Shane was adopted by a Metis family in Alberta at an early age. Art became a primary focus and interest to Shane during his youth. At the age of 16, after working in the back of different restaurant kitchens, he took an increasing interest in food, and noticed that others were building a future as cooks and chefs. A year later, he got the opportunity to move into the restaurant kitchen as a cook. This catalyzed his interest in the cuisines of different ethnic cultures.
At the age of 29, he discovered he was Plains Cree, from the Enoch Cree Nation in Alberta, Canada. This started Shane on his personal journey to explore and celebrate the different Indigenous cultures and traditions through his interpretations of the different Indigenous cultures – in his fusion of art and food.
As a graduate of the NAIT Culinary Arts School, and now as the Chef/ Owner of SC Restaurant, Shane focuses the SC on Canadian cuisine and farm fresh produce, community and terroir.
He keeps his discovery, interpretation and celebration of Indigenous cultures in Canada as a separate pathway – through culinary events (Vancouver, Toronto and Los Angeles) outside of SC. It is at these culinary events where he brings his interpretation of Indigenous traditions and protocols to the forefront, through artful fusions in his culinary creations.
Shane will publish his first cooking (title pending) in 2019. It contains 75 recipes of Progressive Indigenous Cuisine and the stories in the book focus on community, love, religion, chefs, his passion of Canadian culture and food, and his journey to understand food and the land through his Indigenous heritage.
About Chef Shane Chartrand[I]
Chef Chartrand is a celebrated chef from the Enoch Nation – working consistently to ensure Canadian Indigenous cuisine becomes a big part of the regional food scene. Growing up with his adopted Métis family on acreage outside of Red Deer offered an early life in a rural setting. Hunting and fishing with his father laid the groundwork for his research into the traditional foods. After moving to Edmonton for culinary training, he has spent most of his adult life honing his craft. Working with award-winning chefs, training in some of the best restaurants and hotels, and developing new recipes and food concepts, he has furthered his culinary skills and has breathed new life into his Indigenous heritage recipes – introducing them to a whole new generation in a fresh and innovative manner.
Chef Chartrand is community minded and supports charities such as Kids with Cancer, the MAKE-A-WISH foundation, and CNIB. Teaching cooking to Indigenous youth reminds him that success is not dependent upon credentials and experience, but also how much is offered back to build and foster one’s own community. Culinary competitions have motivated Chef Chartrand and pushed his experience past what he initially thought possible. He now spends time trying to change the face and interest of Indigenous cuisine to promote mainstream First Nations Culinary Arts.
[i]source http://www.albertaculinary.com/chefs/shanechartrand/
