Toronto is part of the Dish With One Spoon Covenant. In its very language, it reminds us that by eating together, we are connected.
The Depanneur is proud to host the Indigenous Food Lab, a monthly residency designed as a place to experiment with the possibilities of a dining experience rooted in First Nations traditions. It is a laboratory to explore a Canadian concept of terroir – the flavour of a place – and help rediscover and redefine what Indigenous food was, is, and could be.
For more than two years the IFL has been led by Chef Taylor Parker & his team. This month, for the first time we open the Lab to a new voice. Charles Catchpole is an Anishinaabe chef, entrepreneur and urban farmer from Couchiching First Nation in Treaty 3 territory. His Indigenous Food Lab debut is a reminder that there is no single "Indigenous cuisine" – only many nations, many places, and many ways of cooking with the land.
As a proud northern Anishinaabe chef, Charles weaves together his professional background in fine dining with his experiences as a new farmer. He strives to create dishes using a sustainable approach, using as many elements of each ingredient as possible. An expressive and thoughtful speaker, he will also share stories about his culinary background, the importance of Indigenous Food Sovereignty, and his journey to becoming an urban farmer using organic methods of growing traditional foods.
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Weather, timing, season, and the caprice of Mother Nature will determine exactly what will be shared with us. The IFL has typically avoided pre-determined menus for several reasons; you can read more about them here.
Wild rice from Treaty 3
Charles brings manoomin – wild rice – from his home territory, a staple of Anishinaabe foodways for generations.
Game
The final protein will be confirmed closer to the date, depending on what is available.
Locally grown root vegetables and herbs
Grown at Gitigaanes ("little farm" in Ojibway), Charles's urban Indigenous micro-farm at Flemo Farm in Toronto, which specializes in Indigenous, local and lesser-known varieties of produce.
Foraged ingredients
Wild gathered food such as milkweed pods, mushrooms, elderberries & hawthorn have always been an indelible part of the Indigenous seasonal pantry.
CharGer Foods & Mnopgwad Preserves. Charles will weave some of his own hot sauces, jams and preserves into the menu – a chance to taste how his signature flavours work at the table. He'll also bring a selection to sell at the event, so you can take some home.
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Chef Charles Catchpole is an Anishinaabe chef and entrepreneur, and a member of Couchiching First Nation in Treaty 3 territory. Trained at Loyalist College and George Brown College, he has cooked at Canoe Restaurant in Toronto, managed the historic Arcadian Court, served as head chef at the Orchardview Conference Centre in Ottawa, and co-owned a restaurant of his own. Today he owns and operates CharGer Foods, which sells a line of unique hot sauces, dressings, jams and preserves and runs a catering company specializing in Indigenous cuisine. He is also the founder of Gitigaanes, an urban Indigenous micro-farm within Flemo Farm in Toronto, where he grows Indigenous and heirloom vegetables – including beans, corn and squash grown using the traditional Three Sisters method. A passionate advocate for Indigenous Food Sovereignty, Charles is a chef who is as comfortable talking about soil as he is about sauce. mnopgwad.com | @chargerfoods
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Every weekend The Depanneur invites an amateur or professional guest chef to host a fun, informal dinner party. @thedepanneur
