Diving deep into food, culture and place on a rare Canadian incentive
On the eastern edge of North America, lashed by the savage North Atlantic, lies the rugged Canadian island of Newfoundland and Labrador—and a transformative incentive that will give your top performers a deep connection to the land, its bounty, its people, and their traditions.
For Lori McCarthy, chef, outdoorsperson and founder of Food Culture Place, sharing this connection through storytelling, hunting, foraging and cooking is at the heart of her unique cultural food residencies based in Mobile on the Avalon Peninsula, near the provincial capital of St. John’s.
“The traditional skills of here are still held so close to people’s hearts. Culturally it is a way of life and it’s a life that we still very much appreciate,” says Lori.
“When I spend time with people, I want them to leave with a better understanding of this place. It becomes an emotional connection to the person, the place and the culture.”
Your incentive winners will be welcomed to this untouched gem, home to small communities and famed for humpback and minke whale sightings.
But the experience begins long before your top performers reach their accommodation close to Lori’s workshop, nestled between a wilderness reserve and seabird sanctuary.
Ahead of time, Lori tailors each private residency to the preferences of your incentive group or individual winners, creating a custom-built experience between three and six days long.
For a keen baker, Lori might lovingly craft three days that immerse them in the culture of baking in Newfoundland and Labrador, the Trappers’ Bread her grandfather used to eat, and traditional bread making with her mother and aunt.
For top performers interested in fishing, Lori might take them to meet a local fisher just bringing their boat in, pick a bunch of greens along the beach, and cook their first fish for dinner.
“If it’s a beautiful sunny day, we’re going to go to the beach and light a fire and cook wild mussels,” says Lori. “We cook over an open fire like my grandparents did and my parents did.”
Other activities might include foraging wild berries, cooking wild game, preserving fish, meat, fruits and vegetables, and visiting with local chefs, hunters and elders.
“How we spend our days, is an extension of how I live my life,” says Lori. “We’re really lucky here to be able to still live very close to the land and sea— and live off the land like this.”
The importance of keeping this way of life sustainable is a key takeaway of Lori’s cultural food residencies, across all her activities, such as foraging.
In the garden, Lori grows beets, cabbage and other vegetables without commercial fertilizers, instead keeping up the tradition of building soil beds with kelp, capelin and sand.
“I take people to the beach and gather kelp after storms, then we fill it with water and the kelp ferments—that’s how you fertilize the garden,” says Lori.
“It's an opportunity to explain why the capelin stocks are so important, why the codfish come in, why the whales come in. Seeing it in action is the way to teach it.”
Another unique aspect of Lori’s cultural food residencies is the opportunity to spend time with the everyday Newfoundlanders who live, work and play in her community.
“The people here are very warm, very generous, and curious about getting to know you. People here will always ask you, ‘Where are you from?’ and ‘What brings you here?’” says Lori. “It’s a genuine desire to make deep human connection with you.”
This human connection is the secret to this superlative incentive experience, giving guests a deep insight into the food and culture of this community through storytelling and music.
“Every nook and cranny in Newfoundland and Labrador is full of storytellers,” says Lori. “It comes to us so naturally, from remote living, experiences out in the wild, growing up, we have this rich storytelling culture—we just love to sit around with people and share the incredible stories of here.”
Your top performers may only spend a few days with Lori and her community, surrounded by beautiful landscapes and pristine waters, but the connections they create will last a lifetime.
“When my guests go back home, it changes how they move forward throughout their day,” says Lori. “It’s a very special experience... always it’s so much more than what they thought. The landscape of here creates the kind of humans that we grow, I really, truly believe that... The more remote that you get, the lovelier experiences you get to have.”
Canada’s enriching incentive destinations offer unique cultural experiences that will inspire teams, widen perspectives, and strengthen relationships to drive greater success. With more than 250 legendary experiences available, Canada is a top choice for recognizing and rewarding high achievers. Destination Canada’s Business Events team can help design a program that’s specifically tailored to your group’s interests and needs.
For more information, connect with Jennifer Attersall, Acting Senior Director, Destination Canada Business Events at attersall.jennifer@destinationcanada.com Telephone +1 403-923-5972