By Tricia Schers
The sun was just starting to dip towards the horizon turning the sky to twilight. Moments earlier I boarded a Tundra Buggy® with 19 other foodies and we were on our way to what promised to be a truly unique culinary experience.
The excitement emanating off our group was palpable. Passing massive ice hummocks as we trundled over the frozen surface of the river our Tundra Buggy driver informed us the ride would take approximately 20-30 minutes. My stomach grumbled knowing I was that much closer to some divine eating. I had arrived in the remote community of Churchill, Manitoba just hours earlier for the sole purpose to enjoy some stunning cuisine under the dance of the northern lights.
Churchill is celebrated for its culture, natural history and world-class wildlife viewing. RAW:churchill is a whole-evening affair with guests mustering in the community of Churchill before embarking upon a Tundra Buggy to cross the frozen Churchill River. The trundle across the ice slowly builds our anticipation as we become immersed in this new, foreign, almost moon-like environment.
Suddenly against the setting sun the profile of Prince of Wales Fort presented itself on the horizon. The Buggy drove us right up inside the Fort's ravelin where we disembarked.
Swinging open the ancient doors of the Fort we caught our first glimpse of the one-of-a-kind restaurant structure. Chef Mandel Hitzer greeted us as we entered and asked, “Do you know what an Avalon is? It’s a magical place that exists for only a short period of time. And then it’s gone. Tonight, this is an Avalon.”
Many culinary experiences are set in bustling urban settings that differentiate themselves by the virtue of being “hot and new.” RAW:churchill charts its own path, much like the adventurers who existed here at the height of the fur trade. Approximately 1000km north of the nearest major city, and occurring within one of North America’s oldest and largest stone forts, RAW:churchill is inspired by remoteness and that spirit of adventure.
The restaurant structure relies on experimental design, informed by its location. With references to ancient seafaring vessels, modern dog sleds, and typical “northern” building materials, on a sheer-white snow floor the clear roof pop-up delivers inspiring dining under the northern lights. This complemented the RAW:churchill menu which was inspired by ingredients the men and women of the Hudson’s Bay Company would have relied upon 250 years ago.
Throughout the evening, a Parks Canada heritage presenter, in-character as Prince of Wales Fort’s most infamous Chief Factor, Samuel Hearne, would interpret how the meal related to the past, including accounts of agricultural and fish farming experiments that occurred hundreds of years ago in Manitoba’s subarctic.
Conceptualized by Frontiers North, Parks Canada and RAW:almond, this partnership brought together an innovative culinary experience with Canada’s rich history in the beauty of Canada’s north.
In March 2018, RAW:churchill will welcome guests from around the world to Prince of Wales Fort and an extraordinary dining experience in the Avalon.
Dreaming of seeing the Northern Lights? Join Frontiers North on select Northern Lights and Winter Nights departures and enjoy a world-class meal at RAW:churchill, a culinary and adventure experience like no other.