#FOOD: THE CORNSILK ROAD COMING TO TORONTO AT LITTLE SISTER PORTLAND

The Cornsilk Road arrives in Toronto on March 11, 2026 at 7 PM at Little Sister Portland, marking the Canadian debut of the internationally recognized Indigenous-led beverage series founded by award-winning bartender Chockie Tom.

Originally launched at Little Red Door in Paris and later presented at Allegory in Washington, D.C., The Cornsilk Road brings together beverage, music, and storytelling through Indigenous leadership. Each edition reflects the place it lands—centering land-based ingredients, community collaboration, and cultural authorship.

Northern Sisters marks the first Canadian chapter of The Cornsilk Road and celebrates collaboration with First Nations bartenders to imagine what hospitality looks like when it is fully Indigenous-led. From ingredients to storytelling to sound, the room is authored Indigenous.
Presented during the week of International Women’s Day, the evening honours Indigenous matriarchs and the femme leadership that continues to shape food systems, hospitality, and creative culture.

Bookings are encouraged HERE.

The Heartberry Edition draws from the Ojibwe understanding of strawberry as “heart berry,” centering care, kinship, and gathering with intention.

This is a night of Indigenous ingredients, Indigenous music, and storytelling held together with purpose.

The Cornsilk Road is designed with accessibility at its core. The program foregrounds thoughtfully developed no- and low-alcohol beverages, crafted with the same depth and intention as full-ABV cocktails. Carefully curated spirits and beer selections will also be available. The goal is not substitution—it is choice.

The beverage menu features ancestral fermented preparations alongside contemporary cocktail builds, with Indigenous ingredients sourced intentionally and presented with storytelling woven throughout the experience.

An Indigenous-curated soundtrack spanning rock lineage, hip hop, electronic, and contemporary expression will shape the room throughout the evening.

Food offerings will highlight locally sourced Indigenous ingredients wherever possible, showcasing regional producers and contemporary Indigenous foodways.

The name references pre-colonial trade routes, agricultural knowledge, and seed stewardship. It speaks to connection—between land, community, and continuity. The series centers Indigenous authorship in modern hospitality and continues to expand internationally through collaborative programming that highlights Indigenous ingredients, storytelling, and creative leadership.

The Toronto edition is led by Chockie Tom (Pomo and Walker River Paiute), award-winning bartender and founder of The Cornsilk Road. Her work bridges Indigenous foodways and global beverage culture through ethical sourcing, education, and narrative-driven programming.

Joining her as Guest Bartender is Charlotte Big Canoe, Anishinaabe from Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation. Big Canoe’s work focuses on Indigenous food systems, representation, and community collaboration within contemporary hospitality spaces.

Together, they have collaborated internationally on Indigenous-led beverage programming that centers land-based ingredients and Indigenous leadership within global bar culture.

Event Details:
An All-Indigenous Takeover
The Cornsilk Road: Northern Sisters, Heartberry Edition
Little Sister Portland
102 Portland St.
Toronto, ON
March 11, 2026
7:00 PM

Space is limited. Early booking is encouraged HERE.