely love customer service and people
Must be able to stay calm amid chaos, be able to command a crowd, have charisma, and a fun personality
Must be self-motivated, enjoy keeping busy and be a quick learner
Must be tidy, very organized, prone to cleanliness, and enjoy supporting a team
Must be physically strong, with a good back, strong arms and be able to lift 30+ pounds
Must be able to work in a steamy small space, in the corner of a kitchen
Nanny
I am seeking a fun, earthy, holistic-minded, platonic daytime house wife to care for and bring play, adventure, imagination and art into the life of my children. You would need to enjoy hanging out with an 8 year old super smart boy as well as chauffeur a 16 year old sassy grandpa around, and make sure they eat well, regulate screens and get outside
I really want someone who loves to cook healthy and would enjoy cooking and helping with meal prep. There is some light house work involved - mostly like helping empty the dishwasher, fold towels and keep the kitchen clean as well as delegate chores to the kids like sweeping, vacuuming and keeping things tidy.
Our nanny is someone who is integrated into our world 5 days a week. It requires someone who loves kids, play, has a good sense of humor, great communication, healthy boundaries, and common sense. Flexibility is important. I am a single mom and restaurant owner, trying to clone myself just to be everywhere at once. And this is a major support role to our family.
This position requires a safe, reliable vehicle. It includes room and board (and partial food share) in a small 16' trailer on the same property as the family home and access to laundry, shower, kitchen and garden beds in the most beautiful spot on earth off the Denali Highway in Cantwell, Alaska.
This seasonal summer position runs from June 16 through August 10.
Kitchen Supervisor
This is a core leadership position. This role partners with our kitchen manager Mac Smith, as second in command and works closely with owner and general manager, Becki Klauss.
Our kitchen supervisor is someone who not only is an expert in their craft, but also a respected leader and excellent communicator. This key position helps with training all kitchen staff, disciplinary action, maintaining inventory, orders, working line shifts, organizing, being in daily communication with fellow leadership staff, taking true ownership of the kitchen, maintaining professionalism and enjoying working as a team.
We are looking for a positive, energetic, diligent and motivated person who enjoys being creative with food and can really hustle. A multi-tasking pro who is comfortable working closely with a team, while staying focused, and having solid experience working under pressure, with a sense of urgency, is who we need. We are looking for someone who knows how to communicate effectively and respectfully in a busy kitchen, who can manage several components of a line at once, handle a full rail of tickets day after day and have solid skills cooking everything from scratch. We have a busy kitchen. And we put out a lot of incredible food in a small space. We need someone who is going to consistently show up early every day with a smile on their face, ready to work. There is no room for a big ego. We work as a team. Everyone does every station. Attitude is everything.
While we look to hire the kitchen bots who can work fast with precision, we also really appreciate creative people. There are opportunities for improvisation and innovation. We want someone with a brain, who works with a sense of ownership, who has the integrity to want to make tedious things from scratch and work with high-quality ingredients. (Nothing out of a freezer bag here people.)
Our menu is pretty unpretentious. It has a heavy emphasis on brunch, farmer led specials and dinner and healthy fare. We seek cooks who know how to cook all components of breakfast (eggs!!!), as well as experience with heavy prep, sauces, soups, cooking proteins to order, and making beautiful plates.
This role also feeds creativity. Our kitchen supervisor contributes to recipe development and helps collaborate on our rotating dinner menu.
Restaurant kitchen experience is necessary.
Wages start at $14/hour. Tips are split evenly between ALL staff, daily. Tips brought wages up an additional $6-$8 more PER HOUR in 2025. It was actually a $7.99 average across all weeks of the entire season, with a full staff. Each year is different. But we expect it to be just as busy this season. One could expect between $20-$22 per hour including tips.
Barista Trainer / Front of the House Supervisor
We have very high standards when it comes to who represents the whole of what we are about. The face of our business is the barista. Those who love the craft of coffee, and have the precision, care, and artistry to really deliver something consistently incredible are the kind of people we are interested in.
This position is destined for a professional coffee geek who has good leadership experience, has a lot of patience and loves to teach and share knowledge. Most of our baristas have good craft knowledge, coming in. Some of them need reprogramming, and some need more challenges to bring them up to the next level. As barista trainer, you would ensure all baristas receive thorough training on coffee extraction, milk texturing, POS, customer service and hold staff accountable for training comprehension and retention and challenge baristas with new lessons as they grow. This position is coupled with a front of the house supervisor position. In this position, you would also be responsible for taking responsibility as leader of the shift, executing disciplinary actions, delegating, coaching, mentoring new hires, ensuring all duties are performed, counting money accurately and running POS reports, giving breaks to staff, and contributing to social media posts.
Wages start at $14/hour. Tips are split evenly between ALL staff, daily. Tips brought wages up an additional $6-$8 more PER HOUR in 2025. It was actually a $7.99 average across all weeks of the entire season, with a full staff. Each year is different. But we expect it to be just as busy this season. One could expect between $20-$22 per hour including tips.
Experienced Barista
We have very high standards when it comes to who represents the whole of what we are about. The face of our business is the barista. Those who love the craft of coffee, and have the precision, care, and artistry to really deliver something consistently incredible are the kind of people we are interested in. Must have experience enjoying great customer service, and able to communicate very effectively and respectfully. Our baristas are also our greeters, cashiers and food runners. We pride ourselves on outstanding customer service and seek outgoing, vibrant souls who love helping people. Advanced training is provided. Experience with a POS: bonus.
Wages start at $13/hour. Tips are split evenly between ALL staff, daily. Tips brought wages up an additional $6-$8 more PER HOUR in 2025. It was actually a $7.99 average across all weeks of the entire season, with a full staff. Each year is different. But we expect it to be just as busy this season. One could expect between $19-$21 per hour including tips.
Experienced Line Cook
We are looking for positive, energetic, diligent and motivated people who enjoy being creative with food and can really hustle. Multi-tasking masters who are comfortable working closely with a team, while staying focused, and having solid experience working under pressure, with a sense of urgency, is who we need. We are looking for people who know how to communicate in a busy kitchen, who can manage several components of a line at once, handle a full rail of tickets day after day and have solid skills cooking everything from scratch. We have a busy kitchen. And we put out a lot of incredible food in a small space. We need people who are going to consistently show up early every day with a smile on their face, ready to work. There is no room for big egos. We work as a team. Everyone does every station. Attitude is everything.
While we look to hire the kitchen bots who can work fast with precision, we also really appreciate creative people. There are opportunities for improvisation and innovation. We want people with a brain, who work with a sense of ownership, who have the integrity to want to make tedious things from scratch and work with high-quality ingredients. (Nothing out of a freezer bag here people.)
Our menu is pretty unpretentious. But, it's got something for everyone: local Alaskans, hipsters, people who have never left Nebraska, 5th degree vegans, giant Indian families, gluten-freaks... It has a heavy emphasis on brunch and pub fare. We seek cooks who know how to cook all components of breakfast (eggs!!!), as well as experience with heavy prep, sauces, soups, cooking proteins to order, smoking, braising, and making beautiful plates.
Restaurant kitchen experience is necessary.
Wages start at $13/hour. Tips are split evenly between ALL staff, daily. Tips brought wages up an additional $6-$8 more PER HOUR in 2025. It was actually a $7.99 average across all weeks of the entire season, with a full staff. Each year is different. But we expect it to be just as busy this season. One could expect between $19-$21 per hour including tips.
Experienced Baker
The Baker position is unique. It is the quiet heart of the Black Bear, out of the bustle of the daily circus, in a separate kitchen building. The baker is mostly a self-managed, solitary role.
The baker position requires a hard working hustler with keen time management skills, organization, and cleanliness, who works with an innate sense of urgency and can learn quickly and jump in. This person must have experience with many of the products we produce as well as have a deft hand with doughs. We want someone who has the bakers touch: honed skill, extreme attention to detail, consistency, and precision, and a joy of the craft. There is some room for improvisation and innovation as well. We want someone with a brain who takes a great sense of ownership in his or her product. All of our baking is relatively small batch, from scratch. We want someone who is a real morning person, is very dependable, self-motivated and likes to be busy.
As for the product, we do a LOT of buttermilk biscuits, english muffins and focaccia for our menu breads. The baker does all syrups and sauces for the baristas. In the pastry case, we have conventional as well as vegan and gluten-free, mostly rustic pastry: cookies, breads, muffins, scones, brownies, bars, cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, coffee cake, as well as occasional special order layer cakes.
Restaurant kitchen experience is necessary.
Wages start at $13/hour. Tips are split evenly between ALL staff, daily. Tips brought wages up an additional $6-$8 more PER HOUR in 2025. It was actually a $7.99 average across all weeks of the entire season, with a full staff. Each year is different. But we expect it to be just as busy this season. One could expect between $19-$21 per hour including tips.
Experienced Cashier
We have very high standards when it comes to who represents the whole of what we are about. The face of our business is the cashier. Those who love people, know how to work a crowd, aren't afraid to connect with strangers all day and can keep a smile no matter what, are the kind of people we are interested in. Must have experience giving outstanding customer service, and be able to communicate very effectively and respectfully. Our cashiers are also our greeters and food runners. This position is a liaison between the back and front of the house. We pride ourselves on our high level of customer service, at Black Bear, and seek patient, outgoing, vibrant souls who love helping people. Bonus: experience as a total ham.
Advanced training is provided. Coffee knowledge and experience working with a POS is necessary.
Wages start at $13/hour. Tips are split evenly between ALL staff, daily. Tips brought wages up an additional $6-$8 more PER HOUR in 2025. It was actually a $7.99 average across all weeks of the entire season, with a full staff. Each year is different. But we expect it to be just as busy this season. One could expect between $19-$21 per hour including tips.
Dish Porter
We are looking for positive, energetic, diligent and motivated people who enjoy being clean and organized, and can really hustle. Multi-tasking masters who are comfortable working closely with a team, while staying focused, and having solid experience working under pressure, with a sense of urgency, is who we need. We have a busy kitchen. And we put out a lot of incredible food in a small space. We need people who are going to consistently show up early every day with a smile on their face, ready to work. We work as a team. Attitude is everything.
This position is responsible for taking care of all dishwashing, bussing, cleaning and organizing as well as kitchen prep.
Restaurant kitchen experience is necessary.
Wages start at $13/hour. Tips are split evenly between ALL staff, daily. Tips brought wages up an additional $6-$8 more PER HOUR in 2025. It was actually a $7.99 average across all weeks of the entire season, with a full staff. Each year is different. But we expect it to be just as busy this season. One could expect between $19-$21 per hour including tips.
How to Apply
If you are looking to further your career in specialty coffee and culinary craft, while experiencing the most beautiful place on earth, we want to connect with you. Send Becki an e-mail with details all about you and why you want to work at The Black Bear. Please be sure to include your resume and a few e-mails AND phone numbers of relevant professional references.
Can't wait to meet you!
Contact Info
- Becki Klauss
- hello@theblackbeardenali.com
- theblackbeardenali.com
