Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker. This week, the Gwich'in have been welcoming and celebrating one of their own.
Chef Rich Francis has made his way home to Fort McPherson. A brief history on our chef. Rich's mother is from the Six Nations of Ontario. His father is Tetlit Gwich'in from Fort McPherson.
Rich graduated from the acclaimed Stratford Chefs' School in Stratford, Ontario, finishing at the top of his class and receiving the institute's award for culinary excellence.
Mr. Speaker, Rich was one of the finalists and only First Nations competitor on Season 4 of Top Chef Canada.
An article written of Rich Francis states: "Rich is literally on fire in the Indigenous culinary world. He has won honours for his approach to native foods and Indigenous ingredients that revitalize food and culture."
Through his work as a chef, he has addressed issues that affect First Nations as a whole, such as truth and reconciliation, colonization, diabetes, obesity, and food sovereignty, just to name a few.
Mr. Speaker, this week Rich has travelled to Tsiigehtchic and Fort McPherson where he was in the schools teaching students basic cooking skills. He is in Inuvik all this week, where the traditional games are happening. We are very honoured to have Rich in the region. Welcome home, Chef. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.