Registration for this program is required, as space is limited. This program is a virtual event and does not have an in-person component. Participants can join the event using a computer, tablet, or smartphone. A link to the online event will be provided after registering. Join us for an online conversation with acclaimed Oglala Lakota chef Sean Sherman as he talks about Turtle Island: Foods and Traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America, a national bestseller named one of the year’s best cookbooks by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Smithsonian Magazine, and Library Journal. Growing up on South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Reservation, Oglala Lakota chef Sean Sherman understood that his people’s food was rich in flavor, heritage, and connection to the land. It was in the midst of a successful restaurant career mainly cooking European cuisines that he realized the lack of understanding about Native American foodways—a revelation that sent him on a journey to learn more about how Indigenous communities have preserved and evolved their cuisines through the centuries. Now a leading figure in the Indigenous food movement, he shares in Turtle Island the unique and diverse Native foodways of North America through both traditional and modern recipes made with ingredients that have nourished Indigenous peoples physically, spiritually, and culturally for generations. Organized by region, this book delves into the rich culinary landscapes of Turtle Island—as many Indigenous cultures call this continent. Learn to eat with the seasons, consume meat and fish nose-to-tail, focus on plant-forward dishes, and discover how to better feed yourself. Exemplifying how Native foodways can teach us all to connect with the natural world around us, Turtle Island features rich narrative histories and spotlights the communities producing, gathering, and cooking these foods, including remarkable stories of ingenuity and adaptation that capture the resilience of Indigenous communities. Register now and immerse yourself in the history (and delicious recipes) of Native American cuisine, told directly by one of the most influential chefs working today. About the Author: Chef Sean Sherman has dedicated his career to supporting Indigenous food systems and advancing Native food sovereignty. Through his advocacy, education, and culinary leadership, Sean works to reclaim and celebrate the rich food traditions of Indigenous communities throughout North America while advancing a more equitable and sustainable food future. As founder and Executive Director of North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS), he leads efforts to revitalize Indigenous foodways through education,workforce development, and Indigenous food enterprises. Sean’s first book, The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen, received the James Beard Award for Best American Cookbook in 2018. He was also honored with the James Beard Foundation's Leadership Award in 2019, and in 2021, he opened Owamni by The Sioux Chef, Minnesota's first full-service Indigenous restaurant, which has earned numerous accolades, including the James Beard Foundation's 2022 award for Best New Restaurant in America. In 2023, Sean was recognized as one of TIME magazine's 100 Most Influential People and received the ninth annual Julia Child Award for his leadership, innovation, and advocacy in transforming Indigenous cuisine. His most recent book, Turtle Island: Foods and Traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America, was nominated for a James Beard Award.
