Indigenous Ingredients 

Married with

Global Flavours

Introduction 

Multi award-winning Cree-Metis Executive Private Chef Shirley Lang, Kaug Auk Shee (Festival of the Raven), creates cuisine to serenade the senses and flavour the conversations at your table by marrying unexpected flavours and spices to create Indigenous globally inspired food made with loving intention. In the early 2000’s, Chef Shirley sought and was granted permission by the local chiefs and Elders to practice her craft locally, on the Traditional Territory of the Lekwungen Peoples of the Coast Salish Nation, on the Canadian West Coast. For this honor she is forever grateful.

From stylist, image consultant, and talent agent to the stars in the 1980’s and 1990’s to Executive Private Chef, Shirley Lang has always drawn her inspiration from her clients. While in Toronto, one of her studios was in the celebrated Much Music building where she worked with such celebrities as Corey Hart, Marianne Faithfull, The Nylons, Colin James, Annie Lennox, Leona Boyd, Petula Clark, Neil Gaiman, Kim Coates, Robert Ito, to name only a few.

Chef Shirley began her journey learning from her mother and grandmother cooking rustic comfort food using meat and poultry they raised on their farm with the freshest and finest ingredients; produce they planted, nurtured, and harvested, in addition to wild game her father hunted. Inspired by the world fusion cuisine that was within steps of her Queen Street West, Toronto studio, Shirley added her own unique twist to traditional recipes taught to her by Moroccan, Spanish, Middle Eastern, East Indian, Cajun and Persian chefs she knew, serving these unique Global dishes to her elite dinner guests.

Currently Chef Shirley has consulted on menus for various restaurants and chefs, with the most recent for the Fairmont Empress for their menu creation for the Indigenous Language Conference in June 2019 in Victoria. Chef Shirley has rebranded Kitchens of Distinction to reflect more of her culture and heritage with her new logo design. Chef Shirley was inducted into the esteemed International Association of Gastronomy; La Chaine Des Rotisseurs of Maître Rotisseur status, as well as a Mondiale member.

Critically acclaimed Executive Private Chef Shirley Lang along with her culinary tour company

Spirit Culinary Excursions has been featured in numerous media outlets including

Most Recent Awards: 

2017 Winner of Lux Global Excellence Awards for ‘Best Full-Service Luxury Catering’ in British Columbia

2017 Winner of Lux International Magazine’s Hospitality Awards for “Best Fine Food Catering Company’ in British Columbia

2010 People’s Choice Award for Moroccan Cuisine

“I’m sending a huge thank you for the incredible six-course tasting menu paired with Indigenous World wines you created. It was one of the tastiest meals I’ve ever had, and as a travel writer, I’ve had quite a few. I loved how you took traditional Indigenous ingredients like venison, seaweed, spot prawns, bison and melded and totally modernized them with an incredible flair. Not only did your spices and sauces work perfectly but the presentation was nothing short of spectacular. Each dish was a work of art. My only regret is that it was a luncheon and we did not have the time to savour this wonderful treat as slowly and as fully as it deserved. Thank you!!!!! Hans, www.hanstammemagi.com

Chef Shirley Lang acknowledges the Traditional Territories of the Coast Salish. I am grateful and proud to be living, working, playing and loving on the land of the lək̓ʷəŋən People, known today as the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations.

In Memory of Peter Ashworth, Ashworth Associates Inc. Public Relations Media Marketing Communications, Toronto 2017