About this episode

Chef Pyet DeSpain discusses her journey and the significance of food in Indigenous communities with host Claudia Sandoval.

She made history as the first Native American and Mexican American woman to win a televised cooking competition, but Chef Pyet DeSpain's food story doesn't start with a garden or a grandmother's recipe. It starts with struggle meals. Government commodities. A childhood spent moving from city to city. And a grandfather in Kansas City who put a bowl of beans in front of her and made her feel like she had the most important job in the world. In this episode, Pyet joins Chef Claudia Sandoval to talk about the foods that were handed to their communities and the ones they're reclaiming. For Indigenous communities, Pyet says, food was never just nutrition — it's about rootedness. This conversation is about what happens when that connection gets severed, and what it looks like to find your way back. New episodes every Wednesday. You can find Pyet on Instagram @chefpyet and grab her cookbook, Rooted In Fire, here. Follow along ⁠@bitefullypod⁠ and find Chef Claudia ⁠@chefclaudiasandoval⁠ on Instagram Host & Executive Producer: Claudia Sandoval | Producer: Shei Yu | Executive Producer: Saadia Khan | Sound Designer & Editor: Lou Raskin | Theme Music: Lou Raskin | Other Music: Epidemic Sound…

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