October 11, 2019, Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Vancouver, BC – Earlier this week, Chef Bill Alexander was in Toronto for a series of national television interviews showcasing Indigenous cuisine, on behalf of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC).
As ITAC prepares to roll out a nationwide culinary strategy later this fall, Indigenous cuisine is hotter than ever. Chef Alexander flew into Toronto to appear on CTV’s Your Morning, Marilyn Denis Show and The Social to share recipes and talk about why consumers are so interested in Indigenous cuisine and also promote the rise in Indigenous culinary tourism.
“We are proud of the work Bill is doing as an ambassador for Indigenous cuisine across the country,” says Keith Henry, President and CEO of ITAC. “Food is a huge motivator in travel and we know that along with our authentic Indigenous experiences we also offer fantastic ways to experience our culture through food.”
On Your Morning (which aired October 7th), Chef Alexander featured a roasted pumpkin and smoked maple vegetable risotto with braised bison short rib.
On The Social (which also aired October 7), Chef Alexander profiled four Indigenous recipes and a cocktail all created with root vegetables, such as beets and butternut squash. He displayed beetroot lemonade, butternut squash dip with beetroot chips, beet and butternut squash carpaccio, savory butternut squash bread pudding and beet and butternut squash tartar.
The Marilyn Denis Show segment (which aired October 10) was Thanksgiving focused. Chef Alexander had the opportunity to discuss how as an Indigenous person and chef, fall harvest is the purest form for food to influence and enhance pure happiness and create lasting memories. He will be making three sisters stuffed squash (which includes corn, beans, diced turkey).
As the executive chef at Calgary’s Grey Eagle Resort & Casino and a consulting chef at Westjet Airlines, Chef Alexander is working with ITAC to build out a cross-Canada Indigenous culinary strategy. The new strategy will be unveiled during the International Indigenous Tourism Conference in Kelowna, November 12-14, 2019. People can also read more about Chef Alexander and Indigenous food in this recent Globe & Mail article.
About the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada
The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) is the lead organization tasked with growing the Indigenous tourism industry across the country. Inspired by a vision for a thriving Indigenous tourism economy sharing authentic, memorable and enriching experiences, ITAC develops relationships with other groups and regions with similar mandates. By uniting the Indigenous tourism industry in Canada, ITAC works to enable collective support, product development, promotion and marketing of authentic Indigenous cultural tourism businesses in a respectful protocol. With Indigenous tourism outpacing Canadian tourism activity overall, and international demand for Indigenous experiences at an all-time high, ITAC recently updated its five-year plan. To view packages and experiences available visit IndigenousCanada.Travel. For more information on ITAC visit IndigenousTourism.ca
Media contacts:
Jenna Hickman, Beattie Tartan
250-592-3838, 250-214-3480 (cell)
Jenna.Hickman@BeattieGroup.com
Keith Henry, Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada
604-639-4408, 778-388-5013 (cell)
Keith@IndigenousTourism.ca
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