Billy Alexander - Director of Programs – Culinary Tourism Alliance
Join us in celebrating Billy Alexander. Billy Alexander is a world-renowned and globally trained Indigenous chef, tourism ambassador, cultural pundit, social advocate and Director of Programs for the Culinary Tourism Alliance. His illustrious accomplishments and positions include reoccurring National Television appearances, Founding Chair of Indigenous Culinary of Associated Nations; Culinary Development Chef for WestJet; recipient of Canadian Culinary Excellence Award; Calgary’s Top 40 Under 40; Advisory board Not 9 to 5; Founding Chair Ontario Indigenous Food Tourism Table; as well former National Culinary Strategist for Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada, and current mentor to countless youth.
Billy grew up with food being synonymous with community and he learned to cook with ingredients that were foraged and hunted. He views the land as the “original grocery store” and believes in the special relationship between land and food and knowing where our food comes from. Even as a child Billy helped create daily menus cooking with his family based on whatever edible treasures the land provided seasonally. He formed some of his fondest memories, gathered around food with family and community.
As an adolescent, he set out to travel the world for years, which included time throughout Europe, Asia, Australia & New Zealand. He learned about diverse foods, cultures, histories, and social dynamics. These teachings became the foundation for his interest in continuing to build and highlight culinary tourism with the realization that food is its own universal language shared by all. In New Zealand, he was inspired by how integral their Indigenous culture was woven into the broader culture and community and the beauty of cultural diversity through a culinary tourism lens. When he returned to Canada with an enlightened outlook, he continued to cook with the purpose of sharing stories of culture through food, where every created dish invited you on an Indigenous culinary journey of history, culture and community inspired by the generations that have previously walked this earth.
Billy has spent multiple decades evolving his mature culinary repertoire beyond any one kitchen, while using his lived and shared experiences to help build, highlight, and shape culinary tourism nationally and internationally. Billy believes that “only YOU can tell your story, and that the best stories are told and shared with food.
Through food, social advocacy and lived example, Billy practices a look-forward philosophy. “History is quite literally the past and can’t be reversed – but we do have the power and responsibility to carve out a new history.” He encourages everyone to have difficult conversations, broaden one’s inner circles to include those who don’t mirror themselves, and above all, to eat well and together. Billy now shares these stories and teachings along with many others, while bridging the cultural gap of understanding, love, and appreciation for all living things as a steward of this land.
Facebook & Instagram @culinarytourismalliance
Linkedin Culinary Tourism Alliance
Twitter @OntarioCulinary
Website Culinary Tourism Alliance
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