Steeped in tradition, but not bound by it.

Gerry Brandon is a world-renowned chef and innovator from Dokis First Nation, passionate about people and Northern Ontario. After a successful career in finance, Gerry pursued becoming a chef at the Stratford Chefs School, which led to opening many restaurants and extensive travel. Gerry recently opened L'Autochtone Taverne Américaine and has breathed new life into a retailer called Busters Mini-Mart in Haileybury (Temiskaming Shores).  At L'Autochtone Gerry and his staff fuse dishes with First Nation, French and English influences from scratch. We speak with Gerry about the changes he is driving in this small community and the mindset shift that Northern communities need to thrive. _The Packsack Project is a collaborative podcast from the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre's Rural Agri-Innovation Network (RAIN) and NORDIK Institute, sharing real life stories and experiences of Northern Ontario's resilience.