While a Thanksgiving spread looks abundant with a whole turkey at centre stage, this isn’t always doable. For smaller families looking for an equally luxurious presentation, a turkey wellington makes an unpredictable and delicious main attraction. Slices of this turkey wellington laid down on top of the savoury garlic and thyme sweet potato mash, a side of sautéed purple cabbage, cranberry sauce along with a palate cleansing cranberry spritz, makes this a new Thanksgiving

Restaurateur Inez Cook is a member of the Nuxalk Nation, from Bella Coola, BC. A child of the Sixties Scoop, Inez was taken away from her Indigenous family as a child and adopted by a non-Indigenous family. Growing up, she says there was always something missing. “I grew up without my culture, without my heritage, without my biological family,” she explains. “I was yearning for my culture my whole life.” Having an early start in the restaurant industry, she dreamed of havi

Chefs Michael and Marshal Crowchild are on a mission to share the voice of their people through the food they create. Working at Calgary’s Grey Eagle Resort and Casino on the Tsuu Tina Nation allows them freedom to create endless combinations of local ingredients. “Everything is told through food, stories, history, and culture,” explains Chef Marshal. Southern Alberta has a vast range of ingredients that can be used, like fish, poultry, beef, and wild game. “Using wild ga

Chef Steph Baryluk grew up in the Gwich’in community of Teetl’it Zheh (Fort McPherson) and says she was very fortunate to observe her parents during harvest and processing season along the Peel River. Her inspiration comes from the Gwich’in people. “With residential schools and the generational trauma, this is a way I can share our culture in a good way. When I’m cooking I think of my granny, my jijuu, our elders and my parents. At one point in our history we were not all

For Chef Scott Iserhoff of Pei Pei Chei Ow and Bernadette’s in Edmonton, inspiration is centred on a sense of simplicity: childhood memories, life experiences both in and out of the kitchen, and beautiful produce. A member of the Attawapiskat First Nations in the sub-Arctic region, several staple foods have significance for him. “Goose, moose, white fish, and berries are very important as they surround the area and are local food sources. They’re the foods my family harves

Whatever dish Chef Shane Chartrand creates, it’s guaranteed to be inspired by his background. “My latest dish that I’m continually working on is four directions on a plate, maybe in the slight style of four tastings. It’s Indigenous inspired food, but also Canadian Northern inspired,” he explains. “Canada is world class!” A member of the Enoch Cree Tribe from Treaty 6 Territory, he recently established his own business and is now the Executive Chef of Neyhiyaw SC Cuisine.

When Chef Jenni Lessard is feeling stuck for a recipe or menu, she heads outside and takes her cues from nature. Her business is aptly named Inspired by Nature Culinary Consulting: “The contrasting colours of sage growing next to lipstick red rose hips or even a swoosh of dark cloud against a sunset sky might inform my next dish.” She grew up in Northern Saskatchewan, but today she lives in the Qu’Appelle Valley on Treaty 4 Territory. “Since moving here I’ve started to lea

Growing up in Liidli Kue, NWT, Chef Denia Baltzer was surrounded by family that to this day hunts and harvests. Gatherings were centred around food which she says formed an emotional connection with what she cooks. “The food I make stems from the knowledge that what we eat feeds more than just our bodies. The energy and intention it is cooked with carries over to those we are feeding.” As owner and chef of Creative Cuisine Catering, Chef Denia has fun creating new dishes

With autumn days right around the corner, thoughts of comfort food fill my head. Say goodbye to the popsicles, and hello to bowls of...

Summer is prime time to celebrate big birthdays and anniversaries, showers and reunions. Or if none of this applies to you, feel free to...

The punitive size of these crustaceans is no representation of their health benefits or their taste. Shrimp are high in protein,...

Our recipe marries the everyday potato salad with a vinaigrette chive flower dressing to show how easy it is to incorporate edible blooms...

Yuksel Gultekin, chef and owner of Edmonton’s Zula, sees cooking as an opportunity to put his own spin on tradition. “Traditional Turkish cooking and my mother's cooking inspire me to reinvent and reinterpret these foods for contemporary food lovers.” When it comes to choosing favourites on Zula’s menu, Chef Yuksel is nostalgic. “Grilled lamb has been my favourite since I was a boy and was the first thing I cooked.” But the menu at Zula is a snapshot of the diversity in M

When it comes to cooking, Chef Scott MacKenzie of Calgary’s River Café relies on communication to stay inspired. “Most of my influences come from the seasons and what grows around us. I find you must really stay on top of what is rooting and shooting by chatting with the farmers,” he says. This helps you discover if they’re planting anything new, and what they’re excited about. River Café’s menu is about as seasonal as it gets, and some of Chef’s favourite dishes are fish,

One of the core values at Edmonton’s RGE RD is to help educate people about the cuisine found in their own region. “We want to connect them to producers that support a more intentional and ethical way of growing food,” says owner and chef Blair Lebsack. In addition to the restaurant, there is also a butchery that focuses on whole animal preparation. Nothing goes to waste, which can make for some pretty interesting dishes, says Chef Blair. “One menu item called The Questio

Often, the chefs we speak to are inspired by culture and cuisine from places across the globe. For Ming Shen, Executive Chef at The Derrick and Untitled in Calgary, it’s the opposite. “My cooking is influenced by North American culture and my personal experiences,” he explains. Dishes like Montreal Smoked Meat or a simple Applewood Smoked Chicken Breast score high with Chef Ming. “In the world of cooking, smoking and BBQ are like a slow dance with flavours, and it is big i

With a menu that changes every week, pastry chef Larissa Costella has plenty of opportunity to tap into her creativity at Calgary’s Salt & Brick. “I am very lucky to have a lot of creative freedom at my job and I have so much fun coming up with new weird ideas every week,” she says. “I love being able to bring a playful lightheartedness to fine dining and bring people joy through my work.” Some of her favourite creations in-house are the result of putting a unique twist on

For Chef Greg Sweeney at Edmonton’s Arbour, cooking is all about quality, seasonal ingredients used in dishes that reflect his travels. “I find the regionality of the countries and diversity of cuisines to be very interesting and inspiring.” The menu at Arbor reflects this global view in one of two ways: front and centre, or cleverly placed. Massaman Braised Chuck, one of Chef’s favourites, is exactly as it sounds. The fried chicken, however, uses Thai curry batter and fre

Comfort and creativity come together at the hands of Chef Andrea Harling at Calgary’s Lil’ Black Rooster and the newly opened Sweatered Hen. Inspired by locally sourced ingredients, Chef Andrea says, “My dishes bring an element of fun to the dining experience.” “Good food should be available in all forms, from high end dining all the way down to soups and sandwiches,” she continues. The latter is certainly covered at Lil’ Black Rooster with a menu boasting classics like BL

One of my favourite food memories goes way, way back to eating halva for the first time. As a farm kid in Saskatchewan in the late 1970s,...