NYC Indigenous Food Event April 30 Features Five Indigenous Celebrity Chefs

Hosted by American Indian College Fund to Benefit Native Scholars

Denver, Colo., April 16, 2024 — A world without chocolate, blueberries, or guacamole seems unthinkable, yet the favorite foods we enjoy were unknown outside the western hemisphere before 1492.

Indigenous foods have added delicious and nutritious dimensions to cuisine for nearly six centuries—yet if you had wanted to try high-end cuisine prepared by Native chefs, there is not one restaurant in all of New York City featuring Indigenous cuisine.

On April 30, the American Indian College Fund will introduce New Yorkers to Indigenous cuisine at its New York City EATSS (Epicurean Award to Support Scholars) event from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at The Lighthouse Pier 61, Chelsea Piers, New York, New York, 10011. President and CEO Cheryl Crazy Bull and her daughter and granddaughter will be on hand to discuss how a higher education is a revolutionary act for Native people along with their own transformative college experiences.

Raye Zaragoza of the Akimel O’otham Nation will headline the event with an exclusive concert for attendees and Native dancers will perform. Attendees can also shop original Native artwork created by students attending the premiere Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The following Indigenous celebrity chefs will serve up their favorite creations to guests:

• • Chef Ben Jacobs (Osage Nation), a nationally renowned chef and co-founder of Tocabe, An American Indian Eatery, the largest Native American restaurant chain.
  • Chef Andrea Murdoch Condes (Andean Native; Caracas, Venezuela), the owner of Four Directions Cuisine, uses food to trace her own culture while educating the public about the expansive world of Indigenous food systems.
  • Chef Bradley Dry (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma) has been a chef for 12 years, cooking traditional Cherokee dishes. He specializes in preparing food for special events and people, including powwows, Folklorama, and the cast and crew of Reservation Dogs.
  • Chef Sherry Pocknett (Mashpee Wampanoag Nation) specializes in the Bounty of the Season, Native American Indigenous food, and New England cooking.
  • Chef Anthony Bauer (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa) is the owner of Traditional Fire Custom Cuisine and has 25 years of experience in the food service industry.

Members of the press, please contact Dina Horwedel at dhorwedel@collegefund.org or 303-430-5350. To purchase tickets please visit https://standwith.collegefund.org/new-york-eatss/.

About the American Indian College Fund— The American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for 34 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the answer” and provided $17.4 million in scholarships and other direct student support to American Indian students in 2022-23. Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $319 million in scholarships, programs, community, and tribal college support. The College Fund also supports a variety of academic and support programs at the nation’s 35 accredited tribal colleges and universities, which are located on or near Indian reservations, ensuring students have the tools to graduate and succeed in their careers. The College Fund consistently receives top ratings from independent charity evaluators and is one of the nation’s top 100 charities named to the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit www.collegefund.org.

Journalists—The American Indian College Fund does not use the acronym AICF. On second reference, please use the College Fund.

Photo: Promotional graphic for NYC EATSS 2024.