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. Ingredients such as bear fat and wild onions are high on the list of his favourite, but elk tops it. “Elk is part of my childhood. My family hunted it, and we ate it a lot.”
Chef Shane describes elk as rich, but delicate, and says care must be taken when preparing it. “Elk is wild game, and it’s very lean. And like any wild game it can be overcooked. Treat it carefully, and be mindful of the animal.”