meet our guests:
In 2023, we were joined by some very special guests at our inaugural Festival. See who will be joining us in 2024!
Each guest brought a unique perspective and fresh take on what Canadian food and drink is all about. We shared our NWT flavours with them and magic ensued! This year we have invited another group of Culinary masters to share their stories, skills and good food with you.
Chef David Gillespie
David Gillespie is a father, chef, and entrepreneur from Fergus, Ontario with extensive experience in hospitality. Apprenticing under Roberto Fracchioni and Enrico Shulze at the Millcroft Inn, David spent most of his career north of Toronto in fine dining. With seventeen years in the restaurant business, David returned to school to get an MBA and change the focus of his career in 2020. After taking a research position in Sambaa K'e, NWT, David saw first-hand the benefits of Indigenous food sovereignty and self-determination. Invited to manage the Sambaa K'e Development Corporation and spending nine months in the community, David was inspired to start Northrite Social Enterprise. Northrite helps Indigenous organizations build partnerships with academic institutions to bring jobs, economic activity, and capacity to their communities. Coming from a mom-and-pop restaurant family and wanting to give back, David Also runs Aventine Hill Culinary Services, a volunteer consultancy to support new and small restaurants
Matthew Consiglio began his cooking career in his early 20s, gaining experience in various facets of the culinary industry, from golf courses to fine dining and casual dining establishments. To further his passion for the culinary arts, he attended the prestigious Stratford Chef School in Canada. This formal education paved the way for him to work alongside some of Toronto’s top chefs, including Cory Vitiello, Mike Wilson, and David Lee, at renowned restaurants such as The Harbour Room, Splendido, and Oliver & Bonacini.
Matthew’s culinary adventures have also taken him abroad, where he trained at a Michelin-starred restaurant in France and honed his skills under authentic Thai chefs in Thailand. His true passion and expertise lie in Italian and French cuisine, but his extensive experience allows him to create fusion dishes that appeal to various cultures and traditions. With over 20 years in the industry, Matthew brings a wealth of knowledge and creativity to his culinary endeavours, blending flavours and techniques from around the world to craft exceptional dining experiences.
CHEF Matthew Consiglio
Chef Steph baryluk
Chef Steph is Teetl'it Gwich'in and is from Teetl'it Zheh (Fort McPherson), Treaty 11 Territory located in the Northwest Territories. She now resides in Tsawwassen, BC with her family. After completing her Red Seal, she knew she wanted to do more with her Indigenous Roots. Chef Steph has hosted cooking classes, speaking engagements in her hometown, at the FAO in Rome, and across the Lower Mainland. "I grew up hunting, fishing, and travelling the Arctic Tundra. Both my parents are residential school survivors, so today, as I have the freedom to practice my culture and traditions, I take pride in showcasing my Indigenous heritage. Our Teetl'it Gwich’in people still continue to live off the land respectfully harvesting game meats and plants for medicine. We are one of the most Northernly Indigenous people in North America living at the northwestern limits of the boreal forest. Only the Inuit live further north. Hunting, fishing, and trapping remain important both culturally and economically, with caribou, moose, whitefish, being staples in our diet". I grew up watching my Jijuu (grandmother) always cooking and serving anyone who came into her home. We connect with people when we cook for them. I try hard to keep that alive in my food.
Linda Garson is the creator of Vine & Dine and Editor-in-Chief/Publisher of Alberta food and beverage magazine 'Culinaire'. She has earned a reputation as one of Calgary’s prime wine experts, educators, and influencers, speaking at functions all over the city as well as writing about wine and food.
Linda has worked with Chateaux in France, wineries in Romania, vineyards in Italy, Germany, Australia, and South Africa, Pisco producers in Chile, Vodka producers in Sweden, distilleries in the UK, cocktail manufacturers in Singapore, RTD manufacturers in Montreal and many more, acquiring an extensive knowledge of wine and the production of other alcoholic beverages. Linda is coming back to Yellowknife to join us for our 2nd Culinary Festival!
In September 2007, Linda became the CBC’s food and wine pairing expert with a regular food and wine segment on CBC Radio’s ‘Homestretch’. October 2008 saw the first televised food and wine pairing segments from Linda’s kitchen, cooking topical dishes and pairing them with wine for CBC TV province-wide.
You'll see Linda as a judge and host for all 24 episodes of Mixology Masters, airing now on Tubi, and on Global Television at weekends where she'll often drop by to talk about food, beverages, and restaurants in Calgary. Watch Mixology Masters here
linda
garson
