Sean Sherman – an Oglala Lakota chef born on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and the founder of The Sioux Chef, focuses his culinary skills on the “revitalization and awareness of Indigenous foods systems in a modern culinary context.” Sherman took it upon himself to study the foundations of the food systems particular to the local Dakota and Ojibwe tribes, gaining knowledge of Indigenous farming techniques, land stewardship, hunting and fishing, salt and sugar making, the usage of wild food and harvesting, food preservation, elemental cooking techniques, Native American migration history, and Native American Culture and history in a more general sense to get a more holistic understanding of Native American cuisine and how to bring that back in the present.
The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchenis an introduction into modern indigenous cuisine of the Minnesota and Dakota territories. The recipes are all focused and centered around ingredients indigenous to America. No European staples like dairy products, sugar, or domestic pork. Instead, there’s duck, venison, blueberries and wildflowers to name a few.
In his introduction, Sherman states “This book is about the joy of indigenous cooking. It reveals the delight in finding ingredients right outside our kitchen doors. … These recipes, inspired by methods handed down through the ages, generation after generation, are integral to our culture, and, as with all good recipes, the dishes will change from cook to cook. These recipes are meant to be guidelines, not formulas. … These recipes along with the stories of goodness and resilience are told with hope and joy.”
-Matrice Y, Special Collections, Olson Graduate Assistant
