Blending the traditional with the modern: Native chef Andrew George on his new cookbook

When thinking of Aboriginal food, one does not usually picture Venison Fettuccini or Apple Berry Crisp, but Chef Andrew George Jr. creates these fusion recipes with panache. In his new book, Modern Native Feasts, George mixes traditional Aboriginal ingredients with French and Italian recipes to devise original cuisine that breaks the barrier between the customary and the modern.

Originally taught to cook by his mother as a boy in Smithers, BC, George began cooking professionally in high school. “I always had a curiosity about food,” said George about why he found interest in the culinary arts. At the age of 18, George entered the Vancouver Vocational Institute for culinary training and began his education in conventional Western cooking.

George’s upbringing was filled with hunting and gathering, leading to his belief in using ingredients in their natural state to cook from scratch. “My philosophy of cooking is local, fresh, natural, organic.” This is why there are no processed foods used in any of the recipes in Modern Native Feasts.

Obesity among First Nations children is a growing problem. Statistics Canada reports that over 36% of Aboriginal children are considered obese. George fights this health crisis by mentoring for a program called Super Chefs, which helps kids to learn how to eat well and live a healthy lifestyle. They instituted cooking programs in schools in Surrey, BC, and run summer camps to teach kids aged eight to 12 how to cook in a healthy way.

The program specifically addresses childhood obesity and the diseases that go with it, such as diabetes and heart disease. “The kids have a lot of fun eating fresh products and really enjoy it, and in some cases it changes their lives,” said George.

George wants to spread his knowledge and experience to Aboriginal youth who are about to join the workforce. He recently helped create a program called Discovery in Vancouver, which provides basic instruction in the culinary arts. “They’re getting a good strong foundation through education,” said George over the phone from Vancouver.

George has travelled the world to demonstrate Native cooking techniques. He was part of the first all-Native team at the World Culinary Olympics in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1992. He was head chef at the Four Host First Nations pavilion during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, and one of 25 international chefs to participate in an event called Culinary Diplomacy: Promoting Cultural Understanding Through Food, put on by the US State Department in 2012.

All of these experiences have made George an international ambassador for the Aboriginal community. “It’s an honour, speaking on behalf of my people,” he said. But more than just showing the world what Canadian Natives have to offer, George wants to show the younger generation. “That’s what I love promoting, not only cooking, but the lifestyle of a cook and the education to get there, that’s critical, especially in the Aboriginal community.”

Modern Native Feasts follows George’s philosophy of education in its divine simplicity. From the chef’s favourite Pan-Fried Buffalo Rib-Eye Steaks with Blackberry Au Jus to Curried Dandelion Greens with Golden Onions and Cashews, none of the recipes in the book are too difficult for someone with basic cooking skills.

The book includes everything from breakfasts to stocks to salads to entrees to deserts and everything in between. And for hard-to-find ingredients, such as bison, there are substitutes in the different recipes. Modern Native Feasts is a great cookbook for anyone interested in modern Aboriginal cooking, or just good food.