Kyle Albert: Supporting Indigenous Young People in Recovery Through Food and Connection
Written by Hannah Van De Peer & Edited by Kathy MacKay
We’re honoured to celebrate MLFPC Food Champion Kyle Albert, chef at Nimkee Nupigawagan Healing Centre. Before highlighting Kyle’s contributions, let’s learn a little about the Centre and the important work it does to support Indigenous young people and their families through healing, culture, and connection.
Nimkee Nupigawagan Healing Centre
Nimkee Nupigawagan Healing Centre is a residential treatment centre near Muncey, Ontario, that supports First Nations and Indigenous young people experiencing solvent and substance use challenges. Grounded in culturally based programming, the Centre supports young people and their families in strengthening their physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual wellness. Its approach recognizes the importance of culture, community, and connection in the healing journey, while helping young people build the skills and confidence to support their futures.
Food and Nutrition at the Centre
Food is an important part of this work. At Nimkee, meals provide more than nourishment: they create opportunities for cultural connection, learning, and the development of practical life skills. The young people engage in weekly menu planning, learn about nutrition and food preparation, and explore Indigenous food traditions, including the role of traditional foods such as bison, venison, elk, and boar.
Meet Kyle Albert
At the heart of the centre is chef Kyle Albert who contributes to this holistic approach to healing by providing nourishing meals and creating opportunities for Indigenous young people to connect with food, culture, and one another. Kyle brings care and intention to something that can easily be taken for granted: ensuring young people have access to good food each day. By providing reliable meals in a welcoming environment, he helps create a sense of routine and stability for young people as they navigate their recovery journeys. His cooking becomes an important part of the supportive environment at the Healing Centre.
Connecting through Food
Kyle’s impact extends beyond preparing meals. Through everyday conversations, encouragement, and guidance, he builds genuine relationships with young people and helps create a space where they feel seen, respected, and supported. The dining space becomes an opportunity for young people and staff to connect and build community over food.
His passion for cooking is at the heart of his work. Kyle enjoys preparing food from different cultures and takes pride in seeing people enjoy the meals he creates. For him, cooking is a way to bring people together and make a positive difference in the lives of others.
“I’m passionate about cooking, and I love seeing people smile when they eat my food. Food is life, and I love bringing people together through cooking.” ~ Kyle Albert
Through his work at Nimkee Nupigawagan Healing Centre, Kyle contributes to our food system by demonstrating the role food can play in supporting youth, strengthening community, and creating spaces of care and connection. His work reminds us that a strong food system is also one that nourishes the people within it.