Les Stroud's Wild Harvest

Les forages the beaches and tidewaters of the Oregon coast while Chef Paul sets up a kitchen on the beach. When Les reveals a bounty of wild mussels (and also surprises Chef Paul with a couple of ingredients he is unfamiliar with), Paul gets creative with his beach fire.

Les navigates a cliff to explore an unusual patch of Miner’s Lettuce. Chef Paul gets his hands dirty harvesting cattail rhizomes, and after a quick lesson on starch extraction, he sees the potential and presents Les with three gingery courses of wild harvested flavor.

Just a short drive from the city of Edmonton, Alberta expert forager Les Stroud and Chef Paul Rogalski find themselves experiencing the natural life cycles of horsetail, and fireweed right where they grow. Add to this the bounty of dandelion and cattail and you have the makings of a delicious wild harvest!

The milkweed plant is the natural life-sustaining domain of the monarch butterfly larvae who choose this wildflower as the only species to develop and grow upon. Sustainably harvested it also represents a wonderful broccoli like vegetable for Chef Paul Rogalski to experiment with. A short walk from expert forager Les Stroud’s own cottage, on the edge of the local gravel pit a prolific bounty awaits for our wild harvesters.

Les finds himself immersed in a plethora of in season wild edibles when he paddles and explores the swamps and forests surrounding his cabin in the woods in Temagami, Ontario. Chef Paul is energized with so many ingredients to play with, including a Small Mouth Bass.

Just ahead of the winter snows Les and Paul find themselves enjoying the fresh cool winds and grey skies over the Athabasca River. Expert forager Les Stroud challenges Chef Paul Rogalski to his delight with the harvest of a ruffed grouse, rose hips, sweet clover and willow branches.

Early spring in wine country presents challenges with regard to foraging.

Foraging some stinging nettle; combining newly foraged items with domestic ingredients.

Les Stroud comes across a large patch of spring beauty while hiking in a coniferous forest; secret ingredient.

Exploring harvesting opportunities while at a remote fishing lodge in the Pacific Northwest; rainbow trout and fiddleheads.

While still at the remote fishing lodge, Les tasks Paul to focus on one ingredient, which proves to be a good thing as the team finds themselves with interesting company both at the lodge and at Paul’s impromptu outdoor kitchen.

Les shares his sugar shack and syrup-making expertise with Paul while gifting him a familiar and favorite foraged ingredient. The sweet results are created with fire.