NORTHERN ALBERTA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Grad Quentin Glabus named NAIT's 2025 Hokanson Chef in Residence

Culinary Arts grad (class of 2000) Quentin Glabus will return to NAIT as Hokanson Chef in Residence from March 17 - 21. Activities with students will include lectures, demonstrations, and industry and public events, including lunch and dinner served at Ernest's, NAIT's on-campus restaurant, on Thursday, March 20.

At an early age, Glabus noticed how food brought people together. His kokum used to cook big, delicious meals at her home at Frog Lake First Nations, east of Edmonton. Family and friends would gather for stories and laughter. The experience stayed with Glabus, and inspired him to continue to explore the communal aspect of cooking - eventually on a global scale.

After time as a chef at Homefire Grill, Edmonton's first Indigenous restaurant and where the young chef traded stories about culture and food with coworkers, Glabus took a job as executive chef at the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo. It would be the start of his international efforts to share his culture through cooking.

After marrying a diplomat, travel took Glabus, his skills and his focus to Taiwan, Brazil, New York and back to Tokyo, where he currently lives with his family.

Along the way, Glabus also became part of I-Collective, a non-profit that aims to create a new narrative around Indigenous history and culture. His contributions focused on a multimedia cookbook project called A Gathering Basket.

Read more at techlifetoday about Quentin Glabus's journey as a chef

Quotes

"NAIT's Hokanson Chef in Residence gives students a rare opportunity to learn from industry leaders who bring unique skills and perspectives. Chef Quentin Glabus's expertise in Indigenous cuisine, global culinary experience, and passion for mentorship will inspire our students and help shape the future of Canadian culinary arts." - Perry Michetti, Associate Dean, Culinary Arts and Professional Food Studies

"Returning to NAIT as Hokanson Chef in Residence is an incredible honour. This program is a chance to give back, share my experiences interpreting and cooking Indigenous cuisine, and help students see food as more than just a skill it's a connection to culture, history and storytelling."   - Chef Quentin Glabus

About the Hokanson Chef in Residence

NAIT launched the Hokanson Chef in Residence program in 2009 thanks to a gift from John and Susan Hokanson. As Canada's first program of its kind, it offers Culinary Arts and Professional Food Studies students the opportunity to learn first-hand from chefs who are well-known to the industry, food educators and the public. They have diverse industry experience as restaurateurs, media personalities, authors and more. Chefs are identified, vetted and selected by the Department of Culinary Arts and Professional Food Studies. Residencies last three to five days.