NACA Indigenous Food Culture Conference Presenters

We have assembled some of the best Native Indigenous professional talent out there today. We are extremely excited and grateful to be hosting these important presenters from across Indian Country. This blog, Apaches in the Kitchen, details our collective journey and now is beginning to involve the pathway of others. In the beginning we, the culinary staff at Sunrise Park Resort, talked about this. I shared a vision of Culinary Culture Building in our community and how it can affect other communities as well. This culinary events symbolizes how we as Apaches in the Kitchen are making that vision a reality, together.



ABOUT PRESENTERS:

Claudia Serrato

Claudia Serrato, MA

Bio: Foundress of Sac(RED) (WOMB)yn, Doctoral Student of Medical Anthropology, co-author of Decolonial Food  For Thought blog, alternative Cocinera and Womb Ecologist, and co-president of the Native Organization of Indigenous Scholars (NOIS) at the University of Washington.

Valerie Segrest

Valerie Segrest, Author, Scholar and Nutrition Educator

Bio: Valerie Segrest is a member of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and works as a native nutrition educator for the Northwest Indian College’s Traditional Plants Program. She coordinates the Muckleshoot Food Sovereignty Project. She co-authored the book Feeding the People, Feeding the Spirit: Revitalizing Coastal Indian Food Culture.

Chris Rodriguez

Chris Rodriguez, Chef/Scholar

Bio: Chris Rodriguez is a Xicano, professional chef and co-creator of the grassroots community health project Decolonial Food For Thought. He is an independent scholar and political commentator on native and Indigenous food autonomy and sovereignty movements in Mesoamerica.

Lois Ellen Frank

Lois Ellen Frank, Ph.D.

Bio: Lois Ellen Frank is a working Chef at Red Mesa Cuisine, a Native American Catering Company specializing in locally sourced, seasonal Native American foods. She is also a James Beard Award winning cookbook author of Foods of the Southwest Indian Nations. Her work is internationally known and influences a generation of Native Chefs.

Walter Whitewater

Walter Whitewater, Chef/Author

Bio: Walter Whitewater is a working Chef at Red Mesa Cuisine, a Native American Catering Company specializing in locally sourced, seasonal Native American foods. Chef Whitewater is also a James Beard Award winning cookbook co-author of Foods of the Southwest Indian Nations. His work is internationally known and influences an entire generation of Native Chefs.

Kyle Knox

Kyle Knox, Farmer at Natwani Coalition

Bio: Kyle is Hopi and Akimel O’odham (Pima) from the village of Kykotsmovi and is a member of the Coyote clan. Mr. Knox has a BA in Fine Arts and Media Production from ASU and brings his experience as an active Hopi farmer to help shape the future of the Natwani Coalition.

Jason Champagne

Jason Champagne, MA student in Public Health and Dietetics

Bio: Jason Champagne is a member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa, a graduate student at University of Minnesota School of Public Health, and a graduate of the Le Cordon Bleu culinary arts program. Jason has three years of experience working for Walt Disney World as a culinary professional. Champagne’s unique combination of the culinary arts and dietetics produce a unique approach to health conscious foods to combat diabetes.

April Adams

April “Bleu” Adams, Owner/Operator at Black Sheep Café

Bio:   April is Navajo, Hidatsa and Mandan descent originally from Provo, Utah.  April started in the food business selling homemade Navajo foods at countless pow wow’s and events over the years. On September 1, 2011 April her husband, family and sister signed a lease for 19 N University in Provo. Utah. This is the location of Black Sheep Café, of which April Adams is owner and operator of this successful independent restaurant. 

  

Mark Mason

Mark Daniel Mason, Executive Chef of Black Sheep Café

Bio: Mark is Navajo, Hidatsa and Mandan descent originally from Morenci, AZ.  Mark Mason has been cooking since age 8. Chef Mark lists his mother and great grandmother as early influences. Mark has experience working at Marcellino’s Ristorante in Scottsdale, AZ working under the tutelage of Master Chef Marcellino Verzino. Chef Mark Mason is currently the Executive Chef of Black Sheep Café in Provo, Utah.

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Vanya Szabo, MS 

Bio: Vanya Szabo is from Bulgaria and currently works as a Program Coordinator with Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health at the Center’s Whiteriver, Arizona office. Her work has focused primarily on implementing Edible School garden curriculum and building a school garden at Cibecue Schools, coordinating Traditional Apache Plants program, helping families start their own gardens and starting the first Farmers Market on White Mountain Apache reservation.

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Andrea Beatty, White Mountain Apache Wild Foods Specialist

Bio: Andrea Beatty is a member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe, born and raised in Cibecue, Arizona. She is currently working with Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health on developing and implementing the Traditional Apache Plants curriculum. She is knowledgeable in indigenous plants and foods, skillful crafter in making cradle boards, coil and burden baskets, water tus, and moccasins. She enjoys gardening and cooking traditional Apache meals.

Loretta Barrett Oden

Loretta Barrett Oden, Chef/TV host/Lecturer

Bio: Loretta owned Native Foods Restaurant called Corn Dance Café in Santa Fe, New Mexico for 10 years. She is the host of the Emmy Award Winning TV series “Seasoned with Spirit, A Native Chef’s Journey.” She has been featured on “Good Morning America,” “The Today Show,” “In Food Today” and “Cooking Live” and in numerous publications including the New York Times.

Arlie Doxtator

Arlie Doxtator, Oneida Executive Chef of Bear Paw Cafe

Bio: Arlie Doxtator has 27 years of professional culinary experience as a First Nations Chef in Hotel/Casino, independent, private resort and corporate food service. Chef Arlie has been featured in numerous publications including Native People's Magzine. Chef Doxtator specializes in the research and study of the indigenous foods of the Lotinishoni--People of the Long House, and their importance of their existence in the future. 

Nephi Craig

Nephi Craig, Chef/Founder of NACA and Executive Chef

Bio: Nephi Craig is the Chef and Founder of The Native American Culinary Association or NACA. Chef Craig has 14 years of professional experience as a Native Chef. Chef Craig has cooked all over the world in Germany, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Japan specializing in Native American Cuisine. Chef Craig is the creator of the Apaches in the Kitchen blog. Craig currently serves as Executive Chef for the Sunrise Park Resort Hotel on the White Mountain Apache Tribe.

These short biographies do not do these individuals justice. You can do you own independent research and learn more about these individuals. Come and join us at Sunrise Park Resort, on the White Mountain Apache Tribe!

For more information contact naculinaryassoc@gmail.com 

or call the Sunrise Park Resort Hotel at (928)-735-7669. Space is limited!