New Culinary Collective Showcases Prairie Cuisine

A group of chefs are redefining Alberta food traditions, blending old recipes with contemporary techniques.

A new culinary collective in Edmonton is putting prairie food back in the spotlight. Root & Range, a collaboration of five chefs and foragers, is reimagining Alberta’s regional cuisine with a focus on indigenous ingredients, historic recipes, and zero-waste practices. Their rotating pop-up dinners and workshops are redefining what it means to eat locally—and deliciously—in the Canadian West.

Held in a converted grain elevator near the city’s edge, the collective’s monthly gatherings sell out within minutes. Each event features a themed menu—like 'Field & Fire' or 'The Forager’s Table'—that highlights underused prairie ingredients such as saskatoon berries, bison heart, wild rose, and barley miso.

Chef Anika Suresh, one of the collective’s founders, says the group’s mission is equal parts culinary and cultural. 'We’re not just cooking—we’re telling stories. The prairie has deep roots, and we want people to taste them,' she said. Her background in Tamil and Ukrainian kitchens adds a unique layer of fusion to the offerings.

The project has attracted attention from food critics and anthropologists alike. Professors from the University of Alberta’s Department of History have partnered with the group to document traditional Métis recipes, while a local filmmaker is producing a documentary about the collective’s creative process and community impact.

Root & Range also emphasizes sustainability. All food scraps are composted or repurposed into broths, pickles, or fermented sauces. They source directly from small farms within a 150-kilometer radius and use recycled or handmade ceramics. Their kitchen runs entirely on solar energy during the summer season.

What sets them apart, many say, is the immersive storytelling. Between courses, diners hear from local seed keepers, poets, or land stewards who frame the dishes within a broader conversation about land, identity, and food justice.

The collective also offers hands-on cooking workshops for youth and newcomer families. These sessions teach how to prepare traditional prairie staples like bannock, lentil stew, and spruce-tip syrup—often with a modern twist. 'Food is a great way to bridge culture and geography,' says collective member Gabe Lam.

Despite their grassroots origins, the group has received funding from both the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and Tourism Edmonton. They’ve used the support to install a greenhouse for year-round herb cultivation and to launch a recipe zine distributed at independent bookstores.

Local restaurateurs have taken note, with several Root & Range alumni now running seasonal menus at high-end establishments across the city. But the founders say they’re not interested in going mainstream. 'We like being weird, seasonal, and hyper-regional,' Suresh laughs.

Their upcoming theme, 'Frost & Thaw', will explore the textures and flavors of late winter through smoked mushrooms, salt-preserved greens, and wild game charcuterie. Tickets, as always, are expected to vanish quickly.

Root & Range isn’t just feeding people—it’s cultivating a new culinary identity for Alberta. One dish, one story, and one community table at a time.