Chef Matao Winter-Buist was raised outdoors immersed in the arid grasslands, high ranges and lush forests of interior BC, cultivating a close spiritual connection and field-naturalists knowledge. He began to develop a passion for food and its ability to connect people, land, and season at young age, and has been an avid cook, gardener, and forager since his early teens. Matao's career has taken him from luxury catering to permaculture farming, sea kayak guiding, whitewater rafting, backcountry skiing/hiking lodges, and of course private dining.