Chuck and the First Peoples' Kitchen
In a quest for knowledge, chef Chuck Hughes will go on a personal journey towards the rediscovery of First people's ancestral culinary traditions. Traveling the indigenous communities of the eastern part of Canada, Chuck will go to forests, rivers, mountains, and more.
Seasons
1. Kitigan Zibi, QC - Beaver and Maple Syrup
Air Date: 2020-09-10
Chuck travels to Kitigan Zibi where he meets Cezin Nottaway. Conditions are perfect for Chuck to learn how to tap maple. With snowshoes tightened, they go on a search for the precious springtime liquid and come across an unexpected and delicious surprise.
2. Iqaluit, NU - Arctic Char
Air Date: 2020-09-17
Chuck travels to Iqaluit, an Inuit community in Nunavut. Escorted by Sheila and her husband Johnny, Chuck rides a snowmobile to a lake to go ice fishing. A sudden squall and technical issues prevent a catch. Even so, Chuck’s friends share their diet with him.
3. Iqaluit, NU - Ptarmigan
Air Date: 2020-09-24
In Iqaluit, Chuck meets Solomon Awa, a well-known hunter. Solomon invites Chuck on a hunting expedition for ptarmigan. Chuck is glad to visit the Qajuqturvik Centre, where fighting food insecurity is their mission.
4. Pikogan, Qc - Wild Geese
Air Date: 2020-10-01
Chuck visits Pikogan, an Algonquin community near Amos in Quebec, where Israël, David and other local hunters invite him for a goose hunt and a BBQ.
5. Gesgapegiac, QC - Lobster
Air Date: 2020-10-08
Chuck visits Norma Condo, from the Mi’kmaq community of Gesgapegiac in Eastern Quebec. Norma invites Chuck to experience lobster fishing with fisherman Jeremy Jerome and his crew. Back on the beach, Norma shares traditional cooking techniques.
6. Gesgapegiac, Qc - Salmon
Air Date: 2020-10-15
Chuck visits Gesgapegiac, a Mi’kmaq community in East Quebec. Alongside Stephen Jerome, Chuck visits a beautiful salmon river, learns about basket-making, fishes for salmon and cooks a traditional recipe.
7. Waswanipi, QC - Walleye
Air Date: 2020-10-22
Chuck travels to the Cree community of Waswanipi. Matthew Ottereyes, a skilled fisherman, takes Chuck to Waswanipi Lake to catch walleye. Matthew invites Chuck home to meet his wife Magguie, who is extremely knowledgeable in the cooking of walleye.
8. Manawan, QC - Blueberry Paste and Partridge
Air Date: 2020-10-29
Chuck travels to the Atikamekw community of Manawan. Along with Odette, Thérèse and Menic, Chuck goes foraging for precious wild blueberries. The three women also introduce Chuck to the partridge hunt by making a traditional slingshot with him.
9. Six Nations, ON. - Soup of Three Sisters
Air Date: 2020-11-05
Chuck travels to Six Nations in Ontario, where several Iroquois Nations coexist. He meets Kitty, who works to preserve and share ancestral knowledge within her community. Chuck learns all the steps to prepare the "Three Sisters" soup, an Indigenous staple.
10. Toronto, ON. - Urban Indigenous Kitchen
Air Date: 2020-11-12
Chuck travels to Toronto to learn about urban Indigenous cuisine. He meets chefs Shawn Adler and Johl Whiteduck Ringuette, who are dedicated to bringing the Indigenous culinary scene to life by sharing their cultural history through food.
11. Wikwemikong, ON. – Wild Rice
Air Date: 2020-11-19
Chuck travels to Wikwemikong on Manitoulin Island. With his boat, Theodore Flamand takes Chuck to the site where he and his colleagues want to reintroduce wild rice, a flagship plant of the First Peoples' diets.
12. Miawpukek, NL - Moose Hunting
Air Date: 2020-11-26
Chuck travels to Miawpukek and takes part in a moose hunt with Gregory Jeddore and other local hunters. They locate the moose using calling techniques from a helicopter and discuss preparation techniques of this highly-respected animal.
13. Abegweit, PEI. – Eel
Air Date: 2020-12-03
Chuck travels to Scotchfort, an Abegweit First Nation community on Prince Edward Island. Accompanied by Brezlyn and a special guest, Chuck takes part in an eel fishing trip. Chuck also meets Junior Peter-Paul, a community Elder who teaches him about oysters.
1. Rapid Lake - Ice Fishing
Air Date: 2022-01-10
Chuck travels west to meet David Thusky, an Algonquin angler who connects with his family through ice fishing. Together, they travel to Rapid Lake by snowmobile to set up camp and start fishing. After a cold day, they grill their best catches!
2. Wemotaci - Hare Trapping
Air Date: 2022-01-17
Chuck travels to the Atikamekw community of Wemotaci, where he joins Roselin Awashish on a trapping adventure. Roselin teaches Chuck how to clean a white hare and make a traditional stew. Then, Roselin’s friends surprise Chuck with a moose they’ve hunted!
3. Wolf Lake - Beaver Trapping
Air Date: 2022-01-24
Chuck travels to Wolf Lake, where Brenda St. Denis and James Jr. St. Denis teach him how to trap and cook a beaver. He learns that it takes the right trap, careful positioning and patience. Afterwards, Chuck gets a taste of the community's traditional food!
4. Pikogan - Pike Fishing
Air Date: 2022-01-31
Chuck travels to the community of Pikogan, where Alex Mapachee has invited him to fish. Using the traditional Anishinaabe cast-net fishing method, they sail through Lake Abitibi in search of pike. Later, Chuck receives a special recipe for fish tacos!
5. Odanak - Fiddlehead Picking
Air Date: 2022-02-07
Chuck visits Bécancour, where he and Abenaki chef Lysanne O’Bomsawin create contemporary dishes using traditional ingredients. Then, Chuck meets Jacques Watso in Odanak and learns how to make Sagamité Watso, a soup from the community's culinary heritage.
6. Wildlife Reserve in La Vérendrye - Wild Turkey Hunting
Air Date: 2022-02-14
Chuck meets Tommy Labelle at La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve, where they hunt for wild turkey and fish for pike. The duo returns to the Labelle family home and enjoys a meal prepared by Grandpa Jean-Claude, the chef of the household.
7. Mashteuiatsh - Landlocked Salmon Fishing
Air Date: 2022-02-21
Chuck visits Mashteuiatsh to fish landlocked salmon and learn about its importance to the community. Carine Valin and Jean-Pierre Verreault take Chuck fishing on Lac Saint-Jean and then prepare salmon in two ways. Chuck also tastes an ancient recipe!
8. Gesgapegiag - Clam Harvesting
Air Date: 2022-02-28
Chuck travels north to meet Quentin Condo in Gesgapegiag, where they harvest clams on the beach and make a seafood clambake. When it's time to cook the clams they've harvested, Quentin shows Chuck a unique hot stone method.
9. Odanak - Sturgeon Fishing
Air Date: 2022-03-07
Chuck travels to Odanak to meet Luc Nolett, who takes him fishing on Lac Saint-Pierre and teaches him all about sturgeon. This special fish is a symbol of the community. As Odanak's sturgeon master, Luc is in charge of smoking the fish for powwows and events.
10. Timiskaming First Nation - Traditional Foraging
Air Date: 2022-03-14
Chuck visits Témiscamingue and learns about The Wild Basket, an initiative that brings traditional foraging techniques to future generations. He joins Tara Dantouze and Lindsay McLaren Polson to forage for nuts, berries, plants and mushrooms in the forest.
11. Montréal - Urban Foraging and Meal Preparation
Air Date: 2022-03-21
Chuck visits Resilience, a shelter located in his home city of Montreal. There he meets Nakuset, the woman who made it all happen. He also works with Maggie, a cook at the shelter, to prepare a delicious moose meat and wild rice ragout for community members.
12. Kahnawake - Strawberry Harvesting
Air Date: 2022-03-28
Chuck visits the community garden in Kahnawake. With Kanerahtiio and his wife Raven, Chuck makes Haudenosaunee recipes using corn and strawberries, two culturally important ingredients. He can't leave without meeting seed keeper Steve Silverbear McComber!
13. Dokis First Nation - Junk Fish Fishing and Bush Cooking
Air Date: 2022-04-04
Chuck visits the Dokis First Nation lands nestled within the flows of the French River. He meets Norman Dokis, an expert in nature interpretation for the area. Norman takes Chuck fishing and teaches him about junk fish, the forgotten species his ancestors ate.
1. Mashteuiatsh, QC - Moose Hunting in Winter
Air Date: 2023-01-02
Chuck travels to Mashteuiatsh to meet Frederick Raphaël and his son Charlie, both avid hunters. Together, they drive to the family’s chalet in Ashuapmushuan, where they practice one of their favourite wildlife activities: hunting and field dressing a moose.
2. Wikwemikong, ON. - Traditional Ice Fishing with Nets
Air Date: 2023-01-09
Chuck drives to Wikwemikong First Nation in Ontario, where he learns how to ice fish the traditional way with a jigger. Russell, an experienced fisherman, teaches him all about the ice jigger, a device invented by Indigenous fishermen in the early 1900s.
3. Nipissing, ON. - Wild White Rabbit Snaring
Air Date: 2023-01-16
Chuck travels to Nipissing, where he learns how to build snares and hunt wild rabbit. During his visit, he meets Lana Chevrier, an Anishinaabe woman with a passion for cooking. Lana runs a local catering business that specializes in small game meats.
4. Baie -Trinité, QC - Snow Crab Fishing
Air Date: 2023-01-23
Chuck travels to Baie-Trinité and meets Norbert Fontaine, a skilled boat captain from the Innu community of Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam. Chuck joins Captain Fontaine and his sons on a snow crab fishing adventure, where he learns how to prepare bait for crab traps.
5. Nemaska, North-of-Québec - Duck Hunting
Air Date: 2023-01-30
Chuck heads to the Cree community of Nemaska to meet wildlife technician Anderson Jolly. Anderson eagerly shows Chuck how to hunt and prepare wild duck! Back on the shore, they help James Wapachee and Elder Mary Jolly build a smoker with tree branches.
6. Winnipeg, MB - Metis Culture and Food Desert
Air Date: 2023-02-06
Chuck visits Winnipeg, home to the largest urban Indigenous population in Canada, and learns all about Métis cuisine. He meets with passionate Indigenous residents who help make the city a better place with the help of a community oven.
7. Natashquan, QC - Traditional Lobster Fishing
Air Date: 2023-02-13
Chuck visits Nutashkuan, where he learns how to go lobster fishing the traditional Innu way. During his visit, he meets Edouard Kaltush, who proudly shows him how to make an artisanal harpoon and how to cook bannock under the sand.
8. Mistissini, QC - Fishing Trip
Air Date: 2023-02-20
Chuck travels to Mistissini, where an extraordinary fishing experience awaits him on the largest natural lake in Quebec. He meets Conrad Mianscum, Mistissini’s tourism planner, who tells him all about this growing community of close to 4,000 people.
9. Mattagami First Nation, ON. - Harvesting, Fishing and Sharing with the Elders
Air Date: 2023-02-27
In Mattagami, Chuck meets Betty Naveau, a community member who shares knowledge and traditions with the younger generation. They take a trip to the woods to harvest medicinal plants and visit a hatchery that preserves the lake’s fish population.
10. Inukjuak, North-of-Québec - Seal Hunting
Air Date: 2023-03-06
In Inukjuak, one of the largest communities in Nunavik, Chuck learns all about seal hunting. For local residents, seal and caribou are the two main sources of food.
11. Ekuanitshit, QC - Whelk Fishing
Air Date: 2023-03-13
In Ekuanitshit, Chuck learns all about harvesting and cooking whelk, a tasty sea snail. He meets Rita Mestokosho, a writer, poet and councillor for culture and education in the Innu Nation. Then, Chuck meets Guy Vigneault, the director of a 10-boat fleet.
12. Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation , SK - Elk Hunting
Air Date: 2023-03-20
Chuck travels to the prairies to hunt one of the region’s most emblematic animals, the elk. He joins the Yuzicapi family, who have been hunting elk for decades and have turned it into a tradition.
13. Inukjuak, North-of-Québec - Muskox Hunting
Air Date: 2023-03-27
Chuck visits Nunavik, where he hunts muskox during the summer alongside a community Elder. Together, they follow a herd next to the water and then cook their prey the traditional way.
1. Whitehorse, Yukon Territory - Lynx Trapping
Air Date: 2024-01-09
Chuck travels to the Yukon to learn about one of its most traditional hunts: the trapping of the lynx. He meets Russell Burns, a Kwandlin Dun Nation member, who teaches him how to set up traps and cook this lean meat known for its excellent flavour
2. Whitehorse, Yukon Territory - Ice Fishing
Air Date: 2024-01-16
Chuck flies into the Yukon and meets 73-year-old Alfie, a local guide who knows this corner of the Yukon by heart. The duo sets off to a secret spot on an immense frozen lake known for its amazing fishing.
3. Metepenagiag, New Brunswick - Striped Bass Fishing
Air Date: 2024-01-23
Chuck travels to Metepenagiag to fish striped bass for the first time ever. He meets Stephen Paul, one of the best fishermen and guides in the area. The men fish two enormous striped bass and do some fiddlehead harvesting.
4. Eastmain, Quebec - Bear Hunting
Air Date: 2024-01-30
Chuck travels North to the Eeyou Nation and meets Jamie Moses, a member of the community and an expert on bear hunting. Chuck also takes part in a walking out ceremony.
5. Vancouver, British Columbia - Food Truck
Air Date: 2024-02-06
Thanks to its temperate climate and cultural diversity, Vancouver has one of the best street food truck fleets in North America. Chuck heads to the city to meet two entrepreneurs who are reconnecting urban Indigenous populations with culinary traditions.
6. Metepenagiag, New Brunswick - Pheasant Hunting
Air Date: 2024-02-13
At the invitation of Malcolm Ward, Chuck goes to Metepenagiag to learn about pheasant hunting. It is a bird which had completely disappeared from the community's territory but was reintroduced about ten years ago.
7. Kitsumkalum, British Columbia - Honey
Air Date: 2024-02-20
Chuck goes to Terrace to meet Frank and Cynthia Ridler who make fireweed honey, a sought-after product. He also joins an all-women brigade of cooks to assist in preparing a spring banquet.
8. Wendake, Quebec - Porcupine Hunting
Air Date: 2024-02-27
Chuck heads North to the Wendat community of Wendake to meet Isabelle Sioui and hunt porcupine the traditional way. Isabelle has hunted porcupine since childhood, and she sells its meat and beautifully handmade crafts to keep traditions alive.
9. Sioux Valley Dakota, Manitoba - Bison
Air Date: 2024-03-05
Chuck visits the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation in Manitoba where bison are being reintroduced after millions were slaughtered during colonization.
10. Chisasibi, Quebec - Goose Hunting
Air Date: 2024-03-12
Chuck gets together with Ernest Webb of Chisasibi to learn how to hunt and cook wild goose. This is the meat that members prepare for birthdays, commemorations and ceremonies.
11. Tofino, British Columbia - Gooseneck Barnacles Harvesting
Air Date: 2024-03-19
Chuck is invited by Steven Dennis, an Ahousaht member of the Keltsmaht Nation that is among the very few fishermen who harvest gooseneck barnacles. It is a little-known crustacean in Canada, but it is highly prized by connoisseurs, especially in Europe.
12. Wolastoqiyik Wahsipekuk, Quebec - Sea Urchins Harvesting
Air Date: 2024-03-26
Chuck travels to the lower Saint-Lawrence community of Wolastoqiyik to meet chef Maxime Lizotte and to fish sea urchins which are abundant in the Saint-Lawrence River. Chuck takes a boat and heads to the water to harvest this delicious seafood.
13. Kahnawa:ke Mohawk Territory, Quebec - Corn Harvesting
Air Date: 2024-04-02
Chuck visits Kahnawa:ke to leam about corn, one of the most iconic ingredients in Kanien:keha'ka culture. It is harvest day and members of the community have gathered at Three Sisters Mount Garden to collect some corn and make a delicious traditional soup.
1. Rapid Lake, Quebec - Maple Syrup
Air Date: 2025-01-09
Chuck visits Rapid Lake to see how maple sap is traditionally used. Tina Nottaway and her daughter Sigon welcome Chuck at their family's sugar shack and show him the different products made with maple syrup.
2. Pessamit, Quebec - Caribou
Air Date: 2025-01-16
Chuck travels to the Nitasinan of Pessamit to meet Jean-Luc Kanape, a dedicated guardian of the territory. Jean-Luc has chosen a life of isolation to protect and care for the caribou herds that roam these lands year-round.
3. United Houma Nation, Louisiana - Oysters
Air Date: 2025-01-23
Chuck travels to Louisiana in the United States to meet Jason Pitre, a proud oyster farmer and member of the Houma Nation. He invites Chuck on his boat for an oyster harvesting experience and to navigate the labyrinthic Bayous
4. Edmonton, Alberta - Urban Episode
Air Date: 2025-01-30
Chuck visits Edmonton, Alberta's capital and the city that has one of the biggest Indigenous populations in Canada. Chuck harvests and collects medicinal plants just outside the city and cooks at Chef Scott Iserhoff's brand new Indigenous restaurant.
5. Unamen Shipu, Quebec - Lobster
Air Date: 2025-02-06
Chuck travels to Unamen Shipu, a remote community on the Cote-Nord, where Edmond is waiting to take him lobster fishing. Together, they set out by boat to a nearby island, using a landing net to catch lobster while taking in the stunning waterfront views.
6. Walpole Island First Nation, Ontario - Perch
Air Date: 2025-02-13
Chuck visits Walpole Island in Ontario to try perch fishing for the first time. His guide, Rocky Sands, has been hunting and fishing since childhood and is eager to share the experience with Chuck in his community
7. Victor Lake, Alberta - Bighorn Sheep
Air Date: 2025-02-20
Chuck travels to Victor Lake, Alberta, to meet Landon Delorme, who takes him on a hunt for bighorn sheep. A seasoned hunter, Landon is passionate about sharing his knowledge and advocating for sustainable, ethical hunting.
8. Unamen Shipu, Quebec - Trout
Air Date: 2025-02-27
In Quebec's Cote-Nord, Chuck visits Unamen Shipu, where Bryan Mark takes him sea trout fishing in the vast marine territory surrounding the isolated community. After a successful first attempt at fly fishing, Chuck then tries his hand at catching salmon.
9. Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe, Louisiana - Crab
Air Date: 2025-03-06
In Louisiana, Chuck visits Pointe-au-Chien, a community where crabbing is the main economic activity. Fisherman Donald Dardar takes him out on his boat for an authentic crabbing experience.
10. Susa Creek, Alberta - Moose
Air Date: 2025-03-13
Chuck drives to Susa Creek, Alberta, to meet Vivian McDonald, who takes him moose hunting. Captivated by the province's vast landscapes, rich wildlife and towering Rockies, he is about to embark on the ultimate outdoor adventure.
11. Tobique First Nation, New-Brunswick - Salmon
Air Date: 2025-03-20
Chuck travels to Tobique First Nation for salmon fishing in the Dungarvon River with community member Christian Perley. The men try their hand at fly fishing but since the Tobique River has been closed, catching salmon is no easy task.
12. Potlotek, Nova Scotia - White-Tailed Deer
Air Date: 2025-03-27
In Nova Scotia, Chuck meets the Denny family, who bring him white-tailed deer hunting. He learns the importance of the bow and arrow for First Nations people and tries his hand at spearfishing
13. Manawan, Quebec - Partridge
Air Date: 2025-04-03
Chuck introduces his son Charles to Indigenous culture by taking him partridge hunting on the Manawan territory in Quebec alongside Jean-Roch Ottawa and his grandson Mackomi.
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Rating
0.0/10
Release Date
2020-09-10
Episodes
65 (5 seasons)
Status
Returning Series
Cast
Production Companies
Trio Orange