Cindy Lazarenko is a citizen of the Métis Nation of Alberta and lives within Treaty Six Territory in the City of Edmonton.

Cindy is a Red Seal chef and culinary instructor with over three decades of experience as a restaurant owner, catering director and culinary instructor.

Cindy’s former restaurant in Edmonton, Culina Highlands, was the first restaurant in Edmonton to be awarded an EnRoute Magazine 10 Best New Restaurants in Canada honour. The restaurant was also featured on the Food Network show You Gotta Eat Here.

Widely recognized for her ability to build strong connections with both students and colleagues, she brings compassion, clarity and extensive practical expertise to the classrooms. Her work spans diverse communities, including culinary program development in Tanzania, food education initiatives for Indigenous youth and women and instructional roles within correctional and Indigenous community settings.

Her teaching style blends strong technical skills with mentorship and storytelling through food. Whether guiding students through their first knife cuts or exploring the meaning behind a family recipe she believes in the transformative power of the kitchen as a place of growth, confidence and care.