Paul Natrall learned to cook from his grandmother, who his family moved in with after the death of his father. “My grandmother’s house was open to everyone. In the summer and on school breaks the house was full with family. She was the cook and I helped her.”
Training to be a chef was the natural next step. Paul enrolled in the culinary program at Vancouver Community College. He spent ten months learning classic French cuisine before moving onto West Coast Aboriginal food. “We went to different reserves, learned about the various smokehouses, caught fresh fish and learned the brines.” From there, Paul was hired by chef and mentor Ben Genaille, whose catering company, Kanata Cuisine, and ran out of the Native Education Centre. Paul worked there for two years and the friends remain close.
He registered his own business, using his initials, PR Bannock Factory in February 2017, and business started pouring in. His kitchen trailer is on the Squamish Nation Reserve. “If I’m there, I’ll open for you,” he offers. Most of the food Paul turns out is for catering and special events. He has a pop-up, tow-along kitchen, complete with sink, grill and generator, allowing him to travel to events and cook on-site. “Cooking is awesome. I love being able to create food, create different tastes and textures. I’m always learning and love to create.”
