SUDBURY – Cooking has always been a big part of Hiawatha Osawamick's life.
In her early days, she helped her mother and aunt who were caterers, and now, is opening a new restaurant in Sudbury that will serve Indigenous food.
Osawamick says although she loves catering and will continue to do so, she was ready for a new adventure.
That's when she decided to open an Indigenous lunch eatery, which is something she says you can't find in the city.
"I'm the only option. I guess there are pow-wows in North America but that's mostly just in the summer months and they do have a variety of food booths on the pow wow trail, but other than that there is not a location in the Sudbury area," she explained.
The restaurant is going to be located inside the Sudbury Events Centre on Regent Street.
Osawamick says some of the food choices on the menu will be "elk and bison. I've got pickerel to go with the smoked duck. We're using more of the food that we get from the land and its good medicine, it's good for us as opposed to the process the packaged foods."
Running a restaurant can be tricky, as many come and go.
Cambrian College's Business Professor Brian Vendrami says due diligence is key before opening the doors to a new business.
"Make sure that there's a market for it. Make sure that you're running a place that has a small foot print so that you can fill the place. You can do turnover. Maybe just focus on lunch and see how things go from there," says Vendrami.
Osawamick says she will be hosting a Grand Opening Gala at the end of December.
The restaurant will be open to the public late January 2020.
