Sean Sherman

Chef Sean Sherman, Oglala Lakota, born in Pine Ridge, SD, has been cooking in MN, SD & MT for the last 27 years. In the last few years, his main culinary focus has been on the “pre-reservation” indigenous knowledge of wild and traditionally cultivated food history, flavor, and culinary technique. His studies have taken him to the Crow tribes of the Bighorn and Beartooth Mountain Ranges in Wyoming and Montana, to his native Lakota plains in the Dakotas, to the Ojibwe & Dakota forests & lake region throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Through documentation and experimentation with wild and indigenous flavor profiles and recreating and utilizing “ancient pantry” items, Chef Sherman has been readying his own concept of Modern & Traditional Native American Foods of the Dakota, Lakota & Ojibwe to bring to the public. Recently, he opened his business titled, “The Sioux Chef” as a caterer and food educator to the Minneapolis/Saint Paul area. His focus now is providing catering, cooking classes, speeches and food demonstrations. He’s been able to source locally, organically and using many regional Native run businesses to bring the flavors of these traditional foods to the Minnesota region and beyond.

"My art comes through my food. Even though a plate of food or an entire dinner may be a fleeting moment, my biggest enjoyment is creating a dish that can tell a story through flavor, smell, presentation, selection, texture, and history. My biggest motivation is exciting other people by creating experiences with indigenous food using traditional methods and wild flavors along with modern plating techniques." - Sean Sherman