Flavors & Stories: Chef Sean Sherman Brings Indigenous Culinary Wisdom to UC Merced

The beat of drums and the scent of cedar filled UC Merced’s Conference Center as acclaimed chef, author and activist Sean Sherman shared stories of tradition, resilience and culinary innovation during “Flavors & Stories: A Fireside Chat with the Sioux Chef.”

The New York Times bestselling author and founder of North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS) engaged the audience in a conversation about his journey to revitalize Indigenous cuisine and reconnect communities with the ingredients and methods that sustained their ancestors for generations.

“There wasn’t a lot of Native food when I was growing up,” Sherman reflected. “But I have a strong memory of chokecherry wojape. We’d harvest the berries, and my grandmother would prepare it for us all.”

Sherman, a member of the Oglala Lakota Sioux tribe, spoke about the evolution of his culinary philosophy and his mission to redefine Indigenous cuisine in the modern era. “I had to identify what it meant to me to identify pre-colonial foods,” he said. “We’re not trying to cook like it’s 1491. I’m a futurist, not a traditionalist.”

The conversation at the Oct. 8 event was moderated by executive chef and culinary director for UC Merced Dining Anthony Pangelina, who guided the discussion through Sherman’s early influences, the founding of NATIFS and his work to promote Native food sovereignty.

In a moment that drew laughter from the audience, Sherman recounted the frequent question he receives about his award-winning Minneapolis restaurant, Owamni. “People ask how they can get a reservation at my sold-out restaurant,” he said with a smile. “I tell them ‘I don’t know, I just grew up on one.’”

The event opened with a performance by Medicine For My Sisters, a women’s drum group whose rhythmic songs set a powerful tone for the evening. Following the conversation, guests enjoyed a reception featuring Indigenous dishes prepared by UC Merced Dining chefs using recipes from Sherman’s “The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen,” including cedar-braised bison, three sisters mash and maple-sage roasted vegetables.

“Flavors & Stories” is part of UC Merced Dining’s Food for Thought speaker series, created by Executive Chef Mitch Vanagten. It fosters conversations around food, culture and sustainability. In partnership with the Division of Equity, Justice & Inclusive Excellence, the series has welcomed chefs, authors and innovators who inspire the campus community to view food as a bridge between identity and understanding.

“Having Chef Sean Sherman share his knowledge of Indigenous foods and food sovereignty with our UC Merced community was a true honor, especially leading into Indigenous Peoples' Day,” Vanagten said.

Sherman’s visit left attendees with a renewed appreciation for the deep roots and future possibilities of Indigenous cuisine — a reminder, as he noted, that food carries not just flavor, but story and history.