Chef Norma - Miqmak Catering Indigenous Kitchen

Meet Norma Condo, the Chef Behind Montreal’s First Indigenous Restaurant | Eater Montreal

"After starting as a home-based catering service in November 2018 in Pierrefonds, I learned that Norma Condo turned it into Miqmak Catering Indigenous Kitchen and, as of this summer, opened a sit-down restaurant where diners can enjoy specialties such as a three sisters casserole (beans, corn, and squash), wild rice, bannock and more; the reception has been overwhelmingly positive. I found that Condo emphasizes natural, Canadian ingredients and favors seasonings like sage and cedar over salt and pepper to make dishes healthier — part of an explicit effort to address high rates of diabetes in Indigenous communities. Although she enjoys working with moose meat, regulations prohibit selling wild game in restaurants, so she focuses on salmon as a staple protein, preferably steamed in a cedar-infused broth. Giving back is central to her work: she still returns to Gaspésie to cater for her community despite the ten-hour drive, and she’s planning to open another restaurant downtown within the next year while co-hosting events with chefs such as Chuck Hughes." - Mallory Frayn