The executive chef of food services is doing his part to change the image of Canadian cuisine – one set of taste buds at a time.
Russell Weir is taking part in the Flavours of Canada exhibition at the University of Massachusetts on April 16. He, along with fellow chef Luke Lavictoir and culinary student Colton Poirier will be showcasing the delicacies of eastern Ontario and the Algonquin First Nation.
“I have decided to do an aboriginal-inspired menu based on our name and association with the aboriginal community,” said Weir.
The menu includes rabbit and bannock bread, fried pickle with corn and wild rice succotash, root vegetable strudel with sweet potato puree, roasted beet salad and a maple glazed cranberry cake for dessert.
“We thought about moose, but it is really expensive and we couldn’t bring it across the border,” said Poirier.
Algonquin College is among five other schools that have been chosen to participate at this food exhibition. The other schools include are University of Saskatchewan, University of British Columbia, University of Guelph and McGill University.
“It is going to be difficult keeping things consistent,” said Poirier. “Keeping things hot and tasty for the entire event”
Creating a menu based on aboriginal cuisine has been an interesting experience for Weir who has been cooking for all of his life.
“When you think aboriginal (food) you have to think about history, so you have to sort of go back in time,” said Weir.
Weir has gone to the University of Massachusetts for competitions in the past, and has finished second twice.
Weir considers it a great honour to be asked to participate in this event. He sees it as an opportunity to show the more than 3,000 people who are likely to be in attendance that Canada has more to offer than what is stereotypically considered Canadian.
“It gives us an opportunity to show this part of Ontario which isn’t huge when it comes to Canadian cuisine,” said Weir. “Twenty-five years ago you couldn’t even define Canadian cuisine, and now you can.”