New Edmonton take-out spot combining chef's love of food and Indigenous traditions

Indigenous café takes off Scott Iserhoff, the chef behind Pei Pei Chei Ow, talks to Jessica Robb about his passion for connecting with his culture through food.

One bite of saskatoon tart or slice of slice of bannock with sage and jam can transport customers of Pei Pei Chei Ow – a new Edmonton take-out spot specializing in Indigenous cuisine – to Attawapiskat First Nation in northern Ontario.

"Blueberry picking, goose hunting, moose hunting," recalls Scott Iserhoff, Pei Pei Chei Ow's founder and chef.

"My earliest memories of food are nine, 10, sitting around the fire with my kookom and moshom, smoking geese, eating bannock, drinking tea."

Those memories are the inspiration behind the new eatery in Whiskeyjack Art House, as well as the catering business that preceded it. Pei Pei Chei Ow is Omushkegowin, or Swampy Cree, for "robin," which Iserhoff's grandfather used to call him.

Immediately after high school, Iserhoff, 35, went into Fanshawe College's culinary program – and hated it.

"It was a lot of French techniques," he told CTV News Edmonton in a recent interview.

"I struggled a lot. I couldn't relate to the food I was cooking and I dropped out."

For the next 15 years, he jumped around the restaurant industry while studying business and hotel management. At one point Iserhoff worked at a burger bar; at another, a butcher shop that locally sourced all of its products. He even quit cooking for two years.

Then he became a kitchen coordinator at Youth Empowerment and Support Services (YESS). It was the first time he had creative control.

"I overheard youth talking like, 'Oh, this is how kookum used to cook,'" Iserhoff remembers.

"It sparks this food memory in your DNA and you just start reliving these beautiful memories you had as a kid."

A pop-up shop earned him enough business to begin catering for big clients, like the City of Edmonton and Government of Alberta.

"Eventually they couldn't write out a cheque to just Scott. It had to be a company, so then Pei Pei Chei Ow was born."

DANDELION PESTO

Since opening in the Indigenous-owned and operated arts gallery and boutique north of downtown, Iserhoff said he's been struggling to keep up with business.

"There's a lady who's been here five times and gotten five of the eggplants," Iserhoff said with a grin, referring to one of his sandwiches that features crispy fried eggplant, tomato jam and fresh herbs.

In May, Western Living named him one of 2022's "Foodies of the Year."

"It's a good busy, though," Iserhoff insisted, "because I'm working for myself and really trying to build something for our people. Really, employing other Indigenous people is a mission of mine."

The business has also taken on two practicum students, so far.

Frankie Mitchell from Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation in northern Alberta is finishing Norquest College's culinary program with experience at Pei Pei Chei Ow.

"I think it's important to learn more of my culture and more of Indigenous cooking because there's not that much cooking out there," the 24-year-old said.

"I'm really proud... I'm learning more and more every day."

Between the take-out shop and Pei Pei Chei Ow's pop-ups, Mitchell is learning how to make roasted bone marrow with fresh parsley and apples, brisket barbecued in three-berry sauce, a breakfast sandwich with dandelion pesto and pea shoots, and more.

Iserhoff describes the menu as "just really good takes on offcuts that people don't ever consider."

"Our food ways have been disrupted for so long where we kind of forget how to eat," he said.

"Now, I can apply my food memories to what I've learned over the past 15 years and really focusing on Indigenous food, which is amazing. Like, I wake up thinking about food and go to bed thinking about food."

Take out is available six days of the week.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Evan Klippenstein