Posted on 2026-05-08 21:38:48.927 +0000 UTC
Following the recent bison harvest and processing experience at Roland Michener Secondary School, students at Prairie View Outreach School and Georges P. Vanier School brought the land-to-table journey full circle through a unique culinary learning experience centered around food sovereignty, traditional foods, and Indigenous food knowledge. The bison used in the culinary experience had been processed earlier by students through the Georges P. Vanier School Youth Council for Reconciliation (YCR) food sovereignty initiative, helping connect students to the full journey from harvest to table.
The idea for the experience was spearheaded by HPSD Indigenous Education Lead Jamie Chalifoux, who felt it was important for students to participate in a full land-to-table experience using foods harvested directly from the land. In collaboration with Indigenous chef James Willier from Sucker Creek, students were guided through the preparation of a gourmet meal featuring bison and chanterelle meatloaf topped with wild-picked berry compote, steamed wild rice, sautéed fiddleheads and morels, and fresh oven-baked bannock.
This learning opportunity aligned well with Miss Shelby Thierstein’s Foods class at Georges P. Vanier School, where students are currently working through a Canadian Heritage Foods module. Prairie View Outreach School participated in the experience on April 29, while Georges P. Vanier students took part on May 1.
Students explored the concept of “decolonizing diet,” reconnecting with traditional food systems while gaining hands-on experience through the harvesting, processing, and preparation of the bison meat. Those who participated in both the processing and culinary portions of the experience earned one high school credit. Students also learned about the history of bannock and how it became widely adopted by Indigenous communities after people were displaced onto reserves and provided limited government food rations for survival.
The ingredients used throughout the experience were carefully sourced to reflect traditional foods that can all be found within Alberta. The mushrooms and fiddleheads were sourced through West Coast Wild Foods, while the wild rice was hand-harvested by Métis, Dene, and Cree harvesters in Saskatchewan and purchased through NWC Wild Rice Company. Wild-picked berries were purchased from Valleyview Ranch Hutterite Colony, and honey from Peace River Honey was used to sweeten the berry compote.
The work connected to this initiative continues to grow. In June, Brennan McDonald, who leads HPSD's hot lunch program, and Jamie Chalifoux, will attend the Canada-wide School Food Forum in Montreal, where educators, organizations, and communities from across the country will gather to help shape the future of school food programs in Canada with a focus on local, sustainable, and community-driven food systems.
