Who is Jared Qwustenuxun Williams?

Jared Qwustenuxun Williams is a Hul’q’umi’num language speaker, Indigenous chef, Salish culture educator, and consultant dedicated to keeping Indigenous foods and cultural practices alive. Raised in Quw’utsun (Cowichan) and immersed in Salish culture through his father and late grandmother, Qwustenuxun grew up surrounded by traditional harvesting, smokehouses, Indigenous foods, language, and the stories of his people. These early teachings continue to guide his work today.

After graduating from culinary arts in 2001, Qwustenuxun spent years working in kitchens across Vancouver Island before returning home to Quw’utsun to reconnect his culinary training with the traditional foods and teachings he grew up with. After nearly fifteen years cooking for community Elders at the Cowichan Tribes Elders Building, he now works as an Indigenous foods educator, writer, keynote speaker, and consultant focused on Indigenous food sovereignty, cultural safety and humility, language revitalization, and the relationship between land, culture, wellness, and Indigenous food systems.

Qwustenuxun’s current work includes helping bring Indigenous foods into healthcare spaces through the Quw’utsun Hulitun-ew’t-hw Indigenous Foods Advisory Table connected to the new Cowichan District Hospital, developing cultural safety and humility training for Environmental Health Officers and public health professionals, and serving as Chair of the Indigenous Advisory Council to BC’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food. He also works with researchers, schools, and organizations to create educational resources and conversations around Indigenous knowledge systems and cultural revitalization.

Qwustenuxun has received Canadian Online Publishing Awards, was nominated for the BC Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Award, and helped lead the First Nations Health Authority’s smoked salmon project demonstrating the safety and effectiveness of traditional Salish salmon smoking techniques. He has also appeared on APTN’s Moosemeat & Marmalade, Flavours of the West Coast, spoken at the United Nations World Food Forum, and been featured many times on CBC Radio for his work in Indigenous food sovereignty and cultural revitalization.

Qwustenuxun also maintains a strong and active social media presence where he freely shares Hul’q’umi’num language lessons, Indigenous food knowledge, cultural teachings, humor, and reflections on the ongoing impacts of colonization. Through both online platforms and community work, he remains committed to helping keep Indigenous knowledge accessible for future generations.