Rooted in Story

After the success of their Indigenous cuisine-focused catering and takeout business Pei Pei Chei Ow, business and life partners Scott Iserhoff and Svitlana Kravchuk recently took the leap to open a full-service restaurant. Named after Iserhoff’s kokum (grandmother), Bernadette’s is celebrating its first anniversary this month, after a series of soft openings in May and June 2024. “The reception has been really good,” says Kravchuk, restaurant manager and co-owner. “People keep coming back!”

At the heart of Bernadette’s is a celebration of Iserhoff and Kravchuk’s roots, with a menu that weaves Indigenous and Ukrainian influences. A sense of storytelling extends to every plate, glass, and conversation. The seasonal menu is crafted with care, with each dish re-creating a memory of Iserhoff’s. “I think people really enjoy hearing the new stories of our new dishes, and building new relationships with their food,” Iserhoff says. “I remember fishing with my father. He would batter fish eggs in flour and fry them along with the fish in butter, and we’d eat it on bannock. At Bernadette’s, we have a dish that uses halibut from BC, a rich butter sauce, salmon caviar, and chives, and that’s the interpretation of that story and my memories of that dish. It’s very refined, very elegant, very beautiful. Our front of house manager, Amber Good, is from Haida Gwaii, and she also talks about enjoying halibut and how it’s native to that area.”

Chef Iserhoff changes the menu about three times a year to incorporate fresh, seasonal ingredients, working with local suppliers. He also intends to always have some favourite staples available, like the raw elk and the brisket—the latter dish inspired by a memorable sandwich served at a butcher shop he once worked at in Toronto. Iserhoff’s sandwich recreation was a staple at Pei Pei Chei Ow, and now takes on a new form at Bernadette’s as Saskatoon berry brisket on bannock. 

Saskatoons (and other berries) play a key role in Bernadette’s menu and have their own stories. Iserhoff recalls berries were “always around” in nature as a child, and now, the couple often goes berry-picking with their daughter. “We pick Saskatoon berries in the summer and they have family significance to us,” Kravchuk says. “Saskatoon berries have also been a big part of those ceremonies and experiences building relationships with communities here in Alberta. Saskatoon berries have a lot of value to our family.”

The drink program is just as thoughtful as the food menu, with a rotating list of natural wines from small-scale producers (some Indigenous-owned), thanks to Good, who is also the restaurant’s sommelier. The drink menu is rounded out with house-crafted cordials, syrups, and shrubs for cocktails and mocktails. “Every cocktail has a story,” Kravchuk says. “We’re not following any rulebook. We do what feels right.”

The space itself—designed entirely by Kravchuk—is a tribute to Bernadette, whose favourite colour, dusty rose, threads through the decor. “It’s intimate, elegant, and cozy,” says Kravchuk. “We want everyone who walks in to feel taken care of, like a rock star.”

Bernadette’s has quickly grown into a cherished part of the city’s culinary landscape, with regulars returning to try new dishes on the seasonal menu or enjoy a glass of natural wine from a small-batch producer. “Our wonderful front-of-house staff have built a relationship with many of our regulars now,” Kravchuk says. “Every month we have new wines that come in from small-batch producers, so for many regulars it’s exciting to learn about the wine, together, with us. For many people, a visit has become part of their routine, and that’s really cool.”

Still, not everyone walks in understanding what Bernadette’s is about. “Some people come in expecting fry bread or pow wow food,” Iserhoff says. “But Indigenous cuisine is diverse. What we’re doing here is something new. It’s healthy, it’s refreshing, it’s our take on Indigenous food, and I think there are very few restaurants in North America doing that. I want people to come in with an open mind and ask about the stories behind the dishes. That’s how we grow.”