A hunger for all things local and authentic might make Indigenous and Indigenous-inspired cuisine one of the hottest food trends of the year. Here are a few ways to explore Canada’s original cuisine (visit indigenouscuisine.ca for more).

Keep on trucking: Vancouver chef Paul Natrall — better known as Mr. Bannock for his well-recognized food truck — has a new app through which he sells bannock mix, merch and his famous bannock tacos and burgers.

Pivot to win it: Feast Café Bistro in Winnipeg created a smart grab-and-go market of family-friendly meals like bison chili or shepherd’s pie plus saskatoon-berry chicken and a wild-rice side. Vancouver’s Salmon n’ Bannock sends out its elk stew n’ bannock and smoked salmon burger via Uber Eats.

Yup, syrup: Ziibaakdakaan Maple, owned by the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation, is located in a venerable Indigenous sugar bush spot on the Bruce Peninsula in Ontario. Produced using traditional methods and knowledge shared by elders (wood-fired with sustainably harvested timber), the syrup has received multiple awards.

Beyond bannock: Chef Shane Chartrand, a competitor on Chopped Canada and Iron Chef Canada, released the cookbook Tawâw: Progressive Indigenous Cuisine (2019). The culmination of 10 years learning about his own personal history and that of many other First Nations peoples, his book also reflects a culinary lineage going back much farther.

Wine nation: Joining Nk’Mip Cellars and Indigenous World in B.C.’s Okanagan, Essex County now has Ontario’s first Indigenous- owned winery — Three Fires by the Caldwell First Nation. Chef Bill Alexander (of Little Chief restaurant in Calgary’s Grey Eagle Resort & Casino) is planning a winery/eatery (the largest Indigenous restaurant in the world) near Leamington.

Decolonizing, and delicious: Chef Rich Francis of Six Nations, a finalist on Top Chef Canada, is a culinary presence in Ontario, promoting food sovereignty, community health and Indigenous knowledge on social media through his restaurant, Seventh Fire, and, most recently, via workshops on Zoom.

Gastronomie autochtone: Niva Sioui and Steeve Wadohandik Gros-Louis’s restaurant, Sagamité, has been sharing Huron-Wendat culinary traditions in Quebec since 1999, including a Three Sisters soup of squash, corn and red beans in a game broth. At Wigwam catering, chef Maxime Lizotte of the Maliseet of Viger First Nation purveys food boxes with items like homemade ravioli garnished with Matane shrimps and seaberries.

Fire & salmon: An experience at Red Bank Lodge, on Metepenagiag Mi’kmaq land, adjacent to the Miramachi River in New Brunswick, starts with guided fly fishing and ends with a meal of traditional dishes. At Eskasoni Cultural Journeys in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, teachings about Mi’kmaq culture might be accompanied with a Four Cents Cake, pan-fried over an open fire.

—Charlene Rooke and Nora Rosenthal

Paul Natrall Of Mr. Bannock Indigenous Cuisine In Vancouver
Paul Natrall Of Mr. Bannock Indigenous Cuisine In Vancouver

Paul Natrall of Mr. Bannock Indigenous Cuisine in Vancouver

Feast Café Bistro In Winnipeg

Feast Café Bistro in Winnipeg.

Bernice And Robert Louie At Indigenous World Winery, Kelowna, B.C

Bernice and Robert Louie at Indigenous World Winery, Kelowna, B.C.

The Three Sisters (squash, Beans, Corn) With Peppers, Labneh And Wild Mint

The Three Sisters (squash, beans, corn) with peppers, labneh and wild mint.

Paul Natrall Of Mr. Bannock Indigenous Cuisine In VancouverFeast Café Bistro In WinnipegBernice And Robert Louie At Indigenous World Winery, Kelowna, B.CThe Three Sisters (squash, Beans, Corn) With Peppers, Labneh And Wild Mint

Photo Credit: (Real Local) Indigenous Tourism Canada. (Buffalo striploin) David Schonberger. (The Three Sisters) Jonathan Bélanger, Vidéom production

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