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- By Native News Online Staff
Sherman is a prominent figure in the movement to reverse the damaging impact of colonialism through revitalizing Native foodways.
He is a founder of NĀTIFS — North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems — where he leads a team of culinary staff, educators, and advocates that collect and disseminates knowledge of Indigenous food systems, including agriculture, culinary, ethnobotany and more. NATIFS acts as a connection point for individuals and organizations interested in Native food culture and food sovereignty and advocates for Indigenous foodways at a policy level.
In a statement, Sherman said he is thrilled to accept the honor of behalf of his ancestors who lived in balance with the natural world.
"For generations, they nourished themselves with the bounty of the land where we lived, and we thrived," he said. "The foodways that sustained our Indigenous ancestors have the potential to rebalance and heal our bodies, weave connections within our communities, and bring harmony to our relationship with the planet. The cultural knowledge our ancestors left behind is a gift to us, one I am committed to recovering and sharing for the benefit of generations to come."
Sherman's Minneapolis-based restaurant Owamni is dedicated to decolonized cuisine and was recognized by the James Beard Foundation as the Best New Restaurant in America in 2022. Sherman was also nominated for Best Chef: Midwest that same year. In 2017, he published The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen, which won the James Beard Award for Best New Cookbook in 2018. The cookbook showcases his philosophy on reclaiming Indigenous foods in a modern context. Sherman also won the prestigious James Beard Leadership Award in 2019.
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