HuffPost. Nov 2022.

Inez Cook is a member of Bella Coola’s Nuxalk Nation who was forcibly taken from her parents by the Canadian government at the age of 1. Today, Cook operates the only Indigenous restaurant in Vancouver, Canada. Through her food, she tells the stories of First Nations people and businesses and fosters dialogue for positive change. 

Cook helped add the land acknowledgment on Air Canada’s safety video, appeared in its video on truth and reconciliation, and served on the board of directors for Indigenous Tourism British Columbia. She wrote a children’s book based on her childhood and is opening her second restaurant, Salmon n’ Bannock On The Fly, at Vancouver International Airport later this year. In this Voices in Food story, Cook shares why we need to take conscientious steps toward honoring the original occupants of our place. 

As a flight attendant for 33 years, I lived in different cities all over the world and tasted diverse meals, discovered cooking methods, observed food trends and realized that food brings every culture together. When I travel, I want to try food from that land. Food tells a story and creates memories. I saw how important of a tool food can be in uniting people. I, too, wanted to help build bridges through food and dreamt of opening a restaurant someday. 

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