A dinner celebrating Indigenous foodways and local ingredients recently took over The Drake Lounge, thanks to acclaimed First Nations chef Taylor Parker.
A Mohawk Nation Bear Clan member from Six Nations of the Grand River, Parker is known for fostering education one bite at a time, serving his guests with exceptional dishes curated with locally-sourced ingredients and that transmit tradition with every mouthful.
It was in this spirit that the chef headed to The Drake Lounge on Thursday for a one-of-a-king harvest dinner prepared in collaboration with the venue’s very own Executive Chef Daniel Hyam.
Including an evening of delicious flavours and a powerful celebration of local cuisine,for Parker, the dinner was about giving back to the community, celebrating our local ingredients, and inspiring Torontonians to get in touch with their roots.
“As Indigenous people, we’re not celebrated that way anymore,” Parker told Now Toronto, explaining that people in Toronto don’t often appreciate or celebrate the things that originate in Canada.
By remembering this tradition, collaborating with other chefs, and wowing diners with his creations, Parker hopes to educate audiences and bring back the spotlight to Indigenous cuisine.
“We need to make our food simple again, because we have so much more to teach that is not just food, and that concept to be able to give back to people is what we need to go back to, right? Like simple, rustic food, but few things done well, and that’s actually what I loved about Daniel’s concept.”
Meanwhile, Hyam says that being able to collaborate with another chef was definitely the highlight of the night, explaining that the process of combining their different backgrounds into one collaborative dinner brings in a valuable learning experience.
“It’s great to work with somebody like Chef Taylor, who not only is obviously a chef, but he’s also got a different background, different perspective on things,” Hyam told Now Toronto.
“Whether it’s ingredients, techniques, his style, his personality, it’s great to do that challenge or meet that challenge, and come up with something that is harmonious.”
All dishes of the night were made with locally-sourced ingredients, tailored to feature a celebration of our local food scene.
As explained by the chefs, sourcing and understanding where ingredients are coming from, through hunting, fishing or planting, is an important way to reconnect with the food and curate unique plates.
“In a broader sense, harvest is a great way to pay respect and tribute to the food that we get. This is the time of year, when we kind of reap everything, where all the produce is coming in season, the wild mushrooms are coming up, and the hunt is beginning, stuff like that. This is that time of year. So, it’s interesting that both of our cultures celebrate the same thing at the same time,” Hyam explained.
Hoping to bring more attention to Indigenous food, Parker hopes that his culinary creations will also be a means to leave something more for the future. Having a son who is now eight years old, he hopes to bring the changes necessary so that future generations can have access to these unique ingredients.
“My goal is that some of these ingredients will finally be in the grocery stores when he becomes an adult, and that’s what I want to leave behind. And so, we call it the seven generations, we always want to leave something behind for seven generations [to come],” he said.
“Harvest dinners are not meant to be a harvest. They’re meant to be also a teaching and a reclamation, of what food can be again.”
MENU HIGHLIGHTS
Suckling Pork Tostada and 12 Mushroom Tapioca Chip
This amuse bouche definitely prepared the audience for a night of excellence, as one one the most collaborative dishes of the night.
Hyam’s crunchy tostada with the juicy suckling pork proved to open the palate with an amazing combination of salty and sweet due to a touch of spiced pear that took the dish to the next level. Meanwhile, Parker’s crispy tapioca chip was the perfect base for the delicious earthy mushroom flavour that really topped everything off.
Soup with Haudenosaunee Lyed Corn, bison broth, bergamot oil
Nothing screams fall more than a delicious soup, and this one was the definition of the Parker’s mantra “simple food made well.” As explained by the chef, the locally-sourced lyed corn brought an unexpected subtle smokey touch, which made a delicious combination with the beans and its earthy and flavourful broth.
Trout Tartare, courgettes, walnuts, blue plums
Hyam’s appetizer was defined by its incredible freshness. The soft trout was contrasted with the crunchiness of the apples and cucumber bites, which also brought sweetness to the dish. The salsa verde topped everything off with a limey and spicy touch.
Smoked Duck Ham, squash purée, green beans
As pointed out by Parker himself, to understand this incredibly complex and yet simple dish, you would just have to taste it yourself. But the chef’s description of a “duck/ham” is definitely the best way to describe this flavour. Its days-long curation process gives the duck a delicious smokey flavour, that keeps the duck’s signature texture, while giving it a ham feel. The meat is embraced by a soft and slightly sweet squash purée and some delicious green beans that are consistent but not hard.
Apple Pie, flaky crust, custard, 5 Brothers cheese
The sweet treat of the night was curated by Hyam, and since we’re just entering fall, what better to celebrate than a traditional apple pie! The well-known dish was simple but very delicious, with a flaky,buttery crust, and a touch of cheese, which gave it a marvelous twist, closing the dinner experience on a high note.
CHEF HOSTING INDIGENOUS FOOD LABS
Chef Parker is also hosting a monthly Indigenous Food Lab, which hopes to immerse participants in an excellent dining experience to learn more about and celebrate First Nations traditions.
With no pre-fixed menu, the experience is designed so that participants can taste the chef’s curated taste menus and celebrate foraged ingredients, led by Indigenous foodways.
On Nov. 22, Parker is leading a brand in his incredible food lab at the Centre for Social Innovation at 192 Spadina Ave. from 5:30–8 p.m. Click here for more information and tickets.
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