New Indigenous restaurant to open on the shores of Wanapitei Lake

Well-known Indigenous chef is taking over Rocky's Hiawatha Osawamick is taking on a new role as she prepares to open a restaurant on Lake Wanapitei formerly known as Rocky's in Sudbury area.

A well-known Indigenous chef in the Sudbury and Manitoulin area is now opening her own restaurant in the area.

Hiawatha Osawamick took ownership of the establishment on Lake Wahnapitae that was formerly known as Rocky’s. Renovations are underway and the new restaurant will be called Hiawatha’s Restaurant and Marina.

Osawamick will serve as both the executive chef and owner.

She told CTV News after seeing how successful her catering business had become, she decided to take the next step and purchased the building on Lake Wahnapitae.

“I’ve been quite all over with my catering business, it’s expanded and grown over the years,” said Osawamick.

“I did try to open up a restaurant in Sudbury right before covid hit and I was unsuccessful with that and then an opportunity came up here in Wahnapitae First Nation and so me and my mother were able to purchase this establishment.”

Osawamick said the menu will feature both Canadian and Indigenous cuisine, adding since the restaurant is right on the lake, there will be a variety of fresh fish available.

“We’re going to use the fish, the pickerel and the local fish that we have, salmon, bison, we’re going to have elk,” Osawamick said.

“The indigenous people, they harvest off the land so we’re going to get the corn, the squash, all the berries, duck breasts.”

Osawamick said the restaurant and marina will have a lot to offer all year round.

“Currently we have our gas station running seven days a week. I have my kitchen fully functional ... in a months time maybe at the end of February I plan on opening up my sports bar downstairs,” she said.

“I have my five cabin rentals that I’m going to be renovating, so those will be available as soon as that lake freezes. Hopefully in the next couple weeks I will have my fishing hut rentals ... We will be waiting for the spring and the summer, we have upstairs and downstairs patios that we are going to open up.”

Osawamick said she is hoping to have the restaurant open early next month.

For more information on the restaurant or Osawamick’s catering services, visit her Facebook page.