Chasing culture and cuisine in Chase, BC

Culinary tourism is becoming a mainstream objective of millennial travellers, but make no mistake, even my generation X parents will plan a whole trip across the world based on a donut recommendation from a travel show.

Food connects us in ways difficult to describe with words. Emotionally, we connect with food through powerful gustatory memories, through sharing and serving food, food allows us to understand a way of life that may be different from our own.

Food bridges the past and present as values, recipes and ways of gathering are passed on through the generations.

In January, Jack Sam’s restaurant in Quaaout Lodge (pronounced kwa-oot), in Chase, BC, hosted the annual culinary event, ‘Taste!’ where this year, BC’s wild truffles were featured.

Hearing about the award-winning executive chef, Chris Whittaker, I had to add a culinary experience to our BC bucket list.

We were fortunate to indulge in the special, 5-course dinner designed by Whittaker for Valentine’s Day.

We enjoyed the traditional food of the Shuswap Peoples, or Secwepemc First Nations, with a modern flair with starters like wild mushrooms on bannock with wild berry gastrique, and wild salmon chowder.

Secwepemc First Nations relied heavily on salmon as a dietary staple, and as I enjoyed mine, on a bed of squash gnocchi, I felt a connection to the Peoples whose land hosted this edible experience.

Their menu also collaborates with the northern, micro-climate wineries of the Shuswap such as Marionette, Recline Ridge, and Celista Estate. Around the property of Quaaout Lodge, cultural and historical information about food, nature and community can be found.

The next morning, we toured the art inside the lodge, another marriage of traditional and modern expression.

The lodge bustled with staff preparing the popular Sunday brunch inside the entrance of the conference center, which takes after the native Kekuli (native winter house) for its architectural inspiration.

We leave the reserve and head into the town of Chase to experience Chase Creek Falls and Memorial Park.

Memorial Park contains a wharf which stretches into Little Shuswap Lake, providing an idyllic opportunity for photos and a nice walk.

A two-minute drive from the wharf is a trail to Chase Creek Falls.

Even in feet of snow this trail can be conquered and leads to a beautiful waterfall that you look down on from above.

If you’re visiting from May to September, you can zipline over the falls with Treetop Flyers!

The view from the Chase Creek Falls trail extends the length of the downtown and much of Little Shuswap Lake and I reflect on the name, “Quaaout” which means ‘where the sun's rays first touch in the morning’, and with the sun dancing on the glassy lake, it seems to say, “le7 re7 stskitsʼc” (It’s good you came).

Follow us on Instagram @loewenlifestyle as we head to Lynn Canyon next!