Chef and food educator Sean Sherman shares how increasing access to indigenous food practices can liberate more than just your taste buds. He discusses the importance of learning about indigenous foods in terms of culture, sustainability, health, and community. Learn about the cultural significance and historical context of indigenous foods and their impact on health and the environment.

Forager Alexis Nikole Nelson shares her passion for finding and eating unique plants. Chef Sean Sherman revitalizes indigenous cuisine with native ingredients. Discusses food insecurity, systemic solutions, and the debate between traditional farming and technological solutions. Explores the use of robots in agriculture and the future of food.

Chef Sean Sherman is on a mission to revitalize and reimagine Native American cuisine. Growing up on a reservation in South Dakota, Sean ate a lot of highly processed foods provided by the U.S. government. It wasn’t until he started working in restaurants as a teenager that he began to learn about fresh ingredients and how to prepare them. But as Sean climbed the kitchen ranks, learning the techniques and recipes of European-style fine dining, he began to wonder what happened to the culinary traditions of his Native American ancestors. This week on How I Built This Lab, Sean talks with Guy about establishing a modern North American indigenous cuisine by cutting out non-native ingredients such as pork, chicken, beef, dairy, wheat and cane sugar. Instead, he cooks with heirloom varieties of corn, wild rice, foraged plants and native animals such as bison, salmon, duck and beaver. Under The Sioux Chef brand, Sean has hosted pop-up dinners, published a cookbook, operated a food truck, and in 2021, he opened Owamni, which won the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dani Nierenberg interviews Sean Sherman, an award-winning chef, educator, author, and activist. They discuss the importance of decolonizing food systems, exploring indigenous foods and historical disparities, embracing indigenous perspectives, and surviving and thriving during the pandemic.

Join Tunde Wey, a Nigerian chef and writer who uses food to spark political dialogue, and Sean Sherman, Oglala Lakota Sioux chef dedicated to reviving Indigenous foodways. They explore how culinary experiences can initiate conversations about identity and social change. Tunde discusses the significance of traditional Nigerian cuisine in American culture, while Sean shares insights on reclaiming Native food traditions and the complexities surrounding fry bread. Their engaging narratives highlight the power of food as a tool for activism and community bonding.